Visual Strategies for Autism- More Storage Ideas

One of the most common questions I receive about using visual strategies for autism is, “How do you store your pictures?” Once people get involved in the process, storage becomes an important consideration.

Pictures have to be easy to access. If you can’t find what you want when you want it, you’ll give up.

Here’s one of my favorite storage options
Using 2-inch pictures is a common choice for lots of classrooms. When you use them for schedules or choice boards, it’s easy to collect a lot of pictures quickly. I love this 64 Drawer Storage Cabinet. It can work really well for those two-inch pictures.

A lesson I learned from experience
Just one note of caution. Two-inch pictures don’t necessarily fit into two-inch drawers. You have to be careful that you are choosing a unit that will really work for you. I like this option because the drawers are actually a little wider than 2 inches.

Be sure to check the size of the drawers. 2-1/8-inch (wide) by 1-1/2-inch (tall – not a problem since the pictures will lay down) by 5-1/4-inch (deep) drawers, so they should be a perfect size.

One of the tricks that I have found really works well is to label each drawer with a word or by putting a copy of the picture on the front of the drawer so you easily know what is inside.

Here’s another cabinet with drawers a little bigger
All visual tools are not (and should not be) 2” X 2”. This 24 Drawer Storage Cabinet will hold pictures that are a little bigger. Because the drawers are bigger, it can be an option that many students can manipulate more easily.

It has 24 virtually unbreakable drawers (Ha!) are 4-3/8-Inch (wide) x 2-Inch (tall) x 5-1/4-Inch (deep).

I’ll be sharing more ideas
I have a few more storage “gems” that I’ll be sharing in another blog or newsletter.

Please comment and let me know about YOUR favorite storage options.

 

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