I use the fat rubber bands from broccoli bunches to hold down the small sticky note pad I use to mark my accurate 1/4" seam allowance beside the presser foot.
I also use the rectangular plastic containers from our grocery's deli to hold older Dual Duty spools of thread.
I have one of those round dimply mat thingy that opens jars beside my machine to keep my seam ripper, thread scissors, and awl from rolling away.
I use clear shoe boxes to store my fabric strips cut at 1", 1.25", 1.5", 1.75", and 4" squares by color.
Jan in VA