How to Organize Your Home Classroom for Back-to-School

August 1, 2023 byAlyssa Austin

3 min to read

A young student writing in a notebook with their laptop open

How ready are you and your family for the new school year? Is your home classroom set up and ready for learning? If not, take a deep breath. There’s time to get organized at any time in the semester if your student’s workspace needs some love. We’re here to make it easy.

There are numerous organization ideas you can implement now to get your home classroom in tip-top shape. The checklist and tips below can help you sort out what you have and what you need to shop for and give you some new ideas for how to organize your classroom at home.

Stock Up on Back-to-School Supplies for Virtual Students

First things first: you want to make sure that your virtual student has the school supplies they need to start the school year primed for success.

Below is a general list of supplies for your home classroom to get you started. We know cost can be a factor, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your student’s teacher to find out what’s essential.

Note: these items may vary depending on student age and course requirements, but for the most part, these are the basics.

Lined paper
Graph paper
Notebooks
Pencils
Pens (blue, black, red)
Glue sticks
Expo dry-erase markers
Washable Crayola markers and crayons
Scissors
Erasers
Paper clips
Plastic folders
Ruler
Index cards
Highlighters
3-ring binders
Calculator
Protractor
Dictionary
Laminator
Manila file folders
Single-hole punch
3-ring hole punch
Pencil sharpener
Tape

Print this checklist and take it with you to the store to get your home classroom one step closer to being back-to-school ready. For extra help organizing your school supplies, check out the storage and organization options listed below.

How to Organize Your Classroom to Maximize Learning

Now that your child has the essential school supplies that they need for the school year, it’s time to turn your attention to their home learning space – their online learning classroom. So how do you organize your classroom to maximize learning for your online student? Here are some great organizational tools to get you started.

Baskets or bins for storage
Magazine bins for notebooks or books
Desktop carousel
Bookshelf

Tips for Organizing Your Home for Back to School

Once you have your bases covered with organizational supplies and materials, it’s up to you and your student to figure out a layout and system that will work best for learning. Here are some tips for success when it comes to organizing your school supplies and home classroom.

Get creative with storage

There are many different ways you can store past and future lesson plan materials. Get creative by using baskets, bins, shelves, and drawers to keep things organized. Take this to the next level by using a label maker or other label system to clearly categories supplies.

Prioritize a clean workspace

It’s imperative that your student’s physical learning space where they sit to take in lessons and complete schoolwork is tidy and distraction free. Having your child be responsible for keeping their desk and learning area clean has a number of benefits, including building a sense of pride, greater self-awareness, increased autonomy and more.

Encourage your students to express their personality in their learning area

It’s been suggested that creative office spaces may actually increase productivity, and such is the case with your child’s learning area. If your student adds creative, personal touches to their home learning space, they will likely feel more motivated and inspired throughout the school day.

Bonus for Learning Coaches: How to Create a Bulletin Board Planner to Organize Lesson Plans

Another great way for parents to get a head start with organizing your classroom and materials is by setting up a bulletin board planner to clearly lay out weekly or monthly objectives for learning. You can also use this bulletin board to create interactive displays that engage your virtual students at home and keep them motivated throughout the school year!

Here are some supplies you might need for your bulletin board planner: