If you have kids….you have crayons! (Should that be a quote?) As a homeschooling mom of 2, I’m always looking for easy and creative ways to take charge of all sorts of messes. But today, I’m talking about the crayons! Crayons can get pretty messy, but I have come up with some great crayon storage ideas that keep everything accessible for little hands, but also neat and tidy for Mamma!
Whether you homeschool or not, organizing art supplies in ways that provide easy access while still maintaining some order, is crucial! The options are endless really – storage containers, pencil holders, peg boards, mason jars, a rolling art cart, etc. Plus, all of these options will not only store crayons, but whatever art materials you have on hand!
Also, you don’t have to devote a certain room of your house as a craft room or homeschool room, in order to keep things organized. Keeping your craft supplies organized even in a small space is totally doable! You can create a great system of organization right on your kitchen table if needed!
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Why bother with crayon storage ideas?
If you’re anything like my husband, you might be wondering why you can’t just leave your crayons in their original boxes! Well…..you absolutely can. However, from my own experience, the original boxes tend to rip pretty quickly when all those little hands are reaching inside for their favorite crayon colour. And once they start to rip, the crayons are always falling out and making a mess. Therefore, having some creative ideas for crayon storage that are durable, practical, and aesthetically pleasing – well…it’s kind of a no brainer!
I am sharing my favorite crayon storage hacks with you, so you can decide which ones will work best for your home and family!
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DIY Crayon Storage Ideas We have used
The best thing about these DIY crayon storage ideas, is that none of the storage solutions we have used in our home have been complicated or expensive. Like most people, we are on a budget, which means being as resourceful as possible. Plus, there are so many different ways to effectively store crayons that are either free, or cost very little. Here are the ideas we have tried:
Empty Tin Cans
This honestly couldn’t be any simpler! If you’re looking for some creative ways to handle the crayon mess, but don’t want to spend any extra money – use empty tin cans! They come in all sizes, so you can pretty much use whichever size you want. Just take off the labels, wash them out, and they’re ready to go!
I personally find that tin cans work better than plastic cups (I’ve used both). This is because the plastic cups tend to bend a bit if they get too full. Plus, they’re a little bit more lightweight, which means they topple over easier. I also prefer the look of tin cans because they have a “farmhouse” vibe to them. It’s an affordable and cute way to display your kid’s crayons, but also keep them organized.
Galvanized Buckets
Using galvanized buckets of various sizes is a really practical way of organizing all those crayons! Most people have some of these lying around the house, but if not, they can easily be purchased from the Dollar Store or even Ikea for a very low cost.
Galvanized buckets tend to be a bit sturdier than empty tin cans, and have the same rustic farmhouse look to them. These are also great for pencil storage, or any of your other craft supplies.
I keep these on our homeschool shelf so my kids can reach and grab them easily on their own!
Mason Jars
Who doesn’t love the look of mason jars neatly lined up with crayons of all different colors reflecting through? In fact, who doesn’t love mason jars in general? They can literally be used for pretty much anything, and most people have some in their house already. If not, they can be purchased almost anywhere.
I’ve used mason jars off and on for crayon storage in the past, and really do like the look of them. Sometimes, when I’m feeling extra crafty, I’ll tie a little piece of twine around the rim of the jar to make it look extra rustic!
The only downside to mason jars is that if they are dropped, they can break. So if you have really little kids, this may not be the safest option if you want your crayon storage to be easily accessible to them.
Peg Boards
Downstairs in our basement we have an entire art station set up for the kids, and on the wall above it we have hung 2 peg boards. Each peg board has little detachable containers that you can hang for easy storage. These are a really great way to store crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints….pretty much anything!
By placing the peg boards low enough on the wall, the kids don’t even have to take the containers down in order to use what’s inside. They can just sit at the table, do their crafts, and reach for what they need.
Creating this art station/peg board system has truly been my favorite craft storage idea so far! Even though we keep some crayons on the homeschool shelf, the rest of the art supplies stay downstairs at the art station, and the kids can be as messy as they need to be down there! I love it, and so do they!
Amazon Crayon Storage Ideas
If DIY isn’t your thing, and you would rather purchase some organizers, I’ve got you covered! I have scoured Amazon and found what I think are the all around best crayon storage ideas on there. I haven’t personally used all of these, but a few of them are now on my wish list! The things I looked for when searching for the best crayon storage options were:
- Practicality
- Price
- Size
- Kid friendly
- Attractive
The following items are the ones that I felt met all of those requirements perfectly! I hope they inspire you and if you end up purchasing one, leave a comment on this blog post letting me know how it worked for you!
Plastic Storage Container with 6 Removable Inserts
These plastic storage containers with 6 removable inserts are a great way to store all sorts of craft supplies, and work especially well as a crayon holder! Each insert can be taken out individually, which means you can either place them all in the center of the table for the kids to share – OR, each child can take an insert so they have their own crayons to use.
Organize the crayons by color, or put a blend of colors in each compartment – that’s up to you! But once your kids are all done, just put the inserts back into the larger storage container, pop the lid on, and tuck it away! This is an easy way to store crayons, other coloring supplies, and more. And with the lid on, it stores easily and looks neat and tidy!
Stackable Crayon Containers
This set of 4 stackable storage containers provides a clever way to keep things organized, while being the perfect solution for little hands. These are small and lightweight, which means your kids can easily grab these off the shelf by themselves, as well as put them away!
These storage containers make a great crayon organizer because you can see which colours are in each container, they are stackable which means less space requirement, and super easy for kids to use.
Stack them in an easily accessible place, and then simply hand them out when it’s time to colour!
Crayon Storage Caddy
Who doesn’t love a good storage caddy? When it comes to creative crayon storage ideas, this is one of my favorites! This type of crayon storage caddy makes it really easy for your kids to access and share their crayons. Just place this in the middle of the table, and they can spin it to grab whichever crayon colour they want!
Each section is removable as well, which makes this easy to clean and reorganize. And don’t just use this for crayons! There are so many different options when it comes to storing your art supplies or even office supplies!
Rolling Art Cart
A rolling art cart is not a new idea, but it is such a great option when it comes to crayon storage, or any craft storage for that matter! The options are endless as to what you can keep in an art cart. Some ideas of other art supplies you can store in this are:
- Glue Sticks
- Paint Brushes
- Paints
- Colored Pencils
- Scissors
- Beads
- Construction Paper
If you have a craft room or homeschool room, you can keep this rolling cart in there. Otherwise, just tuck it under a counter, or in a corner that’s out of the way. When your kids are ready to get crafty, just roll it over to the table! This is also great for holding smaller storage containers full of craft supplies.
Montessori Crayon Holder
This Montessori crayon holder is so aesthetically pleasing! This provides a pretty display of your kid’s crayons, and you can even do it in rainbow order! (I know there’s many of you who find that idea extremely satisfying!)
Each storage cup is the perfect crayon size, and visually, this is one of the more unique ways of storing crayons.
This Montessori crayon holder looks so organized and pretty sitting on your kitchen table, or craft table. Also, this provides the perfect way for little kids to learn how to organize by colour!
I hope this post has given you lots of crayon storage ideas that you can implement in your own home! I always encourage my kids to get crafty, and when the supplies are organized, it makes it so much more enjoyable!
Happy crafting!
~Maryann
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