After years teaching in the art room, I’ve found that there are some must-have items that save me time and money. I’ve also found some items that have been essential to classroom and material management. Check out my list below for some ideas of a few of my favorite things. DISCLAIMER: Make a Mark Studios is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.
#1- Brush bins. These are everything! When I added them to my art room, I thought, “Where have these been all my life?” They are square and sturdy so no spilling. They have a lid to close them up. There are slots for brush holders. They just rock, and I haven’t found a better alternative.
I spray painted mine to match my color coded tables. Each group was responsible for cleaning their brushes and brush bin at the end of each class. They cleaned and laid them out by the sink to dry with brushes up. I’d swoop in like an art teacher hawk and check that the brushes were washed to perfection. Good times.
#2- Relaxation Baoding Balls. Okay, this item is a little silly but these little things brought me many-a-zen-moments in times of desperate need. I also had a few students who used them to call down. If you’ve never see these things, they are little tiny metal balls that you roll in your hands. Something about this tactile rolling is ultra calming.
Boom! Working in social and emotional skills for life in the art room.
#3- Numbered Storage. Another life saver for me in the art room. One of my art material management systems was that every student had an assigned number. I’d use these numbered storage slots to put numbered art pencil packs, paint brush sets, watercolor palettes, etc. It made distributing and collecting items a breeze.
I’ve also seen teachers use these for a “cell phone parking lot” which I think it an awesome idea, thought I’ve never personally implemented it.
#4- Wireless doorbell ringer. I bought this during the 2020 school year (before Pandemic days). I wasn’t sure how I was going to use it at the time but figured it would come in handy to help me manage middle schoolers. How did I use this? I rang the bell, students would salivate, and then I’d give them a treat. Kidding, that was Pavlov.
I used these as an attention getter and to notify students of the 5-minute clean up warning. You can change the sounds to be festive around the holidays and you can adjust the volume. The two sound output speakers were surprisingly loud and definitely effective at getting their attention.
#5- Covered palettes. I hate wasting paint. A little piece of my heart breaks when I see a paper plate full of paint get tossed into the garbage. These covered palettes are a bit of a one-time investment that I believe pays off in the long run. When my students were working on a long term painting project, they’d put a piece a tape on the top of the cover and write their names on. They didn’t have to clean it until the very end saving precious studio time. When the painting came to a close, we’d leave them out to let the paint dry and peel them off.
By the way, paint peeling is oddly satisfying and students love to help with this task.
#6- “Medusa” lamp. I’m sure you’ve seen these before. I think they were really popular in the 90’s when blow up couches were in. Why is this a nice item to have in an art room? First, you can create a variety of controlled light sources on a still life arrangement. Second, you can use it to set a calming vibe in your room on those days that your students need to wind down.
#7- Golf Pencils. “Missssss…. I don’t have a pencil for art class!” Yeah, here’s a golf pencil. Inexpensive and I really don’t think you want to steal it.
#8- Drop cloths. When students are working with a messy material, drop cloths come in handy! By the end of the year, mine were caked on with paint and art media. Easy to fold up, contain a mess, and washable.
#9- Blade bank. If at any point you will be working with craft knifes (to etch on scratch board for example), you will need a quick, safe place to put all those broken and dull blades. A blade bank is a must have!
#10- Gojo! This item may just be ultra nostalgic for me. Totally reminds me of my old high school art class (shout out to Mrs. Riccardi). This pumice soap smells delicious and has the power to clean arty hands fast and effectively.
#11- Class whiteboard set. A class set of whiteboards is awesome for quick drawing activities, class learning games, and so much more! One of my favorite things to do with these is to pay ‘get-to-know-you pictionary’ on the first day of school.
#12- Table top easels. I love these easels because they are fairly petite and you can buy them in bulk.
#13- Hardboard panels. I LOVE having hardboard panels in my room. They can be used for so many random moments. Some of the ways I’ve used these: as a makeshift drawing board (just add binder clips), as a surface to create art on it (especially during mixed media projects), to display art work on for class critique sessions, and more!
#14- Flexible rulers. Shout out to my art teacher friend, Mrs. Finn the Amazing for suggesting this item. If you teach middle school, especially, you need to have these flex rulers. Middle schoolers like to break stuff. Not sure why, but they do. These are durable, flexible, and not nearly as easy to defeat as a wooden ruler.
#15- Paper cutter. You will NEED a solid, reliable paper cutter. It’s one of those items you use nearly every day as an art teacher. A broken, dull or inaccurate paper cutter can be a day-ruiner. Trust me. I love the classic wooden paper cutter from Swingline.
#16- Romping Stomping Art Room music- My good friend and art teacher, Cassandra Newman, made this AMAZING CD full of art songs. She sings about the elements of art, using your imagination, and other art themes. The songs are catchy, brilliant, and she’s a fantastic singer. The songs have an awesome way of tying in art vocabulary in an unforgettable way. You and your students will be humming these catchy songs all day long.
#17- Hall passes! As an art teacher, you may have a creative hall pass system. However, if you’d like to save some time… a hall pass system like this one from Amazon is a great way to manage students leaving your room. I personally had a sign out/in system. I love having my hall passes in a visible place near my desk so I can easily see which ones are signed out.
#18- Art apron- I can’t tell you how many articles of clothing that met their fate to paint. It wasn’t I got really sick of ruining clothes that I realized I should be wearing an apron. Not only that, but art aprons are super cute and an adorable fashion statement for art teachers. My style is a bit more subtle and I love my neutral tones. This green art apron was perfect for me! Lots of pockets and easy to wash!
#19- Scissors rack – Trust me, you will want one of these! My first year I had a storage bin of scissors and I held my breath every time a high schooler stuck their hand in there to grab a pair. A nice scissors rack is safe, effective, and keeps your scissors organized.
#20- Rolling cart! Another must have! Whether you have to be an art-on-a-cart teacher (bless your heart!) or not, a cart will come in handy on a daily basis. Carts are helpful for easily putting out supplies for students, transporting projects to and from the display rack, bringing in materials from your car and so much more!!
#21- No clog glue bottles. Okay, I know I said 20 but how could I leave this one out? These no clog glue bottles will save you countless minutes of stressing over clogged glue bottles. They have a little plastic tip that goes into the bottle to prevent clogging. They’re super effective, refillable, and hold up nicely!
What are some your must have items in the art room? Do you have any feedback on the items above? What has worked for you? I’d love to hear from you! Thanks for checking this out! -Stephanie Villiotis