Packing Creativity for a New School Year
By: Pari Pariwala
It’s that time of year again! Back‑to‑school season is here. Families and households are gathering supplies, juggling shopping lists, and figuring out where everything will live once school starts. Instead of letting pencils, crayons, glue sticks, and notebooks scatter across desks and kitchen counters, having a simple storage strategy can make all the difference. With the right containers, you can keep school essentials organized, accessible, and easy to transport—whether for homework time, art projects, or simply packing backpacks.
Below, I highlight three reliable storage containers that work especially well for home and classroom use, plus ideas for how to use them effectively to keep your school supply station tidy all year.
Why Our Supply Box is a Smart Choice
The Supply Box is a versatile solution for storing art materials, school supplies, or craft items. Its compact size lets it sit neatly on a desk, inside a cabinet, or in a backpack. The tinted lid helps to hide the clutter if you prefer a neater look, while the clear base makes it easy to spot what’s inside.
Having a dedicated space for loose supplies helps prevent messy drawers or scattered items around the house. Grab and store loose items like markers, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, erasers, or smaller notebooks. Because it’s portable, it’s ideal for switching between a dedicated homework area, a homework‑to‑go kit, or a grab‑and‑go art station.
Small Pencil Box to the Rescue
If you’re looking for a portable, easy‑to‑store solution, the Pencil Box fits the bill. Because it isn’t overly large, it slides into backpacks, under desk shelves, or into drawers without wasting space. It works well for everyday writing tools and small craft supplies—pens, pencils, markers, crayons, erasers, even a small glue stick or scissors can find a place there.
The snap‑close lid keeps contents secure, useful for when transporting supplies to and from school or between rooms at home. For homes with multiple children, dedicate one pencil box per child—reducing the chances of mismatched supplies or items getting lost.
Stacking Boxes for Layered Organization
The larger Pencil Box, with its hinged lid and secure latch, offers more capacity than the smaller pencil container. One of its useful features is the ability to neatly stack several boxes, making it ideal for building a vertical storage system to save valuable shelf or desk space.
Consider using stacked boxes to create a dedicated school‑supply station: designate a box for writing tools, another for art supplies, another for notebooks or papers. This approach keeps supplies organized, visible, and easy to rotate—especially helpful when juggling multiple children or several classes.
How to Build a Simple Back‑to‑School Supply System at Home
Beyond choosing the right containers, here are 6 practical ideas to get the most out of your school‑supply storage at home:
- Create a supply zone. Dedicate a shelf, cabinet, desk drawer, or a corner—a place where all school and art supplies “live.” Having a fixed spot reduces clutter elsewhere and ensures supplies stay organized across the home. Experts on home and classroom organization recommend giving each supply type a “home.”
- Use clear containers or label lids. Transparent storage lets you see contents at a glance. But if you prefer a tidier appearance, you can use tinted lids or opaque boxes and still apply easy-to-read labels. Labels help identify contents quickly, especially when multiple children or adults share storage spaces.
- Group by frequency or purpose. Store everyday writing tools and frequently used items in reachable spots, and keep less frequent or seasonal supplies (like extra markers, craft sets, spare notebooks) stacked or tucked away. This helps prevent accumulation of unused clutter while keeping essentials handy.
- Assign individual vs. shared storage. Depending on your household, you might have one shared supply box for common items (glue sticks, scissors, extras), plus individual boxes or pencil kits per child to avoid mix-ups.
- Maintain and restock regularly. Before the start of a new term or project, take a few minutes to check what’s missing or dried out (glue, erasers, pens). Setting aside time yearly—or at least twice a year—helps to ensure the supply system still works.
- Keep portability in mind. If kids carry supplies between school and home, using compact boxes and stacking systems makes transporting supplies simpler and less messy.
A simple supply‑storage system can make a big difference when school starts again. The right containers—whether a compact supply box, a portable pencil box, or stackable storage—help you keep everything organized, visible, and ready to go. Pairing those containers with a dedicated supply zone and a little maintenance will make back‑to‑school season less chaotic and more under control.
