OK, I admit this is a bit obsessive even for me. I like to do my layout and number my quilt blocks, alpha across and numbers down. I've had a system that worked pretty well for me for the last 20 years -- I have a aqua green foil cigar box to hold my safety pins, both quilt and smaller sizes. I bundle my pins into groups of 10, that is one pin holding and the other 9 looped on. That way I can toss out the bundles across the quilt, or quickly count out the number I need. I know some people store their pins open, but I do prefer to crush my fingers by closing them. I make labels using regular typing paper, 8 sections across and 10-12 down, and write on each block. I also keep a low grade/dollar store pair of scissors in the box to cut the paper. When the top is assembled, I take off the labels (while doing a thread check), regroup the pins into 10s, and throw away the block markers.
But I really don't like doing things over and over that don't need to be done, especially with regular tasks. Too many years with engineers and flow charts and such. I don't mind too much front-loading effort so it takes a little bit more to automate the next dozen times. So one day (years before my move) I was thrift store shopping and got this big organizer of Letter beads for something like $0.50. Over the course of boredom/years, I sorted them out and found while I had plenty of alpha, no numbers so kept my thrift store eyes peeled for more numbers. I have enough slots for pretty much all projects, I know it is very rare for me to have a K9 block (in which case I must have dog fabric) and this goes up to O?? 10.
Jump forward to a couple of months ago, after I could see again and it was time to deal with these beads. I ordered numbers, rings, and consistent safety pins and have been putting them together. I'm not all done yet, but all are sorted. Fortunately this project is large blocks and I only needed three rows and three columns -- but it is my first time with the system. System itself is working well, maybe the rings are a size small but they are done now! I'm used to doing things with my safety pins after each project, this is only a tiny bit more thought and care.
Is hard to see in the pictures, the first is of the case. The second is the labels in use, you have to look a bit close to see it but is easy in real life. Plus the weight isn't an issue but helps you zero in on the location.