I rarely give time outs - maybe once a month per child? I try to re-direct before something I know is going to happen if at all possible. 1, 2, 3, then time out. They USUALLY stop doing what is wrong by the time I say 2....

I put them in the same spot each time. For upstairs it's sitting on the kitchen floor (where they can hear their friends play, but can't see them, but I can see the child. In the basement, it's sitting on the bottom step. When we're outside, it's sitting on the bottom step outside by a door.

They usually have to sit there until I'm calm! So 2-5 minutes depending on the situation. Again, most things depend on the situation of course.