I use the pony tail holders, except I bring the thread down to the base of the cone and then put the band on, it works for me.

I bought some of the heavy cardboard decorative boxes at Joann and keep my colors in boxes so I don't have to look through everything to find the right color. I have used blue painters tape and the netting for my spools. The boxes look nice in my sewing room.

As a longarm quilter I use the large 6,000 yard cones of quilting thread. I keep these on the large thread holders (wooden pegs) placed on top of wooden bookcases along a wall in my quilting studio. I have positioned tape on the bookcases in front of the legs of the thread holders to keep them from slipping off onto the floor. I have placed very thin plastic cut from dry cleaning bags just behind the thread holders and draped over the top and down the front to keep dust of the thread. I can easily see the colors of each cone thru the plastic. For my extra cones that are still in their plastic bags, I keep on the shelfs below. I have done this for the last 20 years, works very well for me, and I find that the thread has never faded from the artificial light (basement quilting studio).

Look in the first aid section of your pharmacy and get the knit tubing that goes over a bandaged finger. Cut off a section and stretch it over the cone. It works well and can be left on during sewing to keep the thread from back lashing, etc.

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/14/b9/7d/1...bd7906a38b.jpg
I was wondering how to tame my bobbins, especially metallic thread, so I googled it. Thought I'd share the dollar store hair bands pic.

I use the yard sale type stickers and stick them to the ends of the thread spool.

Aashley -- that's the type I wanted! They only had small like those for the bobbins. I think the large ones can be twisted on to the less-than-half cones better than the regular elastics, which are great at full but won't get smaller easily.

But thanks all for the ideas! I plan on going to the Goodwill today to look at those bamboo cutlery trays -- I think one would be perfect for the Aurifil.

Don't think I'm going to be able to find those notches reliably/easily. Since I bought the elastics, for now maybe I'll try some that way and some with blue tape to do a comparison. I like the idea of simply taping it to the base, don't know why I didn't just stop there instead of mentally putting it inside.

Yesterday at my Tuesday group I was given a stash clearing UFO that is just gorgeous and I once again, I got distracted by fabric (sing to the tune of Blinded by Science0.

Ashley has the kind that I get, at the dollar store.

I keep spools on shallow shelves on the wall...but l'm in basement and lights are only on while l'm in the room sewing. A large medicine cabinet (bathroom style) would be perfect with doors on in a sunny area. I arrange spools by colour.