7 of the Best Bins for Classroom Organization

Are you looking for bins for classroom organization?  There are sooo many options for bins for classroom organization, but I have compiled a  list of 7 essential bins that you need for your classroom!  Using bins for classroom organization will allow you to keep the things you need accessible and store what you don’t need.  

This list has great bins for classroom organization for your student and teacher materials! 

*This blog post includes Amazon associates affiliate links which means that, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission from purchases.

Turn-in Bins for Classroom Organization

You probably have a place to collect papers in your classroom.  I like to have specific bins for different kinds of paper.  I always have a notes bin and a homework bin on top of my student mailboxes. 

My students empty their folders each morning and pass in any notes and homework before placing their folders in their mailboxes.  While students are arriving I look through the notes bin for any changes in dismissal or other important things to be sent to the office with my messengers.  

These two bins are right at the door, and are a lifesaver every morning!  Having bins for notes is so much easier than trying to check every student’s folder.  My first graders need some reminders at the beginning of the year to check their folders before putting them in their mailboxes, but once they have developed the habit, they can be independent with this morning routine! 

I also use a turn-in bin for general classwork that needs to be corrected.  When it’s time to correct the work I just pick up the bin and take it with me! 

At the turn-in bin, I have a sign that says “Stop, highlight your name before turning in your paper!”  I supply a jar of highlighters so that students can highlight their names, ensuring that they wrote their names on the paper in the first place!  It’s a quick hack that will save you from headaches later! 

Student Book Bins for Classroom Organization

Student book bins for classroom organization are my absolute favorite! I mostly use these bins for literacy centers and inside my students store their Ketchup Folders and books from our classroom library.  My students love their book bins because they make it easy to take their materials around the room.  

My students get to “book shop” from our classroom library once a week.  They are allowed to pick four books and keep them in their book bins.  Whenever they finish their classwork early they grab their book bin and read the books inside.  

How to Organize Your Classroom Materials

Bins for classroom organization are also so important for your teacher materials! I love using book bins to organize my daily lesson materials.  They are big enough to hold all the photocopies, books and other materials needed for my lessons.  They also come in my favorite color! Woot woot!!

I use these daily labels on my book bins.  There is also have a bin labeled for ‘next week’ where I put photocopies for future use.  I love how sturdy these bins are too!  They also hook together which ensures that they don’t fall over! 

Classroom Organization Ideas for Teachers Monthly Supplies

How do you store your monthly materials?  I used to use hanging folders, but I found that they didn’t hold things well enough.  I really like using these containers because they hold all of my monthly supplies.  

I can store books, craft examples, master copies, and monthly decorations.  I also use these monthly labels because organizing should be cute too! 🙂 

Rolling Cart Classroom Organization

Rolling carts can be uses for so many things in your classroom.  I like to store all my photocopies by subject in my rolling cart.  These rolling carts are great because each draw can hold a few stacks of paper.  

I also use a rolling cart to hold all of my math centers for the month.  Students can take the whole drawer with them to use the math center.  The drawers are deep enough to hold the math manipulatives and any papers that go along with the center.  

Pencil Bins for Classroom Organization

Students are always losing their pencils, or trying to sharpen them at their desk with those tiny pencil sharpeners… sweeping up those silly pencil shavings is such a pain!

That’s why I created a space for pencil bins in my classroom.  I have two bins for pencils.  One is labeled ‘sharp’ and the other is labeled ‘dull.’  

When students need a pencil, after they have checked for one in their desk, they can grab one from the sharpened bin.  If they have a dull or broken pencil they stick it in the dull bin.  

At the end of the day, I spend about 2 minutes sharpening all the pencils in the dull bin.  These bins have been a huge time saver for getting materials quickly and quietly during our lessons. 

Grab your freebie of these adorable pencil bin labels here 🙂

Classroom Organization Goals for Student Desks

Students have a lot of materials that are not shared in the classroom.  If your students have desks then I suggest using these bins.  I leave the covers off and the bins slide into the desk like a draw.  

I use them to store crayons, markers, glue sticks, highlighters, pencils dry-erase markers, and erasers.  In my opinion, they are easier to use than pencil cases because these bins can hold much more and kids don’t have to bother with a lid.  

Tip: Measure the opening height of your desks to make sure the bin will slide inside! 

These bins are also great because they can be carried around the room if students are working outside their desks.  The downside is that every once in a while the bins get tipped over.  But my students are quick to help each other out and get all the materials back into the bin quickly! 

Other ways to keep your classroom organized! 

Check out this post about Why is Classroom Organization Important for This School Year? 5 Daily Habits.  If you are setting up your classroom for the first time or just need a refresh then you’ll want to apply these 5 daily habits! 

Ketchup Folders are my favorite way to keep student work organized! Check out this post to see how I use them in my classroom. 

There are so many types of bins for classroom organization that I use!  This was just a short list of my very favorite bins for classroom organization.  

What is your favorite way to keep your students organized?  Do you have a favorite bin that you use for classroom organization?  

Happy organizing! 

Alexandra