When it comes to organizing your classroom — and keeping it neat and tidy all year long — storage bins are your most important tool. You probably already use them to keep your classroom library, but did you know storage bins can be used to keep more than just your books under control?

Check out favorite classroom read-alouds here. 

Here are five more ways to use storage bins in your classroom to keep you and your students organized all year long.

1. Personalized storage for students

Give a student an empty storage bin and they’ll likely put it on their head. Give them a storage bin, some fabric, glue, and markers, and your students can create and decorate their own personalized storage bin to keep at their desks. Loose sheets of paper, pencils, craft supplies, and more will now have a permanent home, keeping your classroom and the area around desks neat and tidy.

2. Cubby hole transformation

The area around your classroom cubbies is a prime spot for clutter and chaos. Putting a storage bin in each cubby is a great way to bring order to this part of your classroom. From water bottles to finished works of art to take home, storage bins will help you hold all your kids’ treasures!

3. Classroom garden organization

Cultivating a classroom garden is always a fun learning experience for students. But sometimes the most difficult part is finding the perfect planter to sow your seeds. Storage bins are a great choice because they’re more durable than milk cartons and more attractive than your typical seedling tray. Plus, if you drill holes in the bottom, storage bins can be a permanent home for your plants until harvest time. 

4. Science storage

Storage bins are also the perfect home for your science supplies. Consider designating a storage bin for each science activity or experiment you plan to conduct with your students throughout the year and restock the bin accordingly. They’re also great for keeping hands-on activities in other subjects organized, especially for times when you want students to engage in independent or small group learning.

Try this sample lesson plan for new teachers.

5. A home for your odds and ends

There are always a few things in your classroom that you may be hard-pressed to find a home for. Luckily, storage bins are a great place to keep odds and ends — and tools that don’t get much use — safe and easily accessible. A storage bin designated for miscellaneous items in each corner of your room is a great way to counter clutter and ensure your classroom stays organized all year long.

Sure, these storage bins are perfect for organizing books, but because they’re fully customizable, they’re also the perfect tool for keeping the rest of your classroom neat and tidy. 

Shop bins for your classroom below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.