The classroom closet is too often an ignored storage space in the classroom. Random supplies are thrown in with abandon, perhaps forgotten until the end of the school year. But if the closet is effective, you stand a really good chance of keeping the rest of the classroom organized. Here are some classroom closet best practices!
Success starts at the beginning of the year.
Most teachers order the bulk of their school supplies at the beginning of the year and then supplement their haul with what the parents buy off of supply lists. This deluge of stuff might be chaotic, but take the time to place it strategically in the closet. It could make the difference in stuff accumulating in the room itself.
You can never have too many plastic bins.
Plastic bins are the panacea of classroom organization. They can be used to gather everything. They make organizing your closet—and the classroom in general—a snap. If you don’t have enough (and there is never enough), consider adding them to your supply request.
Don’t leave the shoe organizer at home.
The pouches of shoe organizers are great for gathering smaller items, like writing utensils or anything consumable. Go ahead and put one on the inner side of the closet door.
Consider going inside-out.
The closet is the logical place to keep supplies, but think about this: which would you rather students have access to, your files or the supplies? Strategically use shelves and rolling bins out in the classroom for supplies so students can access them as needed while moving your files into the closet behind closed doors.
Every teacher wants a masterpiece classroom. It starts with best practices in the closet!
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