It does take some time - more than an hour :-) - to become familiar with the
new interface in A2007 (NavPane, ribbon, ...)

Suggestions:

- The title bar at the top of the Nav Pane includes a tick box for:
   All Access Objects

- Set Category to:
   Object Type

- The categories (Tables, Queries, ...) collapse.

- Show and use the Search Bar. It filters objects as you type.

If you teach/develop for others, you need to persist with it until you
become familiar with using it. If you only handle your own databases and
don't want to learn the new stuff, Avenius Gunter has created a Database
Window for A2007:
   http://www.avenius.de/index.php?Produkte:DBC2007

Although I don't use the Nav Pane as the user interface, it is possible to
use it in ways that the Database window did not suppport:
   http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HA102345601033.aspx?pid=CH100645691033

Other suggestions on adapting to A2007:
   http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html