I'm not saying that's super important
Au contraire! It is super important. I'm not saying that you can't cast a spell without doing that, but a very important part of magic is our mental image and frame of mind. I can cast some powerful spells with just my bare hands and my mental imagery alone, but when I have the time or the need for that extra boost, nothing beats being surrounded by all of my tools in my altar space with all the trappings in place. Their presence makes me feel particularly "Witchy" and that mind set means I can really call up the power to do what I need to do.
Since much of our own power is in our own visualization and mind set, we can do what we do with just that. But you have the issue of the concentration of the visualization. It's far easier to hold and point your Athame than it is to sit there and mentally feel and see it in your hands.
The physical object means that you don't have to waste concentration of the visuals and can toss that into the spell itself. The same goes for an altar space. Now that's not to say that it's the same for all people. Certainly some people are better at the multi-tasking of the visualization and the implementation of the spell. Others need the help.
So for you it is important. Just don't let it get so important that you can't function without it.