I go to tools/Downloads or Ctl+J and then right click on the newly downloaded file. Second option down offers the location of that file as I'm sure you know. I then move the darn thing to a location I will remember - an ever-increasingly difficult task these days - and leave the download folder free.
One of the gotchas is using CCleaner or some such and finding the Download folder empty should you rely on it storing a list for you.
(Not sure if CCleaner is the culprit, but something empties my downloads if I rely on there being a nice list in there.)