Also a "newbie", and a somewhat lazy software developer. I have an extension monitor connected to my laptop. My Sketchup project is displayed on the laptop screen, and all my component folders are displayed on the extension monitor (Windows Explorer). To add a component to the project, I just drag it from the extension monitor to the laptop screen.

Major advantages of doing it like this are the (much) bigger thumbnails, and I can display more of them in the bigger window.

Another component tip:
When creating many similar components, like windows, doors, kitchen cabinets etc, make only one of each main type. Test it to be sure that it "glues" and "cuts" exactly as you require. When completely satisfied with your "basic" component design, you can then create many more similar components from this basic one. Open the basic component, save it as a new file, and then do whatever editing and modifications are required for the new component. The BIG advantage in doing this is that every copy of the basic component will automatically "inherit" the same "gluing plane" and "cutting surface" as the original basic component.

Maybe we should have a special forum thread for "component tips and tricks"?