Four Emerging Storage Trends for Classrooms

Lockers are no longer used by the majority of middle and high school students. In fact, most new school facilities don't include hallway lockers in their design plans. What's driving students away from the once-popular storage spot? Technology and time. Most textbooks have been replaced with devices, so students don't need to swap out materials between classes. And as schools have become physically larger with more course offerings, they don't have the time to stop and rearrange their backpack contents.

For students that may need temporary or sporadic storage, many schools offer rental lockers or shared cubbies. Smart lockers, which are accessed by student IDs or smartphones, are also a popular option. As for those rows and bays of abandoned lockers? Some schools like Reynoldsburg High School in Ohio are reclaiming these spaces to install community seating, benches, windows and wider doors.

Classrooms may be moving away from books and paper, but there are still plenty of devices, educational tools and supplies to store.

There's a growing number of furniture solutions that provide high density storage for STEM and STEAM materials. Makerspace carts, workstations, workbenches and mobile cabinets are now widely available. These pieces are often designed for specific STEM activities, such as robotics, LEGO construction and science experiments.

Almost every student is now assigned a laptop or tablet, and these devices need to be securely stored and charged. Mobile device stations, charging carts and tech trolleys come in a variety of styles to accommodate the technology you're using in your classroom. Most lock to prevent device theft and damage.

Many schools are adopting a more flexible classroom model in which teachers share spaces or change locations throughout the day. This presents a unique set of storage issues. Where do teachers organize and store class materials?

Large, centralized teacher storage spaces are a smart choice for schools with shared learning environments. This could be accomplished by simply converting a previous classroom into a storage room or by swapping out those previously mentioned lockers for built-in storage with sliding doors. As an added benefit, centralized storage allows teachers to share items like books and project materials.

Teachers will always have supplies, devices and personal items that stay with them. Rolling teacher carts, teacher easels and presentation carts have become increasingly popular with teachers who are on the go. They move with teachers throughout their day while protecting (and sometimes even charging) their devices.

School design trends - including movable and transparent walls, larger windows and flexible furniture - can eliminate wall space used for classroom storage. Permanent classroom storage is especially important in preschool and elementary classrooms. Students and teachers often have more personal items and supplies that take up space. To maximize wall space, some school architects and designers are installing sliding whiteboards in front of cubbies. These boards move to the side when students need access to their belongings, and then conceal everything while class is in session.

Built-in cabinetry has also evolved to accommodate modern classroom tools. Designers are customizing cabinets with storage and charging slots for classroom devices, slide-out tubs for STEM supplies and pegboards mounted to doors for displaying tools.

The Schools In team works with new and existing schools to maximize classroom storage space. Through customized furnishings and smart design, we can help you improve the functionality of your learning space.