DIY Sewn School Supplies Organizer: Step-by-Step Backpack Caddy

Looking for simple school supply storage ideas? This quick and easy felt organizer can be sewn in minutes and is a fantastic way to bring order back to your home. Tidy up fast with this versatile DIY school supplies organizer.

Organizer sewing pattern

I reached my limit before I made this school supplies organizer. My daughter loves to “have everything on hand,” which usually means crayons, markers and scissors spread across the house. I was tired of stepping on crayons, finding scissors on the couch and dealing with glue stick stains on the floor — so I needed a fast, practical solution.

I tried offering boxes and pen holders, but she refuses anything that requires time to open or sort. She wants open, ready-to-use storage that she can grab and move in seconds. That’s when I designed this felt organizer: simple, open, portable and child-friendly.

This project is ideal for beginners. It hangs easily almost anywhere, requires minimal sewing, and can be customized in size, color and pocket layout. It’s also adaptable: use the same idea as a closet or mail organizer, a magazine holder, makeup station, or even a sewing-supplies caddy. I’ve used similar versions in my sewing room and they work wonderfully. The design is versatile enough to help organize pantries, kitchens and craft corners too.

My first version wasn’t perfect — the felt I found stretched a bit and left lint while sewing, and the pocket spacing was uneven — but it did the job. The next iterations will be improved as I experiment with sturdier felt and better stitching.

More organizing ideas:

Lined zipper pouch
Two cool bobbin storage ideas
DIY card holder
DIY pincushion from a recycled photo frame
Cord organizer sewing tutorial

School supplies organizer

Materials needed:

Felt fabric in two colors (one for the base and another for the pockets).
Fabric scraps for additional small pockets if you don’t have enough felt.
Scissors.
A wire hanger to hang the organizer.
Ribbon for a small flower or other embellishment (optional).
Contrast or matching thread.
Sewing machine (optional — you can sew by hand if preferred).

Directions:

Preparing the fabrics

Choose the overall size for the organizer and the pocket sizes. Decide how many pockets you want. For reference, my base was 40 x 50 cm (16″ x 20″) and the pockets were 10 x 30 cm (4″ x 12″). Make sure the final width fits over your hanger.
Cut the base and pocket pieces according to your measurements. If you plan to add small fabric pockets at the top, cut those scraps now.

Decide the layout

Arrange the pockets on the base to establish spacing and placement. Place a few supplies into the pockets to test fit and adjust spacing as needed.

Sew the pockets

For top pockets, fold each fabric piece in half (or sew two right sides together), leaving an opening to turn them right side out. Press or flatten the seams if needed.
Attach the main pockets to the base by stitching along the bottom and sides with a double stitch for strength.
Divide the main pockets into smaller compartments by stitching from top to bottom where you want separators. Use these divisions for crayons, markers, glue sticks, brushes, a small notepad or scissors.

Attach the hanger

Position the wire hanger along the top edge of the organizer on the right (outer) side of the fabric. Stitch the fabric to the hanger. If your felt is sturdy, a couple of stitches may suffice.
If the felt is soft, roll the top fabric once around the hanger and sew again to reinforce the top edge for extra durability.

Add embellishments

Make a small ribbon flower by gathering ribbon and stitching it by hand, then attach it to the organizer for a decorative touch.
Hang the organizer on a door or hook and fill the pockets. It keeps supplies visible, accessible and off the floor.

Tip: If your felt is thin and you want a sturdier organizer, add fusible fleece to the wrong side of the base and pockets, or add another felt layer to the back. A heavy-duty machine may be helpful for thicker layers.