Classroom decorations liven up a classroom. It helps students coming into the room for the first time feel excited about the year to come. It tells students about their teachers. But Dang! Have you seen how much some classroom decore kits are?
It’s so great that there are so many options out there. You can create any theme for your classroom that you want. However, classroom decorations are not usually part of the budget. This means that finding what you need cheap is key.
You need to consider what you are buying. What purpose are those decorations going to serve? After I ask myself this I usually realize I don’t need it.
So after you’ve decided on your budget, a theme that you like, checked out what’s available, determine the color pallet you will focus on and are thinking about the function decorations that will add to your room you are ready to go. If you need to know a little more about this here is a blog about the process.
Shopping online is great. You will be able to find materials that match your theme on one of these sites.
- Really Good Stuff
- Discount School Supplies
- Teachers pay Teachers
- Oriental Trading
- Amazon
But I am thrifty. I like to make my money go as far as I can. Teachers have to be creative one way or another. Use your creativity to stretch your budget.
1. Buy an Editable Classroom Theme Set From Teachers pay Teachers.
This will be a worthwhile investment because you don’t have to change your theme every year. Keep the same theme and reuse this set. If you are the kind of person who needs to mix it up, plan to alternate your themes every other year.
Does the kit include things you need like class jobs, calendar, word wall, bulletin board? Think about what you need in your classroom. Making sure you can put your students’ names on themed tags for lockers and desks is key. I recommend an editable resource, you should be able to change out the things you want. Read the description and then ask the seller questions.
2. Other Areas to Add Decore
Now I think the most important part of classroom decore is function. I do not want extra clutter in my classroom. However, I do think a few items that simply brighten the room are worth it. What spaces do you have in your classroom? Rug area, reading space, math center, calming corner? How can you add to these spaces? Here are some ideas. Some of these can be functional too.
- Pillows
- Tables
- Rugs
- Twinkle Lights
- Trinkets
These are fun, but don’t let them become the focus of your room. If you limit their use a few here and there can be nice, if they are within budget. Some of the items might be free and need a fresh coat of paint or washing.
3. What Can You Repurpose?
You can probably find some free old furniture online or find some in a storage closet at school. It looks amazing when a teacher repaints an old table to make it match their theme. This is an awesome idea if you intend to keep your theme for several years or paint it to match your alternating themes. Repurposing furniture like this can bring new life into your classroom and it’s budget friendly.
One teacher used contact paper to make a used table pop in her classroom. She simply covered the top and wrapped the edges underneath. I think this is a great idea even if it is school property, just check with admin first.
Another teacher I knew took her old pregnancy pillow for the reading area. She was done with it and the kids loved using it to read.
Do you have some old toys that can find a new purpose? The first teacher I worked with used toys in her room. The My Little Ponies were a warning that you need to listen if they hopped onto your desk. She also had Beanie Babies hanging around, literally from the ceiling.
4. How to Use Average Party Supplies in Your Classroom
In my last classroom, I had the theme of Pineapples and Tropical Island. I like the idea that summer wasn’t over and I knew that I would be able to find decorations since summer was ending.
I went to my local dollar store and checked out their summer clearance section. I found a small boat, a flip flop some table cloths, and some placemats that all went with my theme. Some of it wasn’t marked as clearance yet, but I talked to the employee. I asked her if it was on clearance yet, and mentioned that I was a teacher. She marked everything 50% off on clearance for me.
I used the placemats to go near our class microwave. I was teaching at a private school where we had lunches in the classroom. I used one table cloth that was sturdy to create a bulletin board. I didn’t have a bulletin board in my room, so I created a themed bulletin board that would last all year by hanging up this sturdy table clothe. Even if you have a bulletin board this is an easy way to cover it.
I found some plastic table cloths that I cut up and used to decorate the walls a little bit. I made a beach under my whiteboards. I used some other ones to put on my doors. I knew these wouldn’t last, but I thought they would be great for the first month of school.
5. Use Your Full Budget
I did also buy a theme decoration kit from Orient Trading. Some of it I didn’t use. I recommend that you have a purpose for everything you get. Again, I was fortunate that my school gave me a decorating budget.
When I got my decorating budget I also considered other decorations I might want during the year, prizes I might want for my students, and other needs. I figured I should spend the budget I was given. If you have a budget, consider the rest of the year too.
I did uncover a short video of my classroom, as I was working on decorating, to show you.
Happy Decorating!
