some things tht i re-purpose:
Small Pizza boxes to hold 12" blocks for a project. I used scrapbooking paper on the front of the box to mke them pretty.
Chrome dish drainer rack for my smaller rulers.
a cheap microwave cart, with padding i made for the top, for pressing small things next to my sewing table.
"Command" strips/hangers on the back of my sewing room door to hole my cutting boards.
cardboard fabric bolts from Joanns, (free) cut in half, to hold my fabric, anything over a yard.
6 drawer stackable scrapbooking paper holder, the bottom one is on wheels, i stacked the other on top. to hold threads, bindings,graph papers..etc. got them at Joanns with 50% off coupon.
i use the "NaNavigator" from "crop and style", rolling tote to carry my janome jem sewing machine. Michaels used to carry them, i used 50% off coupon, ended up costing me about $30 bucks. MUCH cheaper than a quilters rolling tote!
I am sure there are other things, i just need to get up and go look around my sewing room!
sneaked out of the husbands garage at one time or another:
a T-Bar
(long aluminum ruler used for straight line cutting of dry wall)
for squaring up longer quilt sides.