4 Ways to Make Room Decoration Easier

Some of us are running out of time to get our rooms ready. Some of us have not changed our rooms in 5 years or more. Some of us don't know where to start.  Some of us just need to be eased into adding a little pizzazz to our rooms. Here are 4 ways to make it easier:

1) Plan your furniture and its uses.
It's always a good idea to have a space for collaboration, a space for independent work, and a space for individuals to be alone if they want it. If you teach primary grades, you'll want a space for large group teaching and meeting. There are online resources to help you with furniture placement, such as planyourroom.com,  or floorplanner.com. Of course, you can always use the "paper-and-post-its" approach. Write the name of the furniture or other items on post its and arrange it on a piece of paper, which represents your room. Then you'll be ready to move them into place.

2)Plan your colors.
Choose 3 colors to use as the focal point of your room. Your borders, bulletin board paper, and accessories will use these 3 colors. You can vary the tints and shades of these colors with lighter/darker versions in order to add depth. If you're on a budget, go in search of what you already have, or what the school has on hand. If you don't want to change your colors from year to year, you may want to choose black or gray as one of the colors. It's neutral enough that you can change out one or 2 of the other colors for a cheap way to achieve a new look.

3)Use more than 1 border.
If you add 2 (or more) borders to a bulletin board, it adds huge dimension and interest. It might take a little more time, but it's so worth it. I tape the 2 borders together before I hang them sometimes. It saves a little on time. If you put up manufactured posters (only because you use them to teach!), put a border around it. It will add weight to the poster and give it a frame.

4)Add some comfort.
Even if it's just one comfortable chair, put it in a corner with a small end table, a pillow and a blanket. Yes, you will have to tell kids the pillow is not for heads. In my room, pillows are for arms, elbows and bottoms. But yes, you will have to take them home to wash it. Or have a parent volunteer. You'd be surprised at the difference a pillow and a blanket can make.

Remember to leave some blank spaces for kids work. My bulletin boards are solely for curriculum use. We post anchor charts, standards, vocabulary, essential questions, etc. I post kids work around the room in other spots.

Adding a little character and warmth to your room doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. It just takes a little planning and time. And if your short on both, use your students! They would love to help you. What better way to work together than to create a space in which you all have ownership!

Thanks for reading!
 Ann