Children have plenty of stressors in everyday life that are already detracting from their ability to learn. It is important that school is not one of those stressors. A tidy and organized classroom creates order and calms the mind so that it can focus on learning new information.

Start the new school year off right with fresh ideas to organize any classroom.

Most classrooms are packed full of an entire school year worth of teaching materials, bulletin board decorations, and lesson plans tucked away in every cabinet, nook and cranny. Keep learning on track by making organization in your classroom a priority.

Cute bulletin boards and colorful decorations are nice and stimulating, but do not make a functional classroom. Good organizational practices are what make the difference between chaos and order.

With a good organizational system in place, you will always be able to find the lesson materials that you need without having to hunt and dig.

No. 1 - COMPONO Classroom Organization Charts

This visual organizer allows teachers to see at-a-glance whose folders have been returned and who is missing. This is a great option for tracking in classwork that needs to be turned in by the end of the period. There are options available in multiple colors (red, black, etc.), and multiple sized and configurations (5 pocket, 10 pocket, 20 pocket, and 30 pocket).

These are a must have for any organized classroom!

No. 2 - Create-a-Space Storage Center

This multi-colored bin organizer is designed on a lazy susan which makes it perfect for holding classroom supplies for a table of students. The rotating design allows all bins to be accessible by all students. 

No. 3 - Classroom Caddy

Multi-colored bins with handles are easy to carry from shelf to workstation for classroom setups that require supplies to be stored away from the main seating areas. Gain control over your cabinet space with these color-coded bins. 

No. 4 - Plastic Desk Letter Organizer

Brightly colored and stackable letter trays provide visual organization for different classes or subjects. Teachers can designate one tray or color for each class or subject that is taught. Printed worksheets and handouts for each class can be stored in trays so that they are easily located for the appropriate class.

No. 5 - Electric Pencil Sharpener

Having the right tools at hand will set your classroom up for success. Create a pencil station with one of the fastest electric pencil sharpeners on the market and skip the long line at the pencil sharpener so students can spend more time learning. 

No. 6 - Mesh Desk Organizer

The teacher’s desk serves many purposes in the classroom. It is a small bit of private space for the teacher, a place to grade papers and draw up lesson plans, or a place to work with students one-on-one. Take control of this space with a desktop organizer that can hold lesson plans, print outs, reference materials, and basic office supplies in a way that is organized and off of the desktop. 

No. 7 - Transparent 4' x 6' Photo Cases

Organize learning activities with small pieces or flashcards with 4x6 photo cases. Students can take individual cases to their desks for independent work. This system from Novelink also comes with a bin that neatly holds all of the individual photo cases. 

No. 8 - Dry Erase Pockets Sheet Protectors

Whether you are looking to be more earth-friendly and waste less paper or you are just tired of spending quality time with the copy machine, dry erase pockets are the next best thing since sliced bread. Print worksheets one time and keep them in dry erase pocket sheet protectors. Students can take turns completing the worksheets with expo markers and then wipe them off when finished. 

No. 9 - Dry Erase Clipboards

Dry-erase boards are a terrific tool for interactive lessons when you want to give everyone in the class a chance to answer questions. Instead of having students raise their hands to be called on individually while the rest of the class zones out, try going game-show style with personal dry erase boards. Everyone can write down their answers at the same time. 

No. 10 - Sticky-Back Hook and Loop Fasteners 

Velcro products are like a secret weapon in your organizing arsenal. You can literally stick anything anywhere you need it. Try using velcro coins to stick name tags on chairs or cubbies, stick your whiteboard eraser to the wall near your whiteboard, or add labels to your storage containers. 

No. 11 - Expanding File Folders

Keep all of your lesson materials together in a series of expanding file folders. There is room for lesson plans and teacher notes, worksheets, study guides, and test keys. Expanding files are perfectly sized for standard notebook size papers and have multiple tabbed spaces to keep each item in its own space for easy retrieval. Use one expanding file for each unit of study. 

No. 12 - Magazine File Holder

Take control of your magazine or paperback book collection with a magazine file holder. Whether you keep a stash of old magazines for projects or reading material like back issues of discovery kids, a stack of magazines can easily clutter a classroom. The magazine file gives them a home. 

No. 13 - Thermal Laminating Pouches

Don’t let your hard work get destroyed. The supplies and decorations that you create for your classroom need to last an entire school year against some of the toughest abuse from students. Laminate everything to add durability with easy laminating pouches. 

No. 14 - Incentive Punch Cards

Behavior problems in the classroom can be another detractor from productive learning. Get ahead of the game and prepare with a behavior incentive program that your students will love. Fun punch cards can be used to earn rewards. Stock a rewards shop in your classroom with goodies from the dollar store or Oriental Trading. 

No. 15 - File Folders

Dedicate one file drawer to each class or subject that you teach. Use file folders in that drawer to organize course materials or files on students. The key here is to be specific with folder categories. Instead of using broad categories like ‘science projects’ or ‘extra credit’, use multiple folders with more specific categories so that it is easy to find exactly what you are looking for.

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