Center Materials Organization Ideas (FREE file)
- Published:
- 22 Comments
Center Materials Organization Ideas! AT LAST!
The other day I was at Costco and I found THESE bins! Seriously, I squealed! I was so excited because they were EXACTLY what I had in mind! You can find the colorful ones on Amazon, but they are EXPENSIVE. At Costco a set of 5 was under $20! So stop what you are doing and RUN to Costco TODAY!
UPDATE: I found a few option on Amazon that was reasonably priced. (Affiliate links) HERE
When I got home I sat down and started organizing my monthly themed centers. THIS was a big undertaking because my centers tend to get disorganized as the year progresses. However, when I was done, my smile was big!
In each of the bins I got at Costco, I added my monthly Math and Literacy Stations and my Black Ink Only Stations! I had already bound the blacklined masters, so those fit in there PER-FECT-LY! I need to add the Write the Room ones next. Now it will be so easy to swap out the activities! SCORE!
SIDENOTE: People always ask me if my monthly Math and Literacy Stations and my Black Ink Only Stations are the same exact activities. No, they are not. They are the same type of activities, so if you are looking for similar tasks, these both work great in the classroom.
I also have one bin that holds all of my Writing Work Station activities. These were printed at a reduced size for a smaller classroom. You can read about this station and how to reduce the size of your printing by clicking HERE.
I also have the blackline masters ready to GO! I don’t have a picture of the inside of the Sentences bin, but it holds my Predictable Sentences.
UPDATE: I have had a few people ask about my binding machine (I am OBSESSED with it). This is the one I got off of Amazon. You can see it HERE. (Affiliate link)
Here is an older picture of how I store my card games. I use frosting containers!
Keeping activities that are similar together makes it SUPER easy and quick to swap out when I change a theme.
You may also be interested in…
Small group math planning free file
I understand that Pinterest might be sending you to this blog post for the free planning sheet. I apologize! You can find that resource in THIS blog post.
FREE File
Simply enter your name below to grab these bin labels. FYI: After I laminated the cards, I attached them with Velcro!
Pin for Later
Recommended Posts
Deedee Wills
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
Hi, I'm DeedeE.
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
Free curriculum planning Map
Use Promo Code: WILLS
SHOP
Latest Posts
You Might Also Enjoy...
22 Responses
Thank you for all the great blogs. They always leave me feeling refreshed and with some great new ideas. My husband on the other hand isn’t as thrilled as I am. I just added the binding machine to my Amazon cart. Can’t wait for o get it. Ha! Unfortunately we don’t have a Costco in my area but I was able to find similar boxes for $4 each at Walmart. They are clear but other than that the same.
Tell your husband I am sorry…ha! Great job with the Walmart find! SCORE!
Did you find these containers at Costco recently?
Yes, just a few days ago (Sunday to be exact!) Happy hunting!
Do you know if Costco still has these containers?
Yes, I went about 3 weeks ago and they had a bunch!
I picked some up yesterday at my Costco!!! Thanks for the tip! You rock!
Having trouble keeping the same font for the editable boxes any suggestions? I followed the steps for the editable files but no luck
Hmm.. Can you try to download it again? or you can email me and I can do some screen shares with you.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Hi! I was looking for the small group planning pages. Are they in the downloads. I just entered my email in several of them but was just checking. I entered my school email but won’t be able to check my email until I get to my desktop. Thanks! I love and use so many of your items.
Hi there! The only way they will be sent directly to you is with an email. Is there an email you could use that you have access to? Also, school emails often have a filter that prohibits these types of downloads to go to you. So if you have a different email, that might work best.
I was also looking for the small group planning pages. I’m thinking about laminating them and reusing each week. Are they in with the free organization download? Thank you!
You can find them at the bottom of this blog post:
Small group
I was hoping to find the small group planning pages so I signed up for your newsletter, but I received a writing freebie.
Is there anywhere I can find the planning pages?
Gosh! I’m sorry… You can find it in the following blog post.
Small Group Planning Sheets
Help! I organized all the printable activities, yet not sure what you have binded? Did you just bind the originals or the I can pages? Why am I so confused? Sorry. Thank you for all you do to make my life easier!
Hi there! I just put the black line masters in the bound book. Then they are easy to take to the copier if I need to make one. (FYI: I am in a constant state of confusion…ha!)
How would you recommend storing the wonderful poetry stuff? I have bins for each month but, poetry has so many great things to it that it doesn’t fit. Any suggestions? I am loving all of your things and it is making my planning sooooo much easier! Thank you!
Yes! I used sentence strip storage boxes. I put each poem on a binder ring. I used two boxes for all of the poems. The center activities all went together in one bin. So all of April (for example) would go in one large Ziplock bag and placed in the bin. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
Where did you get the tubs for your center items that you don’t separate in the Costco containers for your sentences, write the room, etc.
I got some at Walmart and some at Ikea!
Hi, DeeDee,
I purchased a ton of centers after watching the webinar and have ordered the colored storage bins. I’m still confused as to what goes in them. I know they are by month so do all the literacy centers go in each month or do you have storage for each type, like Write the Room, Predictable Sentences, etc.? That would be a whole lot of storage bins. Organization is my one weakness so trying hard to get my stuff in order.
Also wondering how you bind the blacklines without it cutting anything off? (I know…crazy, right?)
Thank you for any advice and for all of your awesome products!!!
Lori