My Favorite Locker Accessory

If you’ve set foot in just about any major retail store lately, you know that the Back-to-School push is in full swing.  I have friends who avoid stores altogether in late July because they do not want their summer to be interrupted by the early display of school supplies.

There must be some magic date when retailers know it’s safe to put this stuff out without turning consumers off.

Too soon and it seems the average customer feels their summer has been stolen.

Not soon enough and they lose all the early birds who are eager to get a jump on things.

Amid all the spiral notebooks, pencil cases, and three-ring binders, there’s one school supply that you won’t see.  And it’s a crying shame.  The Locker Caddy is one of the best-kept secrets I know, and for most of us in the U.S.,  it can only be purchased online.

If your student has taken my course, you already know that I’m not a believer in any one-size-fits-all approach to organizing for school. However, the Locker Caddy just might be the exception.

Some of my students choose not to use their locker at all…ever.  For them, I suppose the Locker Caddy would not be a good purchase.  For most every other student I know, though,  it is a terrific tool for preventing the locker heap and avalanche.

Here’s why:

• It’s strong. Made of recycled hardboard, each shelf holds up to 50 lbs.  You won’t find that kind of strength in the wire and plastic shelves sold in major retail stores!
• It’s easy to install and remove from the locker.  No tools necessary.
• It’s sold in a variety of sizes to fit nearly any size locker.
• It can be used year after year. Buy it in sixth grade…use it till twelfth.  Talk about return on investment!
• It’s adjustable. It comes with two shelves that you can put in any one of six locations.  And for about $4 each you can add more shelves.
• It’s customizable. This is important to tweens and teens.  My students LOVE that it’s a blank slate.  Some students paint theirs.  Some cover it with stickers.  I’ve seen some even do decoupage!  (If color and self-expression aren’t a big thing for your student, the Locker Caddy looks good plain, too.)
• The shelves are smooth. Wire add-a-shelf gadgets damage the bottom of textbooks and rip papers as items are slid onto and off of the shelves.  The Locker Caddy’s smooth surface keeps everything from getting chewed up!
• It stores flat. In the summer, when your child is not using it, the Locker Caddy stores flat, taking up very little space in your home!
• It was invented by a dad who just wanted to help his daughters organize their school stuff.  God Bless the American Entrepreneur!

Locker Caddy didn’t ask me to do a product review, and I won’t receive any compensation from Locker Caddy if you buy one.  But word-of-mouth advertising is how good products and services get the attention they deserve.  So I decided to pay it forward!

What are your favorite school supplies?