DIY Marker Storage Caddy – a Portable Family Art Station
I created this DIY marker storage caddy so that I can easily transfer our art supplies from storage to desk, and use them directly from the bin. This post was sponsored by STABILO.
I had a vision in mind for this easy DIY marker storage caddy.
I was going to chop up some cereal boxes, divide the outer box into small compartments… etc etc. I measured, cut, and then it failed.
Well, that happens sometimes, doesn’t it?
I had to think a bit differently, and the end result is even cooler than what I had planned: it looks better, AND it’s much more versatile.
Did I mention that it takes a fraction of the time, and that it’s super easy – almost fail-proof?!
Well, here are the deets!
Me and M both love to color – and there’s no quality time spent together as a mother and son that’s quite like coloring. We sit, we chat about our days, about our lives, about our favorite colors.
Yes, with a 3 year old, conversations about color can get intense…
We ended up with a cool basket that we can use to transport and store all our art supplies.
They are organized in a mix of mason, pasta sauce, and baby food jars in assorted sizes. I sorted them according to how I use them – making this a super flexible family art supply storage system.
As a family, we love the quality, rich color, and versatility that STABILO products provide us with.
The STABILO Point 88 Mini is a streamlined version of my favorite coloring tool that’s perfect for travel. And by travel, I also mean coloring while watching the kids play outside, because that’s about as far out as I get…
I combined some of my favorite coloring tools in one, including the Pen 68 (with a 1mm tip) and Trio 2 in 1 (which has a 2mm and a .5mm tip). That gives me a good assortment in a single jar that I can have near me. I usually use these alongside the Point 88 markers, but I don’t need them, because I have the fine tip on the Trio 2-in-1.
For M, I used the widest mouth jar for his chunky art supplies – that’s the stage he is at now. The jar contains the Trio Scribbi markers and the Woody 3-in-1 pencils – both of which are perfect for his pre-writing stage..
Next to it are the power max markers which I let him use when I want to freshen things up and give him an extra special tool to color with. The thing I love about the power line is that they don’t dry out for a while with the cap off. I use the power markers for many of my projects, and I’m also guilty of leaving caps too loose.
And finally, I placed the EASYergo pencils in one baby jar, and the sharpeners for those pencils and for the Woody in another. It’s important for me to place the sharpeners in a separate jar, since those are still off-limits for M. Organizing this DIY marker storage category in a way that makes it easy to allow use as needed is the way to go!
The EASYergo pencils are really cool – they come in left and right-handed versions, with an ergonomic grip that makes it easy for kids to learn to write!
M is waiting to get his hands on those – I’m prepping a cool activity for him to do with those.
Now for the tutorial that you’ve all been waiting for…
What you need to make a DIY marker storage caddy:
- A shoe box – or similar sized sturdy cardboard box
- Paint – I used spray paint but crafter’s acrylic would work too!
- If you’re using a spray paint that doesn’t adhere well, you may need decoupage medium or some other sealer
- A scrap of vinyl fabric (or something else that will make a good strap – you might find something around the house to upcycle!)
- Industrial strength glue
- Jars in assorted sizes
- Plenty of art supplies to fill your caddy with!
How to make a DIY marker storage caddy:
1. Paint or spray paint your box with a pop of your favorite color.
2. If you need to, coat it with a layer of sealer in a finish you love (I used matte).
3. Create your strap! First, cut a piece of vinyl fabric, or something else sturdy and comfortable, to length. Then, Measure a strap about two inches wide with a ruler, and mark those sides. To make pretty rounded ends, just measure and mark around a jar or anything round.
5. Glue your strap on, and allow it to dry completely. Don’t skimp on the glue! Because of all the experimentation I had to do with this project, I had some ugly stuff I needed to hide, and my pretty curved edge didn’t quite do it, so I did have to trim that down a bit.
6. Arrange your markers and art supplies in your jars. For the little kids stuff (the Woody 3-in-1 and Trio Scribbi) I made sure to use a very wide mouth jar, so that little hands can easily reach inside. The others protruded enough that I didn’t need to worry about it.
7. Arrange your jars inside your box. Make sure to balance out the right and the left, and to test the sturdiness of your glued-on strap.
I left the jars unglued, so that we can take out the jars as we need them. That way we can place the DIY marker storage caddy in the center of a large table, and spread out the jars as needed.
And then we can load them right back in for the next family art session!
What is your favorite art to create as a family? Which are your favorite STABILO arts supplies to stash in this DIY marker storage caddy? Comment below! Follow along with STABILO on Facebook for more fun ideas!
This is a great idea. I am a Library Director, and I have a McDonald’s Happy Meal bucket as my marker bin, so it’s not as pretty as yours, but one thing I do is store my markers tip down, so the ink is always close to the writing end. I am unfamiliar with Stabilo markers, so maybe that isn’t a factor with those, just wanted to give you that little tip.
Interesting! I never had a problem with any of my markers, but I’ll definitely give your way a try! If you ever feel crafty, you can try decoupaging your happy meal bucket with little squares of wrapping paper – that could be fun!
How long do you find the power max markers last? I don’t mean with the lid off, but how much coloring can be done with them? I teach art and bought Stabilos last year for my classes. I thought the ink didn’t go very far, but mine were the medium tip power markers, not power max. Any input you have would be appreciated!
Hi Brooke,
It will depend on how often and heavily they’re used. I use the medium tip power max markers for many of my projects and for now they’re still working great. I am one person, though, and I’m not using them daily at all (about 1-2 times a year) so that could be why. My boys use the Power Max markers a few times a month and we’ve pulled them out at family gatherings a few times and they’re still going strong. Again, two boys who don’t color heavily, plus a few times some cousins and friends who do, but not regular, heavy use by a larger group of kids. That’s my personal experience with them – I can’t really know more than that!