As a teacher, you probably already know how sometimes, the entire environment in the classroom can be pretty chaotic and hectic, and in these types of situations, it can be pretty demanding and difficult to maintain any order.

But no matter how challenging it may be to you, you simply must find a way to accomplish that, if you want your students to become a lot more efficient and productive, and at the same time, create a learning environment where everyone will be able to thrive.

One of the first things that you must try out is different types of storage solutions and strategies, that are going to help you organise all your materials, and simultaneously, maximize classroom storage. If you would like to know what are your options, then just scroll below!

Let’s Start With The Classroom Cupboards

There are various options as far as this is concerned, that are very practical, and useful, yet do not take up too much space. One of those options, without a doubt, refers to secure classroom storage cupboards which a lot of schools utilise these days. They cannot only be seen out there, but in various companies, or archiving areas.

Aside from being a great storage solution, another amazing thing about them is the fact that you can purchase them in different sizes and shapes, depending on the size of the classroom, and the needs and demands of your school.

Don’t Forget The Vertical Space

Here’s another creative suggestion that’s often overlooked. Sadly, for unknown reasons, a vast majority of schools do not use vertical space, which is quite a shame since it can be a spectacular storage solution.

So what can be done in these instances? For example, you can install bookcases, shelves, and even wall-mounted organisers in which you can put vertically various items, like binders, books, and many others.

By doing so, you are going to have a lot more floor room. Besides that, you can also employ stackable bins to increase storage capacity, while, at the same time, allowing students (and yourself, of course) to have everything they need on hand.

Do You Use Everything All The Time?

That’s highly unlikely. That’s why it would be wise (if you want to maximize the classroom space) to put away everything that you do not need for a particular class or even week. There are numerous things that you should store for these purposes, such as paper supplies, seasonal items, and many other things that you do not utilise regularly.

Aside from that, you should also consider storing away items like holiday decorations and materials that you practically employ only once per year. If you want to prolong their life and ensure they are always in top-notch condition, then you should place them in containers with lids.

Now, you probably already know that these things that are used only for holidays tend to vary in shape and size, hence it would be best if you stored them in plastic containers or bins. On the flip side, if you realise that there’s not enough room in the classroom, or in school in general, then it wouldn’t hurt to take them home.

Of course, this refers to the holiday items only, and you should do it only if you have enough space in your house.

A Filing System Is A Good Idea Too!

If there’s one item that’s so widespread in schools, particularly among teachers, it’s the paper. It is typically utilised for tests, homework, different research, notes, parent forms, and many other purposes.

Consequently, there’s no need to remind you how essential it is to keep everything organised when it comes to this, otherwise, you’ll get completely lost in a huge pile and you’re not going to be able to find anything you need.

If you want to avoid dealing with the paper clutter, then you must find a way to organise it. For instance, you can create hanging file folders that you’re going to place in the black box. Another thing that you can do is to have a file organiser that you can place on the shelf and divide it into several folders, like, To File, To Copy, for grading, etc.

You can also create a folder for the papers that do not belong anywhere, meaning in any particular folder.

Multipurpose Furniture Is Always Welcome

These days, you can easily find pieces of furniture that have multiple purposes and one of them is to maximize your storage. So what are the best options in these types of situations? For example, you can opt for tables that come with drawers, or desks which contain built-in storage.

Another thing that you should take into account is the mobile storage carts, or maybe even rolling cabinets. One of their biggest advantages is the fact that you can easily move them around because they are very flexible, which is perfect for all sorts of activities.

Try To Decrease The Visual Clutter

As concluded previously, one of the most commonly used items in schools is paper, which can over time pile up if you do not find a way to store it. If you are already dealing with visual clutter, and you need a fast solution that’s going to help you reduce it as much as possible, then it would be wise to employ Chromebooks or tablets because they are a great replacement for paper.

By doing so, you are going to have much more space on desks, that would normally be flooded with a bunch of unnecessary papers. Besides that, there’s also another way that’s going to help you decrease visual clutter, and, at the same time, maximise the space.

So what is that? The answer to this question is in fact, quite simple, and something that has been in front of your nose the entire time. It’s the space that’s under the desk where you can easily hide anything.

As a teacher, you know how essential it is to have a lot of space in the classroom, not solely for teaching, but for freely moving around, as well. If you’re tired of tripping over different items or seeing a chaotic classroom, then be sure to implement some of these useful suggestions.