Disclaimer: this post refers to setting up a new classroom/moving rooms, but everything referenced can also be for redecorating you classroom and choosing a new theme (even if you are staying in the same room next year)

Moving into a new classroom can be so exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. You get so excited for all the things you want to plan in your room, all the ideas you save online and can’t wait to implement… but you’re at a stand still until you get access to the room (which typically isn’t for another few months).

But not being able to set up your room yet doesn’t mean you can’t start the set up and preparation now! Here are all the things I am doing now to prepare for moving into a new classroom this fall! (Coming from a teacher who has done this 5 times already)

1. Pick a decor theme/vibe you want

Maybe you’ve already been pinning ideas and saving videos on social media of classrooms that you like, or maybe you haven’t even begun to give it much thought at all. The first step would be to determine what vision you have for your classroom. I like to start by asking myself: do I want a calm and neutral classroom or a bright & colorful one? I have done both in the past, and almost seem to alternate between the two! There are benefits to both, so I don’t think you can go wrong with either! It’s just a personal preference (and remember: YOU will be spending the most time in there, so it’s important you pick what you will enjoy looking at for 8+ hours a day)

2. Purchase a digital decor bundle

Once you’ve landed on a “vibe” for your decor, you can pick the actual bundle that you want to purchase. This is the biggest thing I will ALWAYS recommend to teachers is to buy a teacher created digital decor pack. When I started teaching, I purchased all my decor from teacher supply stores, and those items didn’t hold a candle to what you can get from a digital decor pack.

My favorite reasons for the digital decor bundles are that 1) you can always edit + create things to customize exactly as you need for your classroom 2) if students are a little to rough with any items and they tear, you just need to reprint it! 3) the resources are teacher made & most useful to what you’ll need in your classroom 4) you can get all your academic, management, organizational, and community building decor all in one place and all in a matching set!

My top decor lines in the Our Happy Place, Blush & Blues, Dreamy Neutral, Wild & Bright, and Eras Tour Decor. You can also search Teachers Pay Teachers for hundreds of other decor packs if none of these are your vibe!

3. Start planning out your wall spaces (roughly)

This can be a little tricky if you don’t know the exact layout of your classroom, but you can start by prioritizing what MUST go up on your walls and what you would like to include if there’s room. Another reason I love the digital decor packs - you can look through what’s available in the files and see what to include in your room if you’re not even sure where to start.

My go-tos include the Growth Mindset Bulletin Boards, Daily Schedule, Learning Objectives, Birthday Display, Alphabet, Place Value, and Levels of Understanding. I also always display a “PBIS saying” that goes with my schools values (ie SHARKS - S = safety, H = honesty, etc). You can customize the rules posters in this bundle to create what you need for your school, and make many more things to fit your class’s needs in the editable bundles.

4. Pick out bulletin board paper & borders

Over the years, I’ve learned that the ONLY thing you really need to buy from the teacher supply stores are your bulletin board papers & borders. (You can also grab these on Amazon or I’ve gotten some of my favorite papers from Hobby Lobby, but typically my local teacher supply store - Lakeshore - has always had the best selection).

My tip here would be to go more neutral. One of my biggest regrets in my classroom 2 years ago was choosing pink bulletin board paper. While it was fun and exciting, I honestly got tired of looking at it every day for a year. My favorite bulletins have always been the most neutral colors and designs, then I bring the life and fun to the boards by what I hang on them!

Bonus, if you change your classroom theme from year to year, you can sometimes get away with keeping the same bulletins up if you go with a more calm or neutral look.

5. Shop for little decor accents

I will admit that a few years ago I fell victim to the pressure of keeping up with the pinterest perfect classrooms I’d see all over social media and Pinterest. I started buying every single thing every influencer convinced me I needed, and only about half of it ended up being as “lifechanging” as they had promised me.

So let me please be the first person to say, THERE IS NO PRESSURE. Every teacher brings their own magic to the classroom, without all the extra frills. I have now found that I LOVE decorating my classroom, but I no longer need to go over the top (and neither do you!)

These next few items are just tips and ideas, if that’s what you want in your classroom. If you don’t, you’re still just as amazing of a teacher without them!!

String lights - I put these in my classroom about 4 years ago and now I will never go back! In fact, these were one of the only things I purchased for my classroom when I taught abroad in Spain! You can buy these on Amazon (affiliate link) or at Walmart. I love putting these around my whiteboards with some extra border!

Mirrors - a great way to expand the look of the space (especially if you have a smaller classroom), and I particularly love creating an affirmation station in my classroom!

Plants & greenery - As someone who has a black thumb unfortunately, fake plants are the best way for me to add a little “life” to my classroom. I find these at Homegoods, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Ross!

Lamps - lamps and soft lighting is a great way to make a classroom feel a little cozier & like a home away from home! I love to use only lamps and natural lighting in my classroom - no thank you to fluorescent lighting!

Pillows - this is another cute way to add the “home-y” feeling to your classroom & make your classroom theme colors pop! Just be sure to check with your school - as some schools don’t allow pillows or fabric of any sort :(

6. Start planning for the bigger things you might need

Especially, if you are a new teacher setting up a classroom from scratch, things can add up quickly! So this time of year is also a great time to start planning ahead and see if you can get items donated or purchased for you!

Consider creating an Amazon wishlist, Donors Choose list, or even just reaching out to your friends/family/community for donations! Some things you might start looking for are gently used furniture (FB Marketplace and thrift stores are also a great place for this), a classroom rug, library books, storage materials, and organizational tools! I also HIGHLY recommend investing in a laminator (really not that expensive) because…

7. Print, cut, & laminate it all!

Starting this process NOW will save you so much time & energy (and sanity) when you finally get access to your classroom! What a DREAM to be able to get your classroom keys and be ALL READY TO GO! I have spent so much time in the past cutting things for my classroom on set up days (or at night after spending 10 hours in my classroom during the day).

Printing all your classroom decor, cutting, and laminating it now will be the greatest gift you can give yourself come set up day! And I recommend laminating most or all of your decor because it makes it last longer & can be reused from year to year!

I will be honest. In the past, it has often taken me several 8+ hour days to set up my classroom. But so much of that time includes planning what I want on the walls, laminating & cutting decor, etc. If you go into your classroom with these 7 steps done already, you will reduce your set up time significantly!

Best of luck with the move/new classroom theme!

XOXO,

Lauren