Teacher Summer Storage: Where to Keep Classroom Supplies When School's Out

If you teach in southeast South Dakota, you know the drill: school ends in May, and suddenly you need somewhere to put 10 months’ worth of accumulated classroom supplies. Posters, books, manipulatives, decorations, and that one box of stuff from the Scholastic book fair. Here’s how teachers in Tyndall, Springfield, Freeman, and the surrounding area are handling summer storage.

The Teacher Storage Problem

Teaching is one of those professions where you end up owning a shocking amount of work-related stuff. And most of it lives at school — until it can’t.

Reasons teachers need summer storage:

• Room reassignment — you’re moving classrooms and need to pack everything out
• Building renovation — summer construction means your room is getting cleared
• Position change — transferring to a different school or grade level
• Shared classrooms — some teachers share spaces and can’t leave personal items
• Budget cuts — you bought it with your own money, and you’re not leaving it in a building you’re not sure you’ll return to
• Between contracts — if you’re on a year-to-year contract, you might not have a classroom to store things in

Southeast South Dakota schools — from Bon Homme to Freeman Academy to Springfield — often do summer maintenance that requires classrooms to be cleared or significantly reorganized. Teachers who don’t have a plan end up with their spare bedroom or garage buried in school supplies.

What Teachers Typically Store

Based on what we’ve seen from educators using our facilities, the common items include:

Instructional Materials

• Laminated posters and anchor charts
• Guided reading book sets
• Math manipulatives and science kits
• Bulletin board materials and borders
• Curriculum resources and teacher editions
• Binders, file folders, and organizational supplies

Technology

• Personal laptops and tablets used for planning
• Document cameras, speakers, or projectors (personal items, not school-owned)
• Charging stations and cords

Classroom Furniture (Personal)

• Flexible seating you purchased (bean bags, wobble chairs, floor pillows)
• Bookshelves, storage carts, and organizers
• Area rugs and reading nook furniture
• Standing desks or adjustable tables

Decorations and Displays

• Seasonal classroom decorations
• Student work displays and frames
• Theme-based decoration sets
• Holiday and special event materials

Personal Items

• Desk items, personal library books, coffee makers
• Snacks and supplies for students (purchased personally)
• Gifts from students (if you’ve taught for years, this is significant)

How Much Space Do You Need?

Most teachers can get by with a small unit:

• 5x5 (25 sq ft): Perfect for boxes of supplies, decorations, and small items. Fits about 10-15 medium boxes plus loose items. This is enough for most teachers doing a routine summer clear-out.

• 5x10 (50 sq ft): Ideal if you have personal furniture (bookshelves, flexible seating) plus all your supplies. This is the sweet spot for teachers who’ve been at it for years and have accumulated a classroom’s worth of materials.

• 10x10 (100 sq ft): For teachers with extensive personal libraries, multiple furniture pieces, and years of accumulated materials. Also works if two teachers share a unit — split the cost.

Check our size guide for visual references.

Packing Tips for Teachers

Use Uniform Bins, Not Boxes

Invest in plastic bins with lids. Unlike cardboard, they: - Stack securely without collapsing - Keep moisture and pests out - Survive multiple years of seasonal rotation - Are easy to label and re-label as your classroom evolves

Clear bins are best — you can see contents without opening them.

Label by Subject or Function

Don’t just write “school stuff” on every bin. Label specifically: - “Math Manipulatives — 3rd Grade” - “Bulletin Board — Fall/Winter” - “Guided Reading — Level J-M” - “Science Kits — Weather Unit”

When August rolls around and you’re setting up a new classroom, specific labels save hours.

Protect Paper Materials

Laminated items are durable, but anything paper-based needs protection: - Acid-free tissue paper between delicate posters - Flat storage for large items that shouldn’t be folded or rolled - Sealed bins to prevent moisture damage — South Dakota summer humidity can wrinkle and warp unprotected paper

Photograph Everything

Before packing up your classroom, take photos of your setup. When you unpack in August (possibly in a different room), you’ll have a reference for how things were arranged. Saves time and prevents the “what was I thinking” moment.

The Financial Reality

South Dakota teachers rank among the lowest-paid in the country. You already spend hundreds of your own money on classroom supplies each year. Adding a storage unit might seem like another expense — but consider the alternative.

Without storage: - Materials get damaged in a hot garage or damp basement - Items get lost in the shuffle of moving between rooms - You end up replacing supplies you already own because you can’t find them - Stress of cramming everything into your home for three months

With a 5x5 storage unit at $35-50/month for three months: - Total cost: $105-150 for the summer - Everything stays organized, dry, and accessible - Your home stays your home - Setup in August takes hours instead of days

That $105-150 is probably less than you’d spend replacing damaged or lost materials.

Sharing a Unit

Teacher friends in the same district? Split a storage unit. A 5x10 unit at $40-55/month split between two teachers is $20-28/month each. Label your sections clearly, share the cost, and double the value.

This is common among teachers in smaller districts like Bon Homme, Freeman, or Springfield where educators know each other well and trust is built in.

The Summer Storage Timeline

May (last 2 weeks of school): - Begin sorting: keep, store, donate, trash - Rent your unit (do this early — summer is peak season) - Start moving non-essential items

Late May / Early June (after last day): - Final classroom clear-out - Pack remaining items in labeled bins - Move everything to storage

Late July: - Visit unit to plan your classroom setup - Begin pulling items you know you’ll need first

August (before school starts): - Retrieve materials over 1-2 trips - Set up your new classroom with everything organized and ready

Climate Considerations

If you’re storing electronics, delicate materials, or items sensitive to moisture, consider a climate-controlled unit. South Dakota summers can push uncontrolled storage units to 90°F+, which isn’t great for:

• Electronics
• Chocolate or food items
• Wax-based materials (crayons, certain art supplies)
• Glued materials that might soften
• Photographs and printed materials

For most classroom supplies — bins of manipulatives, books, decorations — a standard unit is fine. Just make sure everything is in sealed containers.

Retiring or Changing Careers?

If you’re leaving teaching, that’s a whole different storage challenge. Decades of materials, personal libraries, and classroom furniture need to go somewhere while you decide what to keep, sell, donate, or give to a new teacher.

A storage unit gives you the time to sort through everything without pressure. Donate useful materials to local schools. Pass along your flexible seating to a first-year teacher who can’t afford it. Keep the sentimental stuff. Let go of the rest.

Your Classroom Deserves Better Than Your Garage

You spend hundreds of your own dollars and countless hours building a classroom that inspires students. Don’t let that investment deteriorate in a hot garage or moldy basement over summer.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman has small, affordable units perfect for teacher summer storage. Month-to-month rental, easy access, and secure facilities mean your classroom materials are safe and ready when you are.

Contact us to reserve your summer unit. Do it in April or early May — before everyone else remembers they need one too.