Any classroom can be made beautiful, but that’s not nearly enough! As teachers and educators, we also need our classrooms to be practical, organized, easy to maintain, quick to create - and of course - educational! (Simple, right?!)

So, today I’m sharing four teacher-approved classroom decoration ideas that’ll make teacher life that little bit easier.

1. Bunting and Lettering Packs are your new BFFs

Trust me when I tell you - when it comes to class decoration, lettering packs, bunting and banners are your new BFFs. They can be used for literally anything and they’re the easiest way to fill, section and decorate a space in your classroom. Here are some of my favourite real-life examples.

Reading corners, relaxation nooks, student stations, learning spaces - there are just limitless applications for bunting and lettering packs.

Whether you use bunting or individual letters, my hot tip is to print plenty of each letter (particularly vowels) so you can quickly whip up any heading you need. You’ll use them again and again throughout the school year, for so many applications. Alternatively, you can just create and print customized display headers as needed!

Here are some of my fave lettering packs:

Use headings to create zones in your classroom, for example:

• Designate a desk that’s always set up with tactile objects in tubs and flex it according to your theme. For example, you could make a Space Station, a Tech Territory, a Zoo Zone or a Dairy District depending on your curriculum
• Create a cozy corner in your classroom that’s a quiet zone for reading and decompression
• Compile a bunch of supplies and resources for children to help themselves too (like the ‘Student Station’ above), the kids will love the autonomy of getting what they need 
  

Much like a great essay, a good heading is essential!

Here’s a little clip showing just how simple it is - simply type your heading, print, trim and repeat. The lettering and bunting files open with a PDF reader and can be edited with Powerpoint. Too easy! 

So simple!

Here are some of my fave bulletin board bunting packs:

2. Incorporate Affordable Homewares

My next teacher-approved tip is a simple one - scour your nearest Target store (or similar) to find affordable, trendy decor items that match your classroom theme. Don’t worry about finding stuff that’s specifically marketed toward teachers - affordable homewares are where it’s at!

Whether it’s a thrift store, Kmart or Dollar Tree, start by choosing a colour palette or aesthetic, like boho neutrals, or pastels, or a plant theme for instance.

Then, consider the same factors you’d think about when decorating a home - is it cozy? Comfortable? Functional? Will children want to settle into and learn there every day?

Here are some examples for you, using items that are all currently in Target for under $75.

Homewares that complement your wall displays = classroom decoration GOLD!

I don’t believe you need to (or should!) spend big to make a space cozy. But I do think that layering cushions, rugs and adding mood lighting can deliver so much calm, coziness and comfort.

Not sponsored by Target, just mildly obsessed with it (a.k.a - a teacher).

Here are some gorgeous real-life examples of cozy classrooms featuring homeware like fairy lights, lamps, armchairs and rugs. 

Chuffed to have my resources in these peak-cozy-level classrooms!

3. Make It Part of Your Classroom Management System

There are so many bulletin board ideas and clever little decor hacks that can really help with your classroom management. Here’s a few faves:

• Reward and recognize - Make an ongoing display with your students’ best work, they’ll be chuffed to be on your walls and motivated to repeat their glory. (PLUS! The ‘amazing work coming soon’ resources pictured below? They’re free! Make sure you sign up for my mailing list to grab them!) 
• Empower - Give students some responsibility and a chance to shine through a classroom jobs display 
• Inform - Promote predictability and routine with a visual timetable 
• Manage noise - Use Hand signal displays and voice level displays to regulate noise and minimizing interruptions
• Promote belonging - Create door displays and birthday displays to help children find their place and feel a sense of belonging. 

Classroom decor that doubles as classroom management strategies? I like it.

4. Gain Inspiration From My Personal Faves

For my final teacher-approved decoration idea, I wanted to share with you my own biggest source of inspiration. And that is… you!

One of the very best bits of this gig is being featured and tagged in countless classrooms across the world. I see so many teachers creating beautiful spaces for their students, each in their own unique way. I share them every week over on my Instagram and Facebook, but the biggest collection of crowd-sourced inspo I can offer is over on my Pinterest. There are over 34,000 pins, so check it out to make the most of my (slight!) addiction to saving decor ideas.

Addicted to Pinterest? Me? How dare you!

I’d love to see how you implement these teacher-approved decor ideas, so don’t forget to tag me. And as always, I’m here to help if you have any questions!