I've tried the plastic drawers, medicine bottles, coffee cans, peg boards,tackle boxes, tool boxes and just about every storage suystem one could think of and here is what I've gravitated to.
Kits: my kits are stored in cigar boxes, 26 of them...each kit has its own home...the boxes are labeled on the ends as to maker, kit, and plating and are stored on a shelf out of the way but in close reach. Cigar type school boxes are are available anywhere school supplies are sold.
Bushings: my bushings are stored on a metal shower curtain ring/hook/whatever it is called. One set per ring, labeled with kit information and each set of bushings is hanging on a small cup hook under the shelf used to store the kits. When turning, the labeled curtain ring hangs on a cup hook in front of the lathe and when I'm finished the bushings immediately go back on the curtain rings. When I had them loose in a tackle box the tackle box was overturned and I spent hours sorting about 100 pieces of metal that look identical when dumped together. Slimline bushings are kept in a magnetic metal bowl next to the lathe. I have lots of them for use as spacers and other things. I only use the 1/4 inch mandrel so all of my bushings have the same size hole. Mandrels are kept in a cabinet drawer. How did I accumulate so many mandrels?
Do a good turn daily!
Don