I have a plastic-coated cloth measuring tape that I snipped to 3.5 inches. It sits right at my machine. Can't believe how handy it is.
also recently purchased a side-winder. It's great and I don't have to unthread my machine, but it seems to wind the bobbin thread a bit messily. ('Messily' is a funny word.)
OH! and I have a Really sharp pair of small scissors attached to a ribbon, attached to a batting-stuffed pincushion heart that hangs around my neck. It's like my jewelry.