Back to School: How Educational Storage Trolleys Can Help Create a Better-Organised Classroom

The first few weeks of a new school term are often when classroom storage problems become most obvious.

Resources that looked neatly organised before pupils returned can quickly become harder to manage once lessons are in full flow. Art materials, science equipment, books, stationery, STEAM resources and project materials all need to be easy to find, simple to move and quick to put away.

For schools looking to improve classroom organisation, mobile educational storage trolleys can provide a flexible alternative to fixed cupboards and shelving.

Risk Assessment Products supplies a growing range of educational storage trolleys designed for classrooms, STEAM activities, practical learning and mobile teaching.

Why Classroom Storage Matters

Good classroom storage is about more than keeping a room tidy.

Well-organised resources can help teachers:

• find equipment more quickly;
• reduce lesson setup time;
• move resources between teaching areas;
• make commonly used materials easier for pupils to access;
• keep different subjects or projects separated;
• make better use of limited classroom space; and
• return the classroom to order more quickly after practical activities.

This can be particularly useful in busy primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and specialist learning environments where the same room may be used for several different activities throughout the day.

Why Choose a Mobile Storage Trolley?

A fixed cupboard is useful when resources always stay in one place.

A mobile trolley gives schools more flexibility.

Depending on the model, a trolley can be moved:

• between classrooms;
• from a storage area into the teaching space;
• alongside group tables;
• between indoor learning zones;
• into practical or project areas; and
• wherever resources are needed during a lesson.

This can reduce the need for pupils or teachers to repeatedly cross the classroom to collect equipment.

Many educational trolleys also use removable trays, allowing resources to be grouped by subject, activity or class.

Educational Storage Trolleys for Different Classroom Needs

There is no single trolley configuration that suits every school.

The right choice depends on what needs to be stored and how the trolley will be used.

Mobile Teaching Stations

The Gratnells MyBASE® Mobile Teaching Trolley is designed as a mobile teaching and storage station for flexible classrooms.

Its combination of storage and a usable work surface means it can support teachers who need to move resources around the classroom rather than work from one fixed teaching position.

The Gratnells MyBASE®+ Mobile Teaching Trolley adds a lockable storage cabinet alongside integrated tray storage, making it suitable where teachers need both mobile organisation and more secure storage.

These types of units may be particularly useful for:

• flexible teaching spaces;
• intervention work;
• small-group learning;
• classrooms with limited fixed storage;
• teachers who move between rooms; and
• practical lessons requiring resources close at hand.

Tray Storage for Everyday Classroom Resources

For schools that mainly need organised tray storage, the Callero Plus range provides mobile classroom storage in different capacities.

The Callero Plus Double Trolley – 16 Shallow Trays is designed as a lightweight mobile storage system for keeping classroom resources organised and easy to move.

For larger quantities of resources, the Callero Plus Treble Trolley – 16 Shallow & 4 Deep Trays combines shallow and deep storage, making it easier to separate smaller classroom items from bulkier equipment.

Shallow trays can work well for items such as:

• stationery;
• books and worksheets;
• art materials;
• maths resources;
• small construction components; and
• individual pupil or group resources.

Deep trays can be useful for:

• larger craft supplies;
• equipment sets;
• project materials;
• containers;
• larger manipulatives; and
• bulkier teaching resources.

Storage Trolleys for STEAM Learning

Practical science, technology, engineering, art and maths activities can create particular storage challenges because they often involve a wide variety of components and equipment.

The Callero STEAM Double Trolley – 8 Shallow & 4 Deep Trays is a compact mobile storage and activity station designed specifically for STEAM, science, design technology, art and project-based learning.

For larger departments or classrooms, the Callero STEAM Treble Trolley – 16 Shallow & 4 Deep Trays provides increased capacity while retaining the same mobile format.

These configurations can help schools separate:

• electronics and components;
• tools;
• craft materials;
• robotics equipment;
• building materials;
• science resources; and
• individual project kits.

Creating a Mobile MakerSpace

MakerSpace learning encourages pupils to design, build, experiment and solve problems.

The challenge is that these activities can require a large number of small parts alongside bulkier resources.

The Callero MakerSpace Trolley – 3 Deep & 12 Shallow Trays is designed as a mobile classroom storage and activity station for STEAM, design technology, science, art and project-based learning.

Its mix of shallow and deep trays can make it easier to organise components while still providing room for larger materials.

A mobile MakerSpace trolley can also allow schools to bring practical resources into a normal classroom without permanently dedicating the entire room to that activity.

What Should Schools Look for When Choosing a Storage Trolley?

Before selecting a trolley, consider how it will actually be used.

Tray Capacity

Think about the number and size of resources being stored.

A larger number of shallow trays may suit lots of smaller items, while deep trays are better for larger or irregularly shaped equipment.

Mobility

Consider whether the trolley will remain in one classroom or regularly move between different teaching spaces.

Classroom Space

A compact double trolley may suit smaller rooms, while a treble trolley can provide greater capacity where floor space allows.

Subject Area

General classroom resources may only need simple tray organisation.

Science, STEAM, art and design technology may benefit from mixed-depth trays and specialist activity-trolley configurations.

Secure Storage

Where equipment, teacher resources or higher-value items need controlled access, a model with lockable storage may be more appropriate.

Accessibility

Resources should be easy for the intended users to access without creating clutter or unnecessary movement around the classroom.

Can Storage Trolleys Help With Classroom Flexibility?

Yes.

Modern teaching spaces increasingly need to support different activities rather than one fixed classroom layout.

A mobile trolley can move with the lesson.

For example, the same resources can be positioned:

• beside a teacher for whole-class instruction;
• next to a group table for practical work;
• at the edge of the classroom when not required; or
• moved into another room for a different class.

This can be especially useful where classrooms are used by more than one teacher or subject group.

Organisation by Colour

Tray-based storage also allows schools to use colour as part of their organisation system.

Different coloured trays can be allocated to:

• individual classes;
• subjects;
• year groups;
• activity types;
• practical equipment; or
• different groups within the same classroom.

A simple visual system can make it easier for pupils and staff to return resources to the correct place.

Educational Storage Beyond the Classroom

Although these trolleys are designed with education in mind, mobile storage can also be useful elsewhere within a school.

Potential locations include:

• science preparation areas;
• art departments;
• design and technology rooms;
• libraries;
• SEN learning spaces;
• intervention rooms;
• staff resource areas;
• after-school clubs; and
• shared teaching spaces.

Is It Worth Reviewing Classroom Storage After the Start of Term?

September is actually a good time to review storage.

Before term starts, it can be difficult to predict how resources will be used in practice.

Once lessons are underway, schools can see:

• which resources are constantly being moved;
• which cupboards are overcrowded;
• where lesson preparation takes too long;
• where pupils struggle to find or return equipment; and
• which subject areas need additional storage.

That makes the first few weeks of term a sensible time to identify where mobile storage could make day-to-day teaching easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an educational storage trolley?

An educational storage trolley is a mobile storage unit designed to organise and move classroom resources. Many models use removable trays and some also include work surfaces or lockable storage.

What are Gratnells trays used for?

Gratnells trays are widely used in educational storage systems for organising classroom and practical-learning resources. Different tray depths allow smaller and larger items to be stored separately.

Are storage trolleys suitable for STEAM subjects?

Yes. Specialist STEAM and MakerSpace trolleys are designed to store resources used in science, technology, engineering, art, maths and project-based learning.

What is the difference between shallow and deep trays?

Shallow trays are generally better suited to smaller resources, while deep trays provide more capacity for bulkier items and larger equipment.

Can classroom storage trolleys be moved between rooms?

Yes. Mobile educational trolleys are specifically designed to make resources easier to move around learning spaces.

Which trolley is best for a small classroom?

That depends on the resources being stored, but a compact double trolley may be more suitable where floor space is limited.

Which trolley is best for STEAM or MakerSpace learning?

Mixed-depth models such as Callero STEAM and MakerSpace trolleys are designed around practical and project-based learning, with different tray sizes for organising varied resources.

Get the Classroom Organised for the New School Year

The start of a new academic year is an ideal opportunity to look at what is working — and what is not — in the classroom.

If resources are difficult to organise, awkward to move or taking up too much fixed storage space, a mobile educational trolley can provide a more flexible solution.

Risk Assessment Products currently supplies educational storage solutions including:

Gratnells MyBASE® Mobile Teaching Trolley
Gratnells MyBASE®+ Mobile Teaching Trolley
Callero Plus Double Trolley
Callero Plus Treble Trolley
Callero STEAM Double Trolley
Callero STEAM Treble Trolley
Callero MakerSpace Trolley

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