If you find a new pattern you love, buy all of the things and fabric cuts you need to kit it up. Many fabric manufacturer's only carry the fabric patterns and lines you will need for it a season or two. Then you will not find it anywhere. I know we can improvise, but why if you love a certain look?
Snip off a tiny corner of your fabric before washing to stop so many frayed threads from showing up.
I keep a small spiral bound book handy to record settings and threads I like and sometimes I even sew a patch for reference later.
The sizes of people I sew for measurements. And the year I took the measurements. I also record what I made for christmas for someone and the year. This eliminates repeats. Many things are in that booklet for my memory is not to be trusted anymore. LOL!

I like love your idea of keeping records. I sometimes wonder where (that) quilt went, but can't remember to whom it was gifted. One dear friend mentioned how much she loved the quilt I gave her, and I honestly could not remember exactly what it looked like!

Acrylic rulers do "wear down". When it no longer is an accurate tool, GET RID OF IT! Do not donate it. Put it in the trash.

It took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure that out. Duh!

I use the bigger old cutting mats as floor mats in my sewing room.

I do a lot of things. I did learn from Donna Jordan to use the weight on the ruler. But she uses the lines on her mat and I recently watched a video where the quilter also does that. For my quilts which are mostly patchwork that seems to work fine. I also press seams open. Several quilters do that and have tested the process and it seems to last as forever it can. I don't stitch in the ditch so that isn't an issue for me. I also don't starch much.

Don't throw those square rulers. They are good for after pressing quilt blocks.
I place my OLD square ruler over my blocks after pressing. Gives it a little
steam and makes the block flatter.
I know some quilters like to use a clapper but I haven't seen the need.

I once heard or read somewhere when you’re doing a new to you process or method, don’t work your quilt or project linear left to right or top to bottom if you can help it. As you progress your skills will improve and refine and it will come out more uniform to distribute your efforts throughout the piece over time.

I am doing some hand quilting now and have followed this guidance. I started stitching a vertical line in the 4th column, then did the 2nd, then 6th, then the 3rd etc., just bouncing back and forth across the quilt.

When free-motion quilting, listen to music or a podcast. It relaxes you so the quilting designs flow smoothly.

I never use the lines on my mats, but I am always in shock when so many You Tube quilters do this, and another thing that bothers me about many You Tube quilters is that they do not press their fabric. I cannot cut into fabric with wrinkles or creases.

Take all newer quilt youtubers with a grain of salt. They start quilting a few years ago and now they are sponsored and become experts. I've seen a few that had no idea who Eleanor Burns is and show her techniques saying it's a new way.