You Might Be an Early Childhood Teacher If… you find a large box of recycled plastic baby food containers and you feel like you just won the lottery!
And you might really be an early childhood teacher if coming up with ideas to use said baby food containers in the classroom is even more fun than receiving the box in the first place. Combine the word FREE with “office supplies” and you’ve just achieved “Teacher Nirvana.”
Baby Food Container Office Supply Storage
One of my biggest problems has always been finding office supplies quickly. Whenever I go in search of push pins I end up poking myself; and forget about finding batteries in my classroom, I am better off filling out requisition forms and waiting 6 months for delivery!
I have tried many different solutions to this problem and none of them have really helped. I tried the nuts and bolts organizer but the drawers were too small and difficult to open.
Next, I tried little plastic containers inside the desk drawers but I had to open multiple drawers to find what I needed.
I also tried the shoe pocket organizer but I had to reach too far over my desk to get to the pockets.
My latest {and cutest} office supply storage solution is pictured at the top and uses recycled baby food containers and scrapbook paper.
I simply traced the lids of the containers on scrapbook paper, cut on the lines, and popped the paper under the lid. I used my trusty Label Maker to label each container and stacked them up so I could easily see the labels.
Now when I need something it is right in front of me, I can quickly scan the labels and grab the appropriate container.
The scrapbook paper I selected goes with my classroom garden theme. I’m making a matching pencil cup and lesson plan binder to complete the look, watch out, Martha Stewart!
More Organization Ideas
I do the same exact thing except I use the round baby food bowls (Walmart brand) only because they have a better secured lid than Gerber.
I am a preschool director and we LOVE using baby food containers for paint storage! Our teachers each have several containers with assorted paint colors in them. They’re the perfect size for projects that they do with the little ones in class, and when they’re empty, they just ask for a refill!
Can’t wait to see what others say they use these little jewels for! 🙂
Love this!
hi,
i have to confess that i have used these exact containers….when i ran out and needed more (they are perfect for small cards /dice for centers) I went and bought applesauce and other fruity flavors…and I ate the baby food applesauce….yes, i probably need therapy….but i have organized centers and other stuff.
Nice idea, Vanessa! A mom last year gave me a whole bunch of these, and I have been using them for paint cups. Thanks for the idea!
🙂
Heidi
We don’t keep our play-doh in the plastic cups they come in (too hard for little hands to open!) so we just dump a few tubs in a ziploc bag. We then use the cups for marker storage (the cups hold 8 fat markers!) or water cups for watercolors. They’re also a good size for sorting activities!
I too use them for paint cups! And for glue cups! When not in use simply cover them until further use. 🙂
love this idea, and its a great way to get rid of my left over scrapbook paper as well, since i started digital a few years back. you know what would look cute on top in a big flower!
I have these in my office and here’s another one…
You might be a teacher or educator is you knock on the office building door behind you and ask to dig through their trash-awesome finds that day!
You might be an educator if your office gets you a really expensive piece of equipment and you say, “thanks”, and then you and your sidekick goes nuts over the boxes they came in! LOL Real appreciation!
I have a whole shelf of trash and it’s wonderful!
I am using these containers for everything!!!! I especially like to use them in our easel center, since I can fill them with many colors, the kids can open and close them themselves and usually the paint runs out before it dries out. I also use them to store little items in our collage area of the art center. I have several in my desk filled with office supplies, too. I’m sure I will find many other uses this year–I can’t wait to see what others are using them for , as well! 🙂
I’ve added this one to my list! So many great ideas to use these baby food containers. The container I’m currently nuts for is the Eclipse gum canisters that fit in your cup holder in the car. Beads, beans, counters, dice, whatever little manipulatives I have for the children to use will go in these. They can open the tops themselves and snap them back when they’re done cleaning up!
If only I knew I was going to homeschool when my daughter was still eating baby food. Man, think of all the great storage containers I would have had! Love these ideas 🙂