Storage...How I Love Thee

As primary-grade teachers, we all know how important classroom storage can be.

Let's face it, our grades require a lot of "stuff". This is due to the hands-on learning that takes place, and all of those manipulatives, games, and activities need a home.

{This gets especially tricky when you're like me, who has to share a classroom...}

Ikea to the rescue!!!  

-before-

Here is a before shot of my writing center.

The table is pretty full!

Dollar Store trays for every kind of paper: lined, plain, thematic writing, and coloring pages.

-after-

This Trofast storage system holds all of these types of paper AND all of the classroom pointers for Write-The-Room. Look how much room is on the table now.

I bought two more of these storage systems on Kijiji, for less than half the price. Woot! Woot!

{I think Kijiji may be the Canadian version of Craigslist??}

The first one is filled with activities for Literacy stations, including syllable learning, word work, alphabet learning, and rhyme activities.

The second unit is filled with Math items, including tubs for time, money, number learning, patterns, and various math mats.

These units go perfectly with the Ikea storage I posted about earlier in the year.

They work as a divider between the carpet area and play area...

...and provide lots of storage space!

More classroom storage items from Ikea:

Pails to hold markers, pencils, erasers, crayons, & glue sticks.

The classroom helpers carry these pails around the room, distributing the items as needed.

I use one pail for name highlighting.

This Ikea holder is on my Writing Center table. It holds pencils, index cards with the students' names, and folders with words that go with the month's theme.

This is not from Ikea, but I want to share a tip about desk storage.

I have had this organizer on my desk for many years. {I purchased it from Target, while on a trip to Florida.}In the front portion I had pictures of my 3 kids. Over time, the pictures began to fade badly. Not to mention what a pain it was to change them every year.

I took some scrapbook paper and cut to size. I'm really happy with how it looks now! No more faded, ruined pictures.