A Look Inside My Table Supply Bins

I love having community supplies for our markers, color pencils, glue, and scissors. It makes it so easy to have my Supplies Manager pass out table bins to each spot and everything the kids need is in easy access.

I made my bins for this year today and wanted to give you a peek into how I did it.


Here are the materials I used:
  • Small Sterilite Bins: I bought these last year from the Target Dollar Bin and they held up wonderfully through a year of abuse-- I *love* not having to rebuy these each year!!)
  • Scotch Book Tape: I have blogged about this tape before HERE and *love* it! Definitely more expensive than the regular packing tape, but worth it! (Only a teacher would get this excited over clear tape, right?!)
  • Small Plastic Cups: These were 8 for $1 at the Dollar Store and they held up relatively well through the year for the cost (I think I only replaced 3 all year!)
  • Medium Plastic Baskets: These are from Hobby Lobby last year, too and held up VERY well-- didn't have to replace any of them :)
  • Hand Sharpeners: I put two in each bin for color pencils and put a small amount of teal duct tape so kids know these are "table supply" sharpeners
  • Scissors: One for each kid and again, I used a small piece of teal duct tape to show it belonged to the table supply bins and not our community supply area
  • Glue Sticks: One for each student and when one dries up/gets used up, the kids can replace it from our community supplies area
  • Markers & Color Pencils: I use three sets per table (only two are shown in these pics, sorry!) and if kids need more, they can grab them from the community supplies area
  • Supply Labels: I use these labels from my set found HERE.

Tip: Before I knew what baskets I would be using on the inside, I brought my Sterilite tub to the various stores that sold baskets (Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Dollar Store, etc.) and tried them out one by one. I liked the final product since these are so durable and/or replaceable on the cheap :)

The Book Tape is a wonderful thing, since it sticks like crazy, but leaves a smooth finish and leaves little residue when you peel it off at the end of the year-- can't beat that!



Here's what it looks like on the cup with just the plain sheet underneath (no need to laminate or anything else):

I store these bins on a shelf in my classroom and will let our Supplies Manager (more on class jobs soon!) know when it's time to pass them out to everyone. Because I only have five tables, it takes very little time and limits the craziness in the classroom of everyone getting up to get what they need. I also use the Bin Fairy to leave little sticker supplies to the cleanest bins so kids are encouraged to keep them nice and tidy when they are finished.

I will be back soon with a picture of my community supplies area so you can see the full picture of the rest of this system, but here's a view from the top so you can see how it all fits in the bigger bin:

Do you use table supplies in your class? How do you organize them?



8 comments

  1. Wow! I love this idea! Such a great way to ensure everybody has what they need. AND I just got bins like this at Dollar Tree. Thanks!

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  2. Great idea!! You are so organized! Smiles and stop by anytime!

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  3. Hello! I am a first year teacher in this upcoming school year and I really like the idea of doing your Math Rotations. As part of our curriculum for math we have a video we have to show at the start of each lesson. Each chapter has lessons and the way I have seen teachers do it they have a new lesson each day. How would you incorporate this in Teacher Time? Is it possible to do the whole class video and then start Teacher Time and rotations or would that make things too crunched. I, like you, only have 60 minutes to teach as well but we are required to follow the curriculum to the T.

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  4. Thanks for the great post! I love your blog!! =) Did you know if you store those markers cap-down it makes them last longer?? Truth.

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  5. This seems like a wonderful idea. I have desks but the lose so many things. Do you have tables or desks?

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  6. I also use table baskets, but mine have dividers in them from Dollar Tree. I haven't set them up yet for this year or even been in my classroom. So many things to do! When do you start school back? The kiddos start the 26th for us.

    Trekking Through Third Grade

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  7. Stephanie, I love your blog! I've lurked for a while, but I'm a true-blue bloglovin' follwer now :) I love using table bins, but I REALLY like your system :) Thanks for all you've shared! I'm taking the plunge and hosting a linky part "Fab Fit Fridays", teacher-style. Feel free to check it out!
    http://mcsmartpants.blogspot.com/2013/08/fab-fit-fridays-join-my-linky-party.html

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  8. I love how you have your bins set up. My table baskets have dividers in them, and I was thinking about doing something simpler. Pencils and scissors get stuck in the holes, and the basket becomes a big mess before I even know it!

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