4 Clever Classroom Caddy Hacks You’ve Got to Try

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girl sitting in carseat with yellow caddy on lap filled with fast food

Traditional just got hacked.

No matter how old you are, you may remember having color-coordinated classroom caddies in your class during elementary school – where you’re teacher stored all the crayons, scissors, and other essential school supplies. I’m sharing 4 unique life hacks for a classroom caddy, whether you’re at home or on the go.

With these awesome hacks, I’m giving traditional a whole new meaning – it will be like bringing some of school home, but way more fun. 😉

1. A classroom caddy doubles as a shower caddy for the ultimate college dorm room idea.

yellow classroom caddy on bathroom sink with bathroom essentials for getting ready

If you have a young adult soon to head to college, they’ll love using a classroom caddy to walk to and from the bathroom. This is such an easy way for them to carry all of their essentials, keep them tidy, and best of all, the caddies are waterproof so keeping them clean and sanitary is easy peasy.

If you’re heading to a graduation party this summer, you could also use this idea to give a fun gift basket where you stock up a caddy with bathroom essentials. It would be an affordable, practical, and fun idea! I easily fit a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hair fiber, cologne, razor, shave gel, and all in one soap with plenty of room to spare!


2. A caddy makes the best organizer for fast food while on the go.

yellow caddies filling with chick fil a fast food

I really dislike eating in my car with kids, simply because they make such a mess that it’s not even worth the hassle. However, having these caddies on hand now has totally changed my mind.

After running through the drive-thru at Chick-Fil-A on a sports night or whatever has us needing a speedy & easy meal on the go, the caddies make it so easy to grab, fill up, and hand to the back of the car (and my kids are seriously loving it).

three kids sitting in car with yellow classroom caddies and fast food on lap

*Note that the above photo of my children was taken in a parking lot and my vehicle was in park. 🙂

Not only are they totally convenient, but they make the best tray to sit on your lap, and they perfectly fit an entire meal plus a drink and condiments!

And unlike shower caddies, these classroom caddies don’t have holes in the bottom, so while the kiddos are eating, you don’t even need to worry about crumbs and salt finding a way to your seats and floor. When they’re done, the caddies are easy to empty and wipe clean for next time.

I will forever be traveling around with a stackable set of these in my car now! 🙌


3. Fill a caddy with healthy snacks or movie theater treats for your next movie night in.

kid holding a yellow caddy with snacks and water bottle inside

If you’re not using a classroom caddy for your next movie night in then you’re doing it wrong! Whether you’re filling them with your favorite movie theater candies and soda or filling them with your favorite low carb snacks (like we did!) this hack will change how you do movie nights at home.

Similar to how they work easily in the car, these are perfect for sitting on your lap and munching on some goodies while you’re on the couch or recliner. As you can see in my photo, we had plenty of room for salami roll-ups, nuts, snacks, nut butter packets, and water bottles.

movie snacks in classroom caddies

Plus, if you’re sticking with movie time tradition, there’s a plethora of room for buttery popcorn, a box of candy, and a tall glass of soda. Either way, the clean-up is going to be hassle-free!

Cuddled up on the couch? Here are the best binge-worthy shows and even our favorite family-friendly options.


4. Store all your cleaning supplies in a caddy for an easy way to clean around your home.

yellow caddy with cleaning supplies inside

While my last hack may seem like an obvious one already, these caddies make for some awesome organizers to store all of your cleaning supplies. If you’re running around the house cleaning multiple rooms, a caddy also makes it easier to tote around all the supplies you need for each room without it being too heavy.

I can easily fit 3 large cleaning bottles, cleaning gloves, a brush, and 2 washcloths.

Hip Tip: Love to go green with cleaning? Score a FREE Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning set with your first Grove Collaborative order! Head to this post to find out more.


Here’s where you can buy my classroom caddy (and other affordable options):

hand holding a yellow caddy with kids meal inside

  • Amazon – Starting at $19.21 for a set of 6 ($3.20 each)
    *These are the ones I own and love!
  • Target – $12 for a set of 4 ($3 each)
  • Dollar Tree – $12 for a case of 12 ($1 each)
    *keep in mind that their caddies are taller, so they may not work as well for some of the hacks I’ve shared. 

Check out these giant pool floats we’re loving for summer.


About the writer:

Sara is a self-taught blogger & photographer and brings 9+ years of experience to her craft. Her work has been featured in numerous esteemed publications, spanning building, travel, and fashion. Beyond her creative pursuits, Sara’s primary mission is to empower others to embrace a toxic-free & sustainable lifestyle.


Join The Discussion

onlinements 26

  1. Lana

    Great idea for the car !

    • Sara

      Thanks, Lana, it’s been working out so well for my kids!

  2. nej

    Just a thought on the shower caddy. A hole drilled in the bottom could allow water to drain.

    • Sara

      That’s a great and innovative idea too, nej! You can also buy actual shower caddies for cheap at the Dollar Tree, Amazon, and Target too. 😉

  3. Krista

    When I had little littles, I used to keep a caddy in the dining room fully loaded with car/baby supplies (even if they were duplicates of diaper bag- things like food, diapers, wipes, tissues) and we would grab it on the way out the door for any longer day away from home. I always liked having supplies super handy in the car. We also would let the littles add a stuffy or toy so that they could have a “friend” in the car, and it limited the number of “friends” that could ride.

    • Sara

      What a great idea, Krista! Thanks for sharing!

  4. Jen

    I’ve seen these types of caddies at the Dollar Tree1

    • Sara

      They’re a great deal too, Jen! We have them linked at the bottom of this post if you’re looking to buy them online. 🙂

  5. mnemosyne786

    I checked on the camelcamelcamel website and set a price watch on these because for the multi colored set, Amazon has sold them for under $10 for 6. Since it’s not an urgent purchase I’ll let them alert me when the price drops to where I want it then snag them!

    • Sara

      This is a great idea and so frugal, mnemosyne786. Thanks for sharing!

  6. B.B.

    I bought one of these at the Dollar Tree and filled it with a few Dollar Tree cleaning supplies/tools. Super cheap Melissa and Doug cleaning caddy hack.

    • Sara

      Great idea, B.B.! Thanks for sharing with us!

  7. Lisa

    I use these for baby shower gifts. I call it a Daddy Caddy and put the Butt Paste, pee pee teepee and I Love Daddy bib and other daddy specific items into it then wrap in the clear basket wrap. We used one when my son was in diapers so we didn’t have to always go to the changing table.

    • Kay

      Thanks for sharing. Using ur idea for my bro. They’re expecting.

    • Sara

      What a cute idea, Lisa! So unique and cute, thanks for sharing!

  8. J.H.509

    My mom has been looking for these!! She bought one at Target and loves it. Thank you for providing the link. I’m going to get a set for her and one for me. I LOVE the idea of using them to eat on the road.

    • Sara

      I’m so glad this post was helpful, J.H.509! Enjoy using them, they’re so handy!

  9. Nee

    We have the exact yellow one and it only has a few crayons in it. I’d rather use it as the eating car caddy now!! Thanks for this amazing idea – we have a road trip onlineing up in a few days too!

    • Sara

      Have an awesome road trip, Nee! The caddy will hopefully make it go even more smoothly now. 🙂

  10. Sarah

    We have had 2 different sets from Dollar Tree. I reonlinemend the smaller ones as chicken nugget, French fry containers, etc fit better without falling over.

    • Sara

      Thanks for the tip, Sarah!

  11. Lo

    Are these food safe? I always wonder esp. for the dollar tree ones.

    • Sara

      That is a great question, Lo! After looking around on Amazon for the ones I own I wasn’t able to find a direct answer. If food-grade plastic (or possible lack thereof) is a concern you could line the section with napkins or another material to add a layer between direct contact with the plastic. Hopefully, this helps!

  12. Jackie

    Great ideas! Thanks

    • Sara

      You’re welonlinee, Jackie!

  13. NikkiLLM5

    I have a one thats longer than this one I got at Walmart for $2. I used it to organize my bathroom items in my cabinet on the bottom shelf like face masks, all my creams & serums, brushes I have but haven’t used yet, any makeup I only use for special occasions, etc. It worked great for this.
    Another thought this brought to mind, we have an old drug store that has an old coke machine that has the old bottles. I go buy 3 cokes & they give me the drink carrier it came in for free. Then I leave the 3 cokes in it but add an assortment of candy & put a $10 in the front pocket with a Happy Birthday card & sometimes I tie 3 balloons to the handle. It’s been a fav gift among all my kids friends from ages 12 to 22 now. But almost any age will enjoy it. I try to personalize the candy or treats to candy I know they like. And I’ve gotten more onlinepliments on that gift than any other.

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