I like the 12 box of Prismacolor brand colored pencils. I keep them in
tennis ball cans with lids. I have about 3-4 dz pencils in each can.
Pencils are stored sharpened end up. The boxes the pencils come in are too
much trouble! I take the pencils out, sharpen them and toss the box.
(I also separate out the blacks and the whites. Many students will gravitate
to black if they are not given a pencil to outline with.)