77+ Super Simple Crayon Storage Ideas

Parents and teachers understand how difficult it can be to keep crayons neatly stored and in order. There are so many beautiful shades of crayon colors and of course, we want them all. If you have a ridiculous amount of crayons in your home (like we do) that need tidying, then it's time to take charge of the situation and create a storage solution for your crayons that works for you.

There are countless different ways to organize crayons in a way that makes sense and keeps them looking new. We created an exhaustive list of 77+ simple crayon storage ideas- at least one of these simple storage solutions will work for you.

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Before you start figuring out how to best organize and store your crayons, answer these questions:

How Many Crayons Do You Have?

No judgment- we love crayons, and the more, the better. If you are an art teacher, you will need a different solution than a parent with a few boxes of crayons. Sort through your crayon stash, dispose of broken crayons, and get a good idea of how many crayons you need to organize and how much space they require.

Where Will The Crayons Live?

Do you have a creative space for your kids to make art? Is it essential for little hands to have access to the crayons? Are you limited by a small space and need a compact storage solution? Once you think about the amount of space you are working with, you will have a better idea of what the perfect solution for crayon storage looks like.

Do You Want a DIY Solution or Do You Plan to Purchase Product?

Are you looking for an easy way to store crayons with the stuff you already have around your home? Great! We will talk about several DIY crayon storage systems. Or maybe you love tidy little bins and storage containers. That is cool, too. Several of these ideas involve innovative products and fun solutions for crayon storage.

Now that you have thought more about crayons than you ever thought you would, we hope that some new ideas are inspired by our list of 77+ simple crayon storage ideas.

The obvious solution is to store crayons in their original crayon box. However, we know that doesn't work. The cardboard box gets torn, and crayons become damaged or go missing. Replace that flimsy cardboard box with small plastic crayon boxes. We love these crayon boxes, especially for smaller children, because you can fit 20 crayons in one of these boxes. This is such a simple idea that can make a big difference.

Another great way to protect and store crayons is using a crayon bag. We see these sold in the dollar store, especially around back-to-school time. It is similar to a pencil case, but is soft and comes in cool, funky colors. We love these crayon bags, in colorful geometric shapes.

Another great option for crayon storage is to add plastic binder pockets to a craft binder. By adding these plastic binder pockets, you expand storage space and can now store your crayons within the binder. 

If your family uses the Montessori Method or likes natural materials, you will love this simple but great idea. Either create a DIY crayon holder, like the one in the photo, using a block of wood and the proper-sized drill bit, or purchase a pre-made one. 

Think back to those nostalgic Royal Dansk Danish cookie tins from your childhood. Once you enjoy the cookies, the tin is a good option for crayon storage. If you have lots of crayons and don't care about them being in any particular order, toss them into one of these tins for safe storage.

If you have ever seen those vintage Crayola Crayon wooden trays with their old-school logo, you will understand why I am obsessed. They are so cute and I see them on EBay sometimes, but they are hard to get. Instead of using a vintage wooden tray, we started with these plain wooden crates and the kids painted their own custom crayon storage crates. They stenciled their names so that their crayons remain separate.

If your household purchases coffee in a can, the best thing you can do with it is to repurpose it for crayon storage. Dump all of your crayons into the can and place it in the middle of the table during craft time. Your kids can paint the can or use construction paper to decorate it.

You may have never considered using a tackle box for crayon storage, but it is one of my favorite crayon storage hacks. The tackle box trays are inexpensive and the trays are adjustable. Position them perfectly to fit a crayon and use the spare space for a crayon sharpener or broken pieces of crayon.

Related: Best Ways to Organize Art Supplies: 7 Creative Ideas

If you have an old makeup case or travel cosmetic case laying around, repurpose it for crayon storage. If you have heaps of crayons, this is a great solution for storing lots of crayons. If you don't have an old one lying around, this one is inexpensive and see-through.

Repurpose a chest of drawers to create an art supply station and use drawer dividers to create smaller drawer compartments for storing crayons.

Is there any problem that can't be solved by mason jars? I think not! If you love rainbow organizing, decorate each mason jar with colors of the rainbow and sort crayons to match each jar. Your crayons will be neatly organized and look beautiful.

We love this fun project for colored pencils. Use smaller mason jars for crayons.

Sticking with the theme of color coordinating your crayons, we love these colored acrylic containers organized according to the rainbow. Teach young children to learn their colors as they put their crayons back in the correct place.

If you want to place crayons in the middle of your craft table and enable kids to reach them from every seat, consider this bamboo lazy susan crayon organizer. We love this one because it is made with natural materials.

If space is a concern, use clear bins to store crayons. Clear bins can be tucked away on a shelf or slid under the couch. They offer easy access for kids while being stored safely. Since they come in virtually every shape and size, you are sure to find a clear bin that works with your crayon storage space. We love these clear storage bins- and they come in a 4 pack.

If you have been around All About Tidy for a while, you already know that we love rolling carts. Storing arts and crafts supplies on a rolling cart is one of our favorite craft storage ideas. And every cart should have a section for crayon storage.

Related: 14 Best 3-Tier Rolling Carts for Storage and Organization

When you think of crayon storage ideas, you want crayons to be accessible, sorted, and tidy and have their own place. Small stacking plastic drawers meet those criteria. And these plastic storage drawers can be placed on a shelf or counter OR mounted to the wall. 

Storing crayons doesn't have to be complicated. Finding a tidy place to organize crayons can be as simple as using an old shoe box. Kids can decorate the shoe box and tuck it on a shelf or under their beds for safekeeping.  

If you don't have an old shoebox, consider purchasing some plastic shoe boxes. A plastic shoe box is a great solution for so many organizational challenges, including crayon storage. If you have hundreds of crayons (like we do), dump them into the plastic shoe box. Kids can sort by color or condition using multiple plastic shoe boxes.

Related: 10 Best Drop Front Shoe Boxes

If your kiddos like to take their crayons on the go, clear zipper pouches are a cute way to protect them. They come in various sizes, so choose the one that will accommodate the number of crayons you want to travel with.

If it is important to keep crayons separate by color, type, or to give each child their own crayon storage, consider stacked storage bins. These perfectly sized storage cases come in either clear or colored plastic and are durable for kids. 

These cool acrylic bins with hinged lids are designed for the playroom and art center. They are perfectly sized and easy to store. Separate, sort, organize, and store crayons with ease.

Although typically advertised as shoe storage, these hanging pocket organizers are great for so many things. They can be used for storing kids' clothes, hair accessories, toiletries, and CRAYONS! Label each little pocket and store crayons for safe keeping and easy access.

If you have old, plastic food storage containers that you have been meaning to throw away, repurpose them for crayon storage. Now, instead of purchasing crayon storage products, you can buy new food storage containers. (These are our new obsession.)

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, you might still have an old Caboodle makeup case lying around. If not, you can still buy them here in more than 20 colors. Caboodles make great crayon travel storage because of the multiple compartments and carrying handle. Pack a Caboodle with fun arts and crafts supplies and a section for crayons and you have a fun on-the-go art center.

For a while, it seemed like every company and birthday party gave out string bags. We have accumulated so many string bags at our house and I have started to repurpose them into storage solutions. We use one for tiny plastic dinos and one to store crayons. 

If you love crayons that are sorted by color, you will love this crayon storage solution. These small buckets come in various colors and are perfect for storing crayons. Match the crayon color to the bucket color for maximize tidiness. And they are just so darn pretty, too.

Over-the-door storage solutions are a fantastic way to maximize space while keeping your crayons and other art supplies organized and neatly stored. There are so many options available depending on your needs. The Elfa-style system is durable and offers low organization for little ones. For a more affordable option, check out the over-the-door organizer with fabric baskets.

If you already have a pantry organizer that you no longer use, repurpose it into a craft storage space complete with crayon storage. 

I love small, clay flowerpots, but my plants quickly outgrow them and leave me with dozens lying around. I discovered that they make great containers for beads, marbles, and crayons! I let my little one decorate them with paint, embellishments, and whatever inspires them and then we store crayons. 

Turn an empty tissue box into a homemade crayon caddy- makes a great project for little ones. I saw this project on STL Motherhood and thought it was such a cute idea that I would add it here. 

If you live in a hot climate, like Florida or Arizona, taking crayons outdoors can create a melty mess. Grab an old six-pack cooler and use it to store crayons. When you little ones want to color outdoors or take crayons to the beach, they will stay cool and melt-free.

If you are a longtime reader of our content, you already know how much we love pegboard storage. The cool little baskets that hang from pegboard are perfect for crayon storage. Use pegboard to create a wall mounted art station, complete with organized crayons, paper, and coloring books. 

Related: Maximize Wall Space with Pegboard Organization

When I first saw these small, tin hanging planter pots, I fell in love. They can be used for so many storage ideas and crayons are one of those. Install a few screws or even Command hooks on the wall where you want the crayons and hang the tin planters. Sort and store crayons and look fancy at the same time. 

This cute DIY crayon caddy places a few Solo cups in a plastic bin to create a portable crayon storage station. Decorate with washi tape to customize it.

Copic marker holders are designed to store fancy markers, but they also work well for crayon storage. They can be pricey, but if you already have one that you can repurpose, they work well.

If your kids love to create with perler beads, this will be a fun project. Create a rainbow color perler bead container for crayon storage. Make it a bit shorter than the one in the photo and it will be the perfect size for crayons.

Cube storage is a smart solution for most organizing projects, including crayons. We love these small cube storage bins because they allow little hands to easily access craft supplies and crayons.

Crayola is such an iconic and nostalgic brand. Many of our very first crayons were Crayola brand, so it makes sense to pay homage by storing crayons in an authentic Crayola crayon storage box. They are available in multiple colors and with a super cute face on them.

If your child has fewer than 100 crayons, store them in this colorful crayon storage caddy. The little containers are removable and easy to clean and the revolving base allows kids to access any color crayon they need.

If you have some old homemade popsicle trays lying around, remove the top stick part and use the base for crayon storage. Sort by color and place in the center of the table so that everyone can reach the crayons.

Get your child involved in this fun project by building a popsicle stick crayon storage organizer. When your child is invested in the process, they are more likely to use the storage solution. Detailed directions can be found here.

Metal lunchboxes will always be the coolest. We are obsessed with this Smithsonian Dinosaur metal lunchbox and think it is perfect for storing crayons. Metal lunchboxes are perfect for when your crayons need to travel with you.

Metal educational trays are so useful in so many ways. They are durable and colorful and are a great way for kids to set up projects with everything they need. They are also easy to carry from workspace to workspace. We love using them for crayon storage. A pack of loose crayons and a coloring book fit nicely on these trays.

You can construct a DIY crayon caddy using any piece of scrap wood and a drill bit. We love how this project uses a piece of a tree to display and store colored pencils. Adjusting the depth and width of the drilled hole will work well for crayons. 

If you already have a craft table and are looking for additional storage space, try a tabletop craft storage center. There are multiple configurations and little sliding drawers for ideal crayon storage.

Keeping arts and crafts supplies contained in one area is challenging. This art table with easel and paint and crayon storage areas is a great solution. The colorful cube bins and child-sized chairs will become one of the favorite spots in your home.

The Crayola company comes up with so many fun ideas and this rotating crayon storage caddy is no exception. This rotating crayon storage center is great for the center of a table where multiple kids need to access the crayons.

Nate Large, woodworking DIY guy, made this fabulous wooden crayon box to "wrangle" his son's crayons. We could not love this more!

If crayon portability is important, you will love the Colorations crayon caddy. The rainbow colored cups fit snugly into a metal caddy, allowing little ones to organize and carry their crayons around with ease.

A super simple storage solution for kids art supplies is to use mesh storage baskets. They are durable and kids are accustomed to putting their art supplies back in them at school, so they are more likely to clean up with them at home, too. They are great for loose crayons or boxes of crayons.

Like mesh classroom baskets, kids are also accustomed to using portable art caddies in art class. They are colorful, durable, designed with handles for little hands, and easy to clean. Crayons fit perfectly, as well as markers, paint, and any other art supply.

If your kiddos have one or two packs of crayons and the cardboard case has torn and no longer holds them, transfer them into one of these crayon storage boxes. To prevent the cardboard box from becoming worn, slide the whole box of crayons into the sleeve for added protection.

Another adorable Crayola product, this pack of three crayon tins will hold 24 loose crayons each or a complete pack of crayons. And kids love the cute crayons on the front of the tin.

Perfect for road trips, this soft zippered case stores up to 80 crayons. Use the individual holders to sort crayons by color. Crayons remain secure in their elastic holders, preventing crayons from spilling everywhere.

Put those old candle jars to use! Large candle jars make for clever crayon storage. Kids can decorate the jars by using stickers or painting them and crayons can be sorted and stored in the unused jars.

It's not glamorous, but gallon plastic storage bags are inexpensive and work well for storing loose crayons. If you are more practical and less fancy, this crayon storage idea is for you.

If you store your physical photos in a photo storage box, you will instantly understand how great they are for crayon storage. The individual compartments are the perfect size for loose crayons. Sort crayons by color and match them to the colored box, then slide them into the larger organizer for safekeeping.

At our house, we have a big stash of these gallon plastic jugs because we buy pretzels in bulk, which come in these containers. I love using them for crayons and other art supply storage. They are durable and hold a ton of stuff. 

These modular tilt bins are ideal for mounting on the wall and storing crayons, chalk, markers, or any other art supply. They come with your choice of 3, 4, 5, 6, or 9 bins and the mountain hardware and labels are included.

These adorable hinged tins are perfect for taking a few crayons on the go. Little hands can easily hold and open the tins and 4-5 crayons fit snugly inside.

We used to have this remote control holder with five compartments, but now we are downsized to one small Roku remote and no longer need it. I repurposed it as a crayon and marker storage caddy. The compartments are perfect for crayons. If you have a remote caddy lying around, consider repurposing it for crayon storage.

Using old plastic cups and glasses is a simple yet practical idea for storing crayons. When you get new drinkware, don't trash the old stuff. Allow the kids to decorate it and repurpose as crayon storage.

Mini craft caddies allow each child to have their own special crayon collection. Avoid bickering by buying a set of four- one for each kid and even a friend. They even come with brand-new packs of crayons.

Typically used to store copic markers, this art storage bag tote has dividers that are also great for storing crayons. The shoulder strap makes it convenient to throw the bag over your shoulder and head to the park- or anywhere. 

If you want to mount your crayon storage on the wall but you don't want to deal with paint or wallpaper damage, use command hooks to hang crayon buckets or baskets. This is a great solution if you need to move the crayon storage.

Cut PVC pipes down to a bit shorter than your crayons and then position them in a basket or bin. The PVC pipes become cool little compartments to keep your crayons standing and allow you to sort them.

If you have an unused gardening bag or tool bag, repurpose it for crayon and market storage. Use the existing compartments or add dividers for smaller spaces. If you don't have one lying around, we love this inexpensive one and it comes in pink or lime green.

ArtBin makes this super clever plastic storage container for art supplies with a lift-up, hinged lid. Neatly store crayons in separate compartments for safe keeping and easy travel.

Wooden art storage boxes are the type of exciting thing you may find in your grandmother's attic. They have traditionally been used for charcoals and oil sticks, but they are also perfect for crayon storage. If you haven't had the good fortune of stumbling upon a vintage wooden art storage box, you can still purchase them.

If you frequently travel with your crayon stash, consider using a canvas roll-up storage pouch to keep crayons safe and organized. With more than 100 slots, you can fit plenty of crayons and then neatly roll it up into an easy-to-carry pouch.

Bright and colorful beach buckets are a cute way to store crayons when you are trying to sort thousands of them. Sort by color according to the color of the beach bucket. 

Wall-mount storage systems with shelving and rack board can be used in a closet or in a craft nook. Add small acrylic containers and store crayons and other craft supplies so that they are tucked out of the way.

Acrylic makeup organizers can be used for so many purposes. The ones with dividers are also useful as crayon storage. Look for one that is designed for the height of nail polish bottles and it will also be a good height for crayons.

Wooden succulent planters or small wooden planter boxes make excellent crayon storage containers. They can hold hundreds of crayons and are durable; guaranteed to last for years. The natural wood materials fit nicely into a Montessori style environment.

Another fun project idea for you and your little ones, paper towel crayon storage is a smart way to collect hundreds of crayons into one tray. If you have a shallow storage crate or tray hanging around the house, fill it with trimmed paper towel rolls. Sort your crayons and stand them up in the paper towel rolls for a tidy, organized look.

Wooden pencil organizers also make for a clever crayon storage solution. If you already have one of these around your house- perfect! You can repurpose it to store crayons. If not, they are inexpensive and can be found on Amazon.

Toy organizers can be used for virtually every toy in your kid's playroom. We especially love this fabric toy storage system and you can easily use one of the bins for crayon storage. The other bins can be filled with supplies for craft projects.

If your little ones enjoy painting and decorating with stickers and embellishments, this crayon storage solution will be an exciting project for them. Purchase a cigar box from your local craft store or from Amazon and paint and decorate it. Store crayons neatly inside.

If you are super crafty, you will love this crayon storage project. Follow the instruction by Sew Crafty Me and create a crayon organizer tote with room for paper or a coloring book. Use a fabric that your little one will love and they will love keeping their crayons organized.

It may be tempting to throw out old, broken crayons, but resist the urge. Instead, here are a few ideas:

• Put small pieces of crayon in muffin tins, melt them, and make new, bulky crayons perfect for smaller hands.
• Use a blow dryer or heat gun to melt the crayons as part of crafts. 
• Turn broken crayons into colorful candles.
• Add some colorful crayon pieces to your slime.
• Use a mold and make letters out of the old crayons.
• Make wax-resistant leaf rubbings.
• Create melted crayon art.
• Create a crayon mosaic.
• Carve crayon sculptures.
• Decorate a holiday pumpkin.
• Decorate Easter eggs with melted wax.