I like to experiment with different methods to see which best works for my specific conditions, try sticking some in sand, some in other media, have some covered and others open, things like that. It's been interesting to see how different my results are here versus what others say is typical. Evergreens especially, which I'm in constant need of thanks to the dang deer...
For arborvitae and such I've had the best luck with prop trays made of scrap 1x4 lumber and a hardware wire bottom screen, filled with a mix of sand and vermiculite, covered by an old 10-gallon aquarium that has been painted over 2/3 of the surface by white paint leaving strips of clear glass. I keep it in a lit area protected from direct sun for spring summer, and fall. Before winter comes I move it into the garage or barn to protect from snow crushing it. Got the idea from Mike McGroarty who does a bunch of great vids on YT and has a book with excellent propagation tips I found at a yard sale. Same thing works for a lot of other cuttings like dogwoods, forsythia, rhododendron, etc. It usually results in good cuttings ready to pot up and grow out by the following season, so not super fast but very easy. And the bonus is I've picked up dozens of tanks to use at garage sales over the years, for just a few bucks each. I get plenty for my garden this way, and usually plenty to share or trade
Open sand beds would work too likely, but it's hard to keep out the rodents that come in under the snow and chew off all the bark over the winter.