Organizing Student Supplies in a High School Classroom

This is another re-post from my old blog. 

I saw this cute idea on Sandy Toes & Popsicles, and immediately thought of my classroom.  

For years I have been storing scissors, colored pencils, markers and rulers in shoe boxes.  For some reason students love to mark and write all over the boxes, and on more than one occasion I have been known to rip the lids off because I was so annoyed by it.  So a new idea is welcome.  

My biggest expense was a can opener that wouldn't leave a sharp edge ($20 @ Target).  I used the spray paint I had, plus a few new cans.  As a base I used an old shelf from an entertainment center.  Three edges are unfinished and I thought I would put ribbon around the base to make the base look a little more finished (but apparently that hasn't made it to my to-do list).I used liquid nails to glue all the cans to the board and they have held tight for several years now.

If I were to make it again, my only improvement would me more cans, or possibly putting all the taller cans in the back and shorter cans in the front. The taller cans are great for colored pencils, the shorter ones are better for markers, big-kid scissors, and rulers. This is easily one of my favorite projects, it worked, it was cheap, it has lasted for years now and doesn't look any worse for the wear. It is practical, colorful and not too elementary for a high school classroom. And best of all I was able to re-use items I already had.