I do keep them together like if it's silk cotton if it is just regular sewing thread I just put them in a bobbin holder. I said I keep the special one's together I sometimes use a pipe cleaner put it thru the hole in the spool and the bobbin. I also have a small box I put bobbins in I will mark the bobbin using a small piece of paper with the kind of thread and just tape it on the bobbin I also use bobbin holder that fits on top of the spool if the spool is the right size it works.