You know when you walk into your classroom for the first time and you just stare around the room? You don’t even know where to start because your to-do list is a mile long and there is stuff EVERYWHERE.

No matter how many years I’ve taught, this happens to me. 

However, after having 5 classrooms, there are a few classroom setup tips I’ve learned along the way that have made this summer’s classroom setup a little less stressful for me.

1. Don’t Add to the Chaos

I’m sure you’ve been shopping all summer and you are so ready to get all of your new purchases out of your house (or, if you’re like me, your trunk), where it has lived all summer. But, before you pull up to your school, unload all the things, and make multiple trips from your car to your room, hear me out.

When you walk into your classroom for the first time, your furniture is going to be everywhere. And remember all of the belongings that you shoved hastily in cabinets before you left for the summer? Yep, still there! Bringing in all of the items that you bought is going just going to add to this mess.

My tip to avoid adding more chaos to an already chaotic situation is this: leave the stuff in your car. Better yet, leave it at your house! Don’t even bring the stuff in until you’ve got your furniture set up and a place to put each item. Otherwise, you’re just going to overwhelm yourself even more.

2. Prioritize

Before I start hanging up all of those pretty things that I made or bought over the summer, I prioritize. What can I tackle from my list that is going to have the most impact? In other words, what can I finish first that’s not going to make me look around my classroom at the end of the day, wondering what I actually accomplished? 

Here are some big-ticket items I like to check off my list before doing anything else in my room:

• Put all rugs, furniture, and desks where I want them to be. This immediately makes the room look more complete.

• Get my desk area set up. It’s nice to have a place to sit while I’m staring around my classroom, wondering what to do next.

• Set up my library. Books take up a lot of space when they’re strewn around your room, so putting them in their rightful place will get rid of a lot of visual clutter.

3. Don’t Completely Fill Your Walls Up

I am the kind of person that HATES empty walls. They stress me out. But, I also recognize the fact that my classroom isn’t just a room to decorate, it’s a room to learn in. And each and every single space needs to be dedicated to that learning.

If you are a lucky duck who has bulletin boards in your room, put up some background paper and some border and leave them alone. If you’ve got bare walls (like my classroom), create faux bulletin boards if you really need to and also leave them alone. 

You will have plenty of things to put up during the school year… anchor charts, student work, love notes from students, etc. Save yourself some time right now and leave space for those things!

Setting up a classroom can be very exciting, but can also be overwhelming and stressful. I hope that these tips will help save you some stress and let you focus a little more on enjoying your last bit of summer! Do you have any tips of your own? Let me know in the comments!