Do you hear the words classroom organization and immediately put your hand to your face? Trust me, you are not alone. Classroom organization is one of those things that I will openly admit gets put on the back burner. There is just not enough time in the day! And, let’s be honest, I think as teachers we all wish we had a few more hours in the day to do all the things.
But, having a system and organized classroom definitely helps everything fall into place. I want to share a few things that make life easier in navigating throughout my classroom.
Classroom Library
I have soooooo many books in my classroom, and for my students to be successful with finding books in their level and their interests, I use these book baskets. I label them based on genres and levels, and they are placed throughout my classroom on various shelves for my students to access. This is so important for classroom organization and it really helps students out!
Reusable Sleeves
In first grade, a lot of the work we do is repetitive. We are constantly practicing and practicing, which means a ton of paper. Instead of continually reprinting, I use these sleeves that are perfect for slipping the activity inside and can easily be reused repeatedly. Plus, it saves me the time from having to laminate. Classroom organization and time saver = Yes, please!
Student Supply Organization
I’m all about less work for the teacher. I love to make centers once and have students reuse them over and over again. I have used these center boxes to store math and literacy centers for years now and am never going back!
I love playing games with firsties, which means I have accumulated a ton of stuff and organization is critical to quickly pulling these activities out for small groups and centers. I use these cases for some of my math centers that have the supplies and directions laminated inside the box. They are easy to store and super easy to pull out as needed!
I also use Play-Doh for math and literacy activities with my students, and I found a K-cup spinner is perfect for storing those mini Play-dohs instead of just throwing them inside a drawer — and never finding them again.
Curriculum Cart
Instagram and Pinterest are so great for finding new ideas to use for classroom organization. And I quickly became obsessed with rolling carts and decided I had to have one. I store all of my curriculum binders inside mine because it’s easy to access, and of course, I can move it around as needed. My goal is to use another as a calm-down cart with timers and other fidget toys for my students who need a few minutes.
Flexible Seating and Storage
I am all for flexible seating as it allows my students to move, kneel, bounce and helps them have a choice that better suits their learning. I am obsessed with the stools I got from Otto Storage. Not only are they flexible, but they are also used for storage. My students can simply lift the lid and grab the supplies they need. This has been soooo great because we have moved away from community storage, especially because of Covid and our attempt to reduce the spread!
Sub Tub
Is it just me, or is planning for a substitute the worst part of getting a sub? It’s just a crate that is somewhere that can be easily located with hanging folders of anything you think your sub will need for the day. Place seating charts, attendance, behavior management plans, and activities they will need. And then just update it at least once a week, so it’s good to go if you need to take a day!
Manipulative Storage
My students love the Target mini erasers and I needed an easy way to store them so the students could access them. I use these little rainbow storage boxes with lids and think they are the best!
Themed Bins
Keeping your themed materials together is a great way to grab and go! Have the resources, books, centers, and anything else you might need for that unit. I love these bins, and you can add labels for each theme/unit. You can use these for holidays or more specific themes.
I’m no Pinterest perfect organizer when it comes to my classroom, but these are just some of my favorite hacks to making life a little simpler throughout the day. I definitely know that when I feel unorganized, it throws off my routine! What about you? Does being unorganized throw off your day? What are some of your favorite ways to stay organized?
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