I have designated areas on the sewing table where I keep different tools. For instance: I have a shallow wicker basket which is divided into 4 sections (an old fruit basket). I have some of the tools upright in fruit jars so I can easily see what I need. It's to the side of my sewing area and I usually pull out what I need for that sewing and keep it close at hand either in a frisbee or on a foam mat...well, relatively close! so when I misplace a tool it's not too far away...most of the time.
I have about 4 different pincushions. They're in another shallow basket. I keep a small plastic dish to put ripped threads in...don't always do this, but when I do it's helpful.
If I'm rotary cutting I keep the cutter on a small mat or the frisbee, where the other tools I'm using are kept.
Being hard-wired from birth to be neat is a family gene I've inherited. Today they call it obsessive compulsive disorder. :lol:
The multi drawer plastic units are used for many other "tools". Each drawer unit is specified for certain areas of quilting/sewing.
This all helps me to keep in order...my brain needs it that way. Please, I'm not bragging about it. Sometimes being too neat has its drawbacks!