If you’re like me, you probably never have enough storage space in your classroom! No matter how many shelves, cubbies, or bins I buy, I always have trouble finding a place for everything in my room.
I saw a great idea on Pinterest where a teacher had used Sterilite storage drawers under her small group table. Check out her pics at Fabulous in First! This idea got me thinking about ways I could add storage to my student tables…..I brainstormed all summer and finally came up with something I wanted to try.
After purchasing the sheets of wood (I think it was MDF) we starting cutting. Actually it was less “we” and more just my boyfriend….He did most of the hard work here.
After cutting & sanding & nailing…….we finally ended up with something that looked like this. The idea was to have a large shelf at the top (big enough to hold folders, journals, etc.) and a smaller shelf at the bottom.
The next step was painting them. This was probably the longest and most frustrating part, simply because painting is hard I am impatient. Each one needed about two coats of paint.
I also added felt “legs” that screwed into the bottom of each shelf. These allowed me to adjust the height so that they fit right up against the bottom of the table. As you can see above, there is no top on the shelves….I figured they didn’t need a top since they were going to sit flush with the table anyway.
This is what the finished product looks like under my student table. I color code my tables, so each table will have a different color shelf. I am hoping that these provide an easy and convenient way to store things that students need quick access to…..folders, journals, whiteboards……I’m still trying to decide exactly how best to utilize them. But overall I think they turned out great!
WOW! That came out great…very creative I'm a new follower.
Modern Kindergarten
That is FANTASTIC! WOW! What a great idea! I will have to keep that in mind for the future…
Thanks for sharing!
~Sara~
Ramblings of a Deaf Ed Teacher's Mind…
That looks great! Those will be very useful! My husband hates it when I find ideas like this…LOL
Nichole
Craft of Teaching
What a good idea. You can always use more storage space.
sandi
rubber boots and elf shoes
Wow! Those are genius! You both did a fabulous job. 🙂
Catherine
Kinder Cuties
What a creative idea! Good job 🙂
Those are awesome! You should definitely post a picture of those in action. Let us know how they work out for you.
Hey I just wanted to let you know I nominated you for a "One Lovely Blog" award! Come by and pick it up 🙂
mspasquakinder.blogspot.com
I have been trying to figure out how to add more storage for journals, folders, and notebooks, too! I love your idea. I'm not sure I will have room for them under my tables because I have to fit 3 students on each side. But, if I had room, I would totally make these! Thanks for the idea! I'm also thinking these will keep the students in their own space. : )