“No, don’t open that closet!” my students would warn any unsuspecting newcomer. Despite being organized in other ways, the abundance of school supplies generously provided by my students’ guardians each year always ended up haphazardly stuffed into an ancient closet. From pencils and Expo markers to Clorox bottles and hand sanitizers, I’d shove them all into this space during the second week of school, only daring to open it when supplies ran critically low. Each opening usually resulted in a comedic avalanche of supplies, giving my students a good laugh while I frantically searched for what I needed before stuffing the rest back into the “Do Not Open” closet. It was a humorous break in our usually serious setting.
However, to avoid such chaos, consider TikToker @movemountainsinkinder‘s method. It’s a simple, effective way to keep everything organized.
Instead of dumping school supplies into your closet or storage area in their original packaging, take them out to conserve space.
I get it—some of you might hesitate to try this school supply hack, worrying about the cost of totes and the time it takes to label them. But think of it as an investment. Why not allocate a portion of this year’s classroom funds to buy some totes? Maybe the project won’t allocate all of your school-provided funds. Make the labeling process enjoyable by playing some fun music as you work. Once labeled, these totes can be reused year after year—simply refill as needed! Trust me, this hack is invaluable and will simplify your teaching life.
What others are saying about this school supply hack:
Teachers on TikTok do like this idea, but they are questioning if the totes she bought are high-quality, how expensive the totes would be, and how she has that many school supplies donated to her classroom.
Trust me, I really needed to organize my closet too! I wish I could tell young Mrs. Morris how much easier organizing and color-coding everything would have been.
This is another thought a lot of you may be having. I was thankful to work at a school where the guardians really pulled through on school supply donations, so my stash often looked like this too. @movemountainsinkinder mentions in another comment that she stored up supplies for many, many years, though!
Think about how much more we could have fit in our “‘Do Not Open” closet :’)
She recommends a cabinet from Ikea to store these totes, but use whatever works best for you! The shelves in my classroom closet would have done just fine.
And here’s the main question in the comments: Where do you find these storage containers? My first move would be to check with retired teachers or those nearing retirement—they often have extra containers they no longer need. If that doesn’t pan out, I’d browse Facebook Marketplace (though always give it a quick sniff test before buying!). Still searching? Walmart would be my next stop. If all else fails, Amazon would be my last resort. My top tip is to seek out used containers and totes that can be repurposed—giving old items new life is not only economical but eco-friendly too!
This storage solution offered by @movemountainsinkinder could help any teacher, new or experienced, looking to streamline some classroom organization. This school supply hack’s beauty lies in its simplicity and potential to transform chaotic spaces into order. Whether you source your totes new or used, the effort to organize now will pay off throughout the school year (and reduce daily stress!).
Organized totes prevent dreaded closet avalanches, ensuring a smooth, focused teaching and learning experience for you and your students.