Menu
Menu
Every teacher wants to stay organized throughout the school year, but it can be difficult to know which bins and materials to use. Each classroom has its unique nooks and crannies to store things, so take a look at some of these classroom organization ideas and see if they might help in your space. They will inspire you as you get organized any time of year. Keep reading to learn about 15 different classroom organization ideas you can adopt in your space.
Tape or glue a ribbon to the back of all student notebooks, so they have a permanent bookmark to use. This will help them easily find their next writing page or activity page in workbooks and notebooks. Classroom organization ideas like this are simple to set up at the beginning of the school year when materials are dropped off.
Use paint samples to track student passwords. Write each student’s name and passcode on a paint sample and connect them all on a ring. If you don’t want them stored on a ring, place them in a bin for students to access during technology times. Each child gets a different color so they can spot it easily.
Store game pieces in plastic bags connected to a bar or ring with hooks. This works perfectly for games with small pieces or multiple cards to keep track of. Many classroom games aren’t stored in boxes, and bags just make a mess inside a box. Hang them up to keep them out of the way and easy to access.
File cabinets are becoming obsolete, but weekly and monthly files are important to get ahead with planning. Use a hanging file folder to keep things organized and ready at a moment’s notice. Many teachers refer to these as student mailboxes.
Instead of tossing all your books on the shelf, organize them by author or genre so students can easily find what they are looking for. Colored-coded book bins come in handy here as well. Use classroom organization ideas like this to spot things quickly when you need them.
Label and decorate mason jars to store crayons, pencils, scissors, erasers, and so much more. Place them on desks or community tables for students to access. Classroom organization ideas like this keep both teachers and students organized each day.
Use a rolling art cart to store Ipads. Categorize them by numbers if needed, and use one of the shelves as a “needs to be charged” station so you never have dead technology. These art carts are handy for morning work, moving rooms, storing art supplies, and more.
Storing all the anchor charts and bulletin board pieces can be a hassle. Use two large poster boards taped together to create a large folder for storage. Slide your anchor charts inside. Some teachers create folder labels with additional poster boards or put the anchor charts in the order they will use them throughout the year.
Walk into your local Dollar Store or Dollar Tree, and you will surely find tons of colorful bins and baskets to use in your classroom. There are bins for paper, bins for games, bins for markers, and much more. Use bins to store cleaning supplies, extra materials, classroom snacks, and everything in between.
Instead of using giant bins for everything under the sun, use small containers to store small Lego pieces, erasers, playdoh, and extra note cards. These are easy to stack on low shelves or store up high for later use. They take up less space and won’t get in the way. They can also be stored inside larger categorized bins if needed.
If you still print your lesson plans each week, consider organizing them in order in a 3-ring binder. You will have them ready to roll for the next year and can plan them out weeks in advance. The organization is key to a successful lesson. Make sure your lesson plans have space for the materials needed so you always know what to prep and print.
Adhere command hooks to the wall to hang student headphones. This will keep the cords from getting tangled in a drawer, and students will be able to find them quickly and get to work. For students who have earphones, store them in zippered cases, so the cords don’t get tangled. Some teachers put the cords through straws to keep tangling to a minimum.
If you don’t have on already, use a teacher toolbox from the hardware store to organize paperclips, erasers, pins, markers, sticky notes, and more. Find these on Amazon or use the one I found at Lowe’s to store all sorts of things. Use my Teacher Toolbox Labels to make them pretty and keep them on your desk or in a common area.
Attach your student rosters or attendance to clipboards. Everything you need in the morning is attached to one clipboard; dismissal items are on another, emergency information is on another, etc. Color code them if you want and store them in obvious places for subs and administration.
Place file folders in a plastic bin from the Dollar store or supercenter. Label each folder with student names or numbers. Store their homework, grades, and other important materials here to go home each week.
For more Classroom Organization Ideas, check out these posts:
Find ready-to-go lessons, activities, and organizational tools to simplify your life and help you fall back in love with your job.
Get teaching tips, resources, and freebies delivered right to your inbox once a week!
We weren't meant to do this teaching life alone... we need each other. Join our Upper Elementary teacher community on Facebook for tips, ideas, and support from people who get it... teachers just like you!
