How to Cut Down on Classroom Decor Prep Time

What is the one thing all teachers need more of? TIME! So often decorating your classroom takes the backseat to the many other important aspects of teaching because it can. When you’re trying to do ALL THE THINGS, you quickly run out of time. And something’s gotta give, right? Well, let me share some simple tips you can use to cut down on classroom decor prep time!

Let’s face it, when you spend more time in your classroom during the school year than you do your own home, you want to it be a place you love to be in! So, check out these 3 easy tips to greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to breathe new life into your space! Plus, I’ve got the ULTIMATE classroom decorating FREEBIE for you later in this post to help you create the classroom of your dreams!

Tip #1: Make a Plan for Your Classroom Decor

This is where you get to DREAM BIG! Envision what you want your classroom to look and feel like. What mood do you want to create? Cheerful and sunny? Calm and relaxing? A balance of productive energy? The theme and colors you choose will influence the way your classroom feels. So you want to keep that in mind as you settle on a theme and color palette. Here are some ideas to get your creativity flowing! Check out these calming classroom decor themes for a relaxing feel, or these bright classroom decor themes for a cheerful vibe!

Once you’ve chosen the look you’re going for, then you can focus on that theme as you collect decor and accessories! Stick to your color scheme as you purchase accent pieces. And choose bulletin board borders and backgrounds that compliment your theme as well. More on bulletin boards in the next tip!

Then pick your zones. Choose where you want your reading nook to be. Will you have a space for small group instruction? Where will your tables be positioned? How do you want your teacher desk arranged? By creating “zones,” it makes it easier to envision what you want your classroom to look like. And then you can tackle one zone at a time when decorating! Having a plan makes a huge difference by helping you focus on specific details so you’re not wasting time trying to do everything at once.

Tip #2: Keep it Simple

When it comes to prepping your bulletin boards, KEEP IT SIMPLE! There are so many fun and cutesy borders and backgrounds out there. But it’s not fun to constantly have to switch them out each season! Save yourself loads of time (and money) by buying just one background and one border that can last you all year. Then you can easily switch out the decor, banners, or student work without having to re-do your entire bulletin board. Huge time saver!

This next tip is KEY. Choose neutral borders and backgrounds so that you aren’t clashing colors from one season to another. Here are my favorite bulletin board borders and backgrounds that pair with so many themes and create a perfect base for your displays.

Another fun way to make your bulletin boards festive is to double layer your borders. With this technique, I use a neutral border to frame the outside of my bulletin board. I leave that border up all year. Then I can have more fun with the second, inner border! Many of my bulletin board kits include a few choices for this inner border. You can see this double layer bordering technique in action in the photo below!

Tip #3: Enlist Helpers!

My final time saving tip is to get helpers involved! Ask a parent volunteer to cut out your different displays and sayings for each month. Some parents can’t volunteer in the classroom, so this is the perfect way for them to help from home! With all of your lettering and decor pieces cut out ahead of time, all you need to do is the fun decorating part each month!

The ULTIMATE Classroom Design Guidebook

To help you organize your classroom decorating efforts, and really help you save time in the process, I’ve created this FREE classroom design guidebook! It includes a complete checklist to help you work your way through the design process. And it even has links to fun accent pieces and accessories to transform your classroom! Download this freebie by subscribing to my email list below.

You’ll get my weekly newsletter loaded with classroom decor tips, updates, and access to great freebies like this!

Cut Down on Classroom Decor Prep

I hope these tips will help you save time and energy as you create the classroom of your dreams! I’d love to hear the ways you’ve found to cut down on classroom decor prep time too! Connect with me on Instagram @ashleymckenzietpt. I’d love to see how you’ve transformed your classroom!