Organize Your Classroom with 21 Must-Haves from Amazon

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Have you ever wanted to just be organized? I mean like legit organized.  I’m always saying I am going to be so organized this year. For instance, I take days to go through all my files, recycle old things, give-away extra stuff I don’t use, and label everything!  Two months go by and I am in automatic “where is this?” mode!  I don’t know what happens!  I need help.  Do you ever feel this way?  Don’t worry, this is OUR year of organization with these 21 Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon!

I could just toss out 21 things to buy tomorrow off of Amazon to help us get organized and call it a day.  However, that wouldn’t be fair.  Also, let’s be honest… all this “stuff” would just sit in a pile in the corner of my room collecting dust.  Literally.  To help us get organized this year in our classrooms, I am going to pair each of these organizational must-have Amazon tools with the best Education to the Core resource you and your students will LOVE!  

This way we all will know exactly where these resources are located… saving tons of time on prep! All of these Amazon organizational tools are directly linked to Education to the Core’s Amazon Affiliate account. 

Amazon Organizational Tool 1. Zipper Bags

I always provided my students with plastic pencil boxes to keep all of our stuff together.  Pencils, crayons, erasers, glue stick, highlighter, etc. inside.  They fall.  Boxes crack.  They’re loud. This year I am going to try these bags instead!

 Perfect for all of your student supplies, such as crayons and pencils, your students can unzip the pouch and quietly work on a Directed Drawing when they enter the classroom in the morning, or right after lunch and recess. 

 

2. File Folders 

Alright, these may seem like a no-brainer to have in your classroom.  However, I go through these like crazy and can never have enough!  I especially like when they are color coordinated so I know, am I looking at student files, assessments, worksheets, etc. just by glancing at the color.

How do you organize your students’ progress monitoring assessments? Are they in folders like the ones above, or one large binder separated by folders? At the beginning of the year, I give each of my students a Phonics Decoding Inventory and then place it in a file folder to return to and readminister throughout the school year. 

 

Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon 3. Magnetic Hooks

These hooks come in handy for so many reasons.  Whether I am looking to hang some lanyards, lost and found items, or ‘nameless’ papers, these are my go-to.   I even keep one near my door thanks to the metal frame to keep notes to the office or reminders as a visual for myself.

 

Sometimes for centers in both Literacy and Math, I have these magnetic hooks down in arms reach and it is automatically a pop-up center.  Place these Word Family Cards on binder rings for an easy individual or paired activity for your next ELA center rotation.  See if your students can not only decode the words on these cards but make up rhyming words as well.

 

4. Dry Erase Pockets

If you don’t have a set of Dry Erase Pockets in your classroom yet, these are a must!  I knew I needed to include these for our organizational must-haves from Amazon! They are great to insert items that you don’t necessarily want your students writing on.  Here students can underline, circle, or even write notes on passages, worksheets, and organizers with dry-erase markers without ruining the paper.

They are perfect to use with my Word Mapping mats in literacy centers. Students choose a picture card and follow the steps to map the word. I save on paper and my students practice essential phonics skills. 

 

Amazon Organizational Tool 5. Over Door Organizer

I am an individual that doesn’t enjoy a whole lot of clutter or piles of papers lying around (which is hard to do in an Elementary classroom).  This includes various tubs and containers lying around.  Also, we only have so much space on tables, cubbies, or cabinets.  Where else can we organize?   Oh yeah, on the back of a door!  This could be your classroom door or even a cabinet door.  Gosh, you can even hang this on an empty wall too!

 

This upcoming school year, I am ALL about incorporating a Sound Wall. I need a place to store all of the phoneme, grapheme, and picture cards while we build the wall throughout the year. This is why I love my over-door organizer because it offers a multitude of pockets where I can easily find what cards I need and when to introduce the sounds appropriately. Not to mention storing earbuds and headphones for the digital sound slides with audio for additional student practice. 

 

6. Four Compartment Caddies 

I’ve had these in my classroom for several years now.  I used them primarily for centers, where I placed all of the required materials that they needed to complete each center independently.  

 

This got my mind reeling when I started thinking about all of my I Spy resources! Inside my caddies, I have a section of highlighters, a section of bingo daubers, one of the markers, and a section of magnifying glasses!  My students have a choice of what instrument they would like to use when solving these engaging I Spy activities

 

Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon 7. Storage Bin Baskets

I stumbled upon these baskets during the first year of the pandemic.  My students weren’t able to sit in groups/pods and needed their own materials and supplies.  Where were they going to put their supplies and how will they not be lost in the abyss of their desks? 

I knew they needed additional space, but they didn’t last long on the floor with spilling, kicking, breaking, and janitors needing to vacuum.  WAIT!  How about on the sides of their desks?!?  So I got some zip-ties and zipped them snug to the bar on the side of their desk.  Automatic organizing spaces that were kept clean and free of paper and items.  It did take some practice and stating expectations with what goes in these baskets and what does not.

 

I filled the baskets with Decodable Readers. These allowed my students to grab a book and practice their skills during transitions, after snack time, and even when they finished tasks early.  It cut down on students “wandering” the classroom and on disruptive behaviors!  So it was a win-win for me!

 

8. Dry Erase Clipboards

When I stumbled upon these, I thought my students are going to LOVE them!  They are so cool, because not only is it a clipboard, but it is a whiteboard as well!  Oftentimes, my students need some scrap paper to help them solve math problems.  Whether they need some space to draw pictures, or additional space to work.  Here is the perfect solution!

 

Remember how I said I allow my students to use scrap paper to draw pictures to help them solve math facts?  Scrap paper no more!  My plan this upcoming year is to have a clipboard at every desk and when my students return from lunch they can work out the problem on their math warm-up slide. 

 

Amazon Organizational Tool 9. 15 Drawer Organizer

I already have two of these drawer organizers, but I need MORE!  Well, I want more.  I like these because like other organizing tools on this list, they are color-coordinated.  Great to remember what subject or activity you place in each drawer based on the color you pair with it.

 

I would like to have an entire drawer set dedicated to one subject like Phonics! My I Spy Phonics activities fit perfectly in these drawers. Each of my groups know which color drawer their phonics activity is in based on their reading group.

 

10. Organizer Cases Storage Containers

I’ve seen these containers numerous times in various teacher groups on Facebook.  Even within ETTC’s Fearless First Grade, Fearless Kindergarten, and Fearless Second Grade groups! These posts inspired this blog on organizational must-haves from Amazon!  They are cute, colorful and another great addition to this list to help us stay organized this upcoming year!

 

This case is perfect to help me get my Write the Room task cards in order. I place one subject in each of these storage containers!  Easy to hold while you are placing them around the room as well as preparing for one of my favorite centers to do in my classroom – Write the Room!

 

Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon 11. Pocket Chart

Many of my teacher friends use these pocket charts as student mailboxes. They number each slot and that is the number they assign to each student. Or, write student names on the white labels and cover them each year with new labels.

 

12. 26 Drawer Storage Cabinet

Do you have various boxes and containers full of manipulatives?  You know what I’m talking about.  I have a box for dominoes, a box for tangrams, a box that dice, timers, rulers, and other junk are tossed in that I need to dig through to find one thing.  I think everyone has a box like that…right?  What if I can tell you there are no more boxes to move and lift to find one manipulative?

 

With our No Prep Centers you’ll have all the manipulatives in an easy-to-reach-and-see storage cabinet!  I love these no prep centers because they are not only great practice and review but also the perfect centers for math too!  All I need to do is print off the activity mat and their manipulatives are in the cabinet!  Whether I am working on base ten, facts, money, time, or more I’m covered with these No Prep Centers!

 

Amazon Organizational Tool 13. Clipboards

I may have a problem here, but I love clipboards!  I don’t know why or what it is, but I love them and so do my students!  They get excited when they can use the clipboards in my room because they are able to work around the room or we are heading outside to work!  These clipboards I think are going to be just for me though!

 

14. 5 Tier Desk Organizer

Alright, I have organizational tools on my cabinets, on the floor, even the walls…now my desk is feeling a bit empty!  Also, my desk is where everything lands!  Papers, projects, notes, etc.; no matter how much I try to keep it clean and organized by noon it is a disaster.  Well no more!  I am getting one of these desk organizers!

 

This is where I am going to keep an extra set of lesson plans for when I have a sub in my classroom. With my Editable Sub Plans, all I have to do is print out the lessons for the day along with the supplemental activities and everything is set if I have a guest teacher in my classroom. 

 

Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon 15. Portable Project Cases

I like these cases because they are a bit wider than the others I’ve seen.  As soon as I saw them I knew that they had to be on our organizational must-haves from Amazon list!  I also enjoy that they are clear so not only could I label them, but could also quickly see what is inside.  Now, what can I place in them?

 

That’s an easy answer!  My Literacy Centers for the Year of course!  If you just focus on your specific grade level you can have 120 centers at your fingertips!  Each month of the year comes with non-seasonal centers where your students will be actively engaged with fun review and practice!  

 

16. Storage Bins with Lids

Speaking of clear bins like #15, I like these storage bins because they are deep!  I can fill these up to the top with STUFF!  Just kidding, I told you I don’t enjoy clutter.  However, I do need something instead of baskets falling out of cabinets with STEM supplies falling down on top of me.  These have lids!

 

STEM bins have become all the rage these days, especially as a morning work activity when students first come into the classroom. Use these deep bins to place all of the needed materials to work on a STEM challenge. Or, pull them out during science time and pair them with a good book while your students work on their task. 

 

Amazon Organizational Tool 17. 50 pack Meal Prep Food Containers

No, I am not going to tell you to use these for your lunches this week.  However, you could.  Just be sure to save some for your classroom.  Originally my mind automatically went to how cute would these be to help organize individual manipulatives.  No more individual zip lock bags for your base ten blocks that break open and spill cubes out of child-made holes!  However, these containers can be used for even more!

 

Besides manipulatives for your students, there are enough containers to use for I Have, Who Has Games. These are a great way to get your students focused and engaged with practicing new skills and reviewing old ones!  I sometimes use this game for a great transition period in between subjects to get my students up and moving. Or, we use them at the end of the day or for a Fun Friday activity. 

 

18. Binders

I feel like I should have stock in binders.  Sometimes I get a bit annoyed with binders, to be honest. Yet, they are a staple on any organizational must-haves from Amazon list! This year I may be buying a classroom set…

 

I’m hoping to save my self a little sanity this next school year by keeping all of my students’ work mats in one place. It will be so nice for them to grab their numbered binder and open it up to the appropriate mat during calendar time or small group centers. 

 

Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon 19. Accordion Portfolio

I love Accordion Portfolios!  I usually brought one of these to my interviews. However, I could definitely use these in the classroom as well.  What I love about them is that they can definitely hold a lot, but they press back together saving tons of space!

 

I currently am working on a few things over the summer and placing them in these folders. A few of them are for Back to School Night and others are for the first few weeks of school. That way when I return to the building, I can take this folder to the copy room and get everything taken care of at once. 

 

20. Magnetic Rod with Loose Binder Rings

I hate it when I know I placed something in a location where I thought it would stay crisp and flat, yet find it shoved in the back or fallen behind a cabinet covered in cobwebs.  Eww!  So I need to find a system where all my anchor charts are kept safely.  I don’t want to hang all these posters on the wall because it would be over-stimulating.  So how can I keep them clean and unwrinkled!?!  YES!!  Magnetic curtain rods!   I can place them on my chalkboard for reference!

 

These rods are perfect for all of the anchor charts I create for writing instruction, phonics skills, and math strategies. I hole punch the charts, place the binder rings, and then hang them from the magnetic rods. They very nicely can be flipped when needed to instruction. 

 

Amazon Organizational Tool 21. Composition Notebooks 

Wait, notebooks as one of the organizational must-haves from Amazon?  Absolutely! This past school year I had a composition notebook for each of my students.  They were able to decorate the cover and were only to be used for phonics.  It was perfect!  Each activity went inside this notebook.  Each student knew exactly where the notebook was and all of the activities were in one perfect spot.  This allowed for students to revisit these notebooks throughout the year to practice and review prior lessons thanks!  

 

Interactive notebooks are my new favorite obsession!  Not only do they provide hands-on practice and review (which I love), but they also offer the students multiple opportunities afterward!  No more searching for the activity.  No more “I left it at home”.  Not even a shrug when asked where it went.  Last year’s class did so well with their Interactive Phonics Notebooks that I am definitely going to do it again. 

Alright…so I did say that I was going to provide you with 21 Organizational Must-Haves from Amazon to help Organize Your Classroom.  I hope you found tons of tools to help you stay organized with all your amazing Education to the Core resources! Do you have any go-to organizational must-haves from Amazon?!?  Be sure to reach out and let us know!

However…SURPRISE, I have one more for us!  This one I know you are going to laugh when I mention it.  I thought my desk is bad…this one is even worse!

 

BONUS Organizational Tool 22: Google Drive 

Yupp, my google drive is a MESS!  I try to make folders to help me stay organized, but then I end up not using them or forgetting I made them already…making more repeats.  Oh well, one of these days I need to get in there, archive old class work, and prepare for new.  One major motivation for me is to make room for all of my DIGITAL resources!

 

 

 
Written By – Christopher Olson

 

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Welcome! I’m Emily, Founder of Education to the Core. We are all about helping K-2 teachers by providing unlimited access to affordable printables for every subject area.