7 Classroom Organization Essentials Every Teacher Must Have

Last updated on April 17th, 2025 at 04:16 pm

Back-to-school season is a busy time for teachers and parents, but it doesn’t end on everyone’s first day. Whether you’re a teacher, a school administrator, or a parent, you can help keep the classrooms a little more organized, fun, and easier to navigate by equipping them with these essentials.  

1. Notepads

Gone are the days when notepads merely occupied desk space. Say goodbye to boring notetaking and hello to more engaged, proactive communication. Notepads are versatile and perfect for icebreaker games, brainstorming sessions, and more.  Teachers can even keep track of individual student records and give feedback in a discreet yet approachable way. With a school logo and creative design, notepads are perfect for sending memos and official notes to parents.  

2. Name Tags 

Name tags are a staple during the first few weeks of school while the teachers and students get to know each other. Name tags branded with the school’s insignia are especially handy during back-to-school events, PTA meetings, and other school functions. But that’s not all — you can use name tags in other ways too. Use them as label alternatives for student files, personal items, and class projects. You can also repurpose them as gift tags, bake sale price tags, and event tokens.  

3. Rubber Stamps 

Cute, decorative rubber stamps are an excellent way to give younger students small rewards in class, and they’re also great for organization. With a more formal rubber stamp, you can include a teacher’s full name so they can use it to mark projects that have been received or checked. Customize a rubber stamp to bear the school’s name and logo and use it to mark envelopes and other files as official. Another creative idea is to design a custom rubber stamp with a short message (think: Awesome!) or simple patterns like stars, hearts, or fruits and use them for art projects. These are great for fabric printing, bookmarks, gift tags, and greeting cards.  

4. Folders 

File students’ information, artwork, or activity packs in custom folders to keep them organized inside file cabinets. Get the ones with the pockets or slots to ensure that the documents are secured, and nothing falls out. You can even let students decorate their own folders as a classroom activity. Folders are also a staple of administrative offices like the principal’s office, registrar’s office, and school clinic. Printing official school folders will help staff and record custodians identify and sort internal administrative paperwork. Custom folders also make great tools for school events; use them to hold copies of speeches, as judges’ packets during competitions, or for budget organizers in school trips. 

5. Sheet Labels 

Step up your filing and categorization game with sheet labels. Design color-coded sheet labels and use them to identify grade levels, craft supplies, and homeroom supplies. With custom sheet labels, it’ll be easier for teachers and students to put everything back in place after use. You can also sheet labels as reminder notes which you can stick on your computer or use them as folder tabs.  

6. Kids Stickers 

Stickers are a fool-proof way to make class participation fun and organized. Create stickers in different designs and use them as labels or markers for group projects, and implement a color-coded scheme to categorize paperwork according to subjects. You can also use custom kids stickers to mark important dates on wall calendars, label electronics used in the classroom, or as indicators in your emergency kits.  

7. Lanyards 

Personalized lanyards add a layer of security to the school and classrooms since they easily identify who in the crowd are students and staff. But beyond IDs and access cards, you can also lanyards for organization. Attach them to USB flash drives to make them easier to store and find, secure whistles in gym class with them, and hook them to small bottles of hand sanitizers to keep them within easy reach. Using multiple colors of custom lanyards can also help teachers and school staff find groups during activities or emergency levels in case there’s a medical concern that needs to be identified while you wait for a proper response team. 

A classroom well-stocked with organizational supplies enables teachers to keep things organized and easy to find.   Moreover, a well-defined organizational system can surely boost the parents’ confidence in the teacher and the school. 

 At UPrinting, you can place a small order for custom products, or you can help organize a larger for the entire school or district so that every teacher and staff has access to supplies they need throughout the year. If you want to learn more about customizing products for your school, give us a call at 888-888-4211 and we’ll walk you through our extensive catalog and fuss-free design process. Talk to you soon!