Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting!
Many of us use what is called a design wall. It can be a flannel backed vinyl tablecloth, thumbtacked to the wall or laid on the bed in your sewing area. It can even be laid on the floor and rolled or folded up when you're not sewing. The idea is that you have a place to lay out squares, circles or strips of whatever you are sewing and then can stand back and see how things are looking to you.