During the school year, most teachers and students spend more time at school than they do at home. The classroom is their home away from home. In this post I’ll show you budget-friendly ways to create a beautiful and organized learning environment using burlap and chalkboard classroom décor. Both you and your students will love your new home away from home!
This classroom theme is ideal for both lower and upper elementary grades and is even a favorite for middle school teachers. Depending on the accent colors you add, chalk and burlap décor is a flexible combination that is ideal to use for a neutral theme, a modern farmhouse theme, and even a rustic or urban themed classroom.
Chalkboard and Burlap Classroom Decor Ideas
Read on to learn how to create a beautifully organized, calm, and cohesive classroom. This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission if these items are purchased.
Burlap bulletin board ideas
Use neutral-colored fabrics or butcher paper to cover bulletin boards with an accent color as your border. I used inexpensive off-white fabric from Hobby Lobby for most of my bulletin board backgrounds. For the picture below, I stapled onto the white wall and added border trim. If you prefer paper, you may like burlap bulletin board paper.
Chalkboard and burlap classroom decor source
Place decorative elements like tissue paper fans, scrunched burlap ribbon, or chalk & burlap paper medallions found in this décor set in the corners of your bulletin boards. I’ve gathered a collection of decorative and functional elements ideal for a chalk and burlap or farmhouse theme.
Click here to see theseburlap classroom decor ideas on Amazon
Choose an accent color.
Both pastels and brights make good accent colors for a chalkboard and burlap decor theme. Use bins and containers, border trim, stacking trays and any other organizational supplies in an accent color. They offset the neutral beige and black and provide a pop of color in your classroom.
Look for storage bins and containers over the summer as many stores carry them for back to school sales. These storage containers are from Hobby Lobby. Other places to look are Big Lots, Target, Walmart, and the dollar stores.
Get creative with classroom storage.
Use plastic baskets (these are from Dollar Tree with labels found here) to make “drawers” inside extra desks. These are a good way to store community supplies so that students can get their own when they need them.
Sets of labeled Sterilite drawers are another good way to organize materials, especially the small things. Tape colored paper inside the drawer fronts to hide what’s inside. This creates a cleaner, non-cluttered look.
Check garage sales, thrift stores, and back to school sales for good deals on storage carts with drawers. JoAnne Fabrics has 40% off coupons every week and they often carry these types of units.
Use tall laundry baskets or tall kitchen trash cans to store rolled anchor charts. I keep a second container behind my classroom library and then change out the charts I’ll need each quarter.
Burlap classroom labels source
Shoebox size containers from the dollar store are perfect for storing centers, task cards and games.
At Home and Target often have color coordinated storage containers but they can be pricey. I’ve found Walmart and big Lots to be a good place for less expensive versions. You can often find clearance prices around the end of November as stores make room for holiday storage.
Check out burlap pocket charts.
Burlap pocket charts help create a neutral, burlap theme. They also go well in a farmhouse theme. Available at teacher stores and on Amazon, I use them for management displays, reading and math groups, center rotations, and sorting activities.
Click here to see burlap pocket charts in a variety of sizes on Amazon.
Burlap pocket charts source
Set up student workspaces.
Give students choices about where to work during center time. Set up work spaces around the room where students can work alone or in small groups. I use extra desks, square Parsons tables from Walmart or IKEA with crates as seats. Turn the crates upside down and place a pillow on top to create seats that work nicely with the square tables.
These spots are ideal as a center workspace or a quiet place for students to work instead of their regular seat. Place center activities and supplies in small bins on the tables or desks. Two or three children can comfortably work.
Label your classroom library
Decide on a leveling system you wish to use whether by guided reading levels, AR levels or the assessment benchmarks your school uses. Label both the bin and its books accordingly so that students can easily see which bin to return books to.
I use a variety of different containers to hold books. Wash tubs from Walmart work well for picture books. Plastic containers and baskets from Big Lots and Target are sturdy and also work well. The ones I use have held up for years. Walmart, Target and even the dollar stores carry inexpensive book bins during the summer months.
Burlap supply labels source
Organize classroom supplies.
Organize classroom supplies, center games, and math manipulatives into labeled bins. These editable labels are easily customized and come in lots of different shapes and sizes.
Make a chalkboard and burlap math wall.
Display your calendar, number line, shapes posters and any other math skills together in a math wall. Use small magnetic baskets to hold calendar numbers and any other small pieces. Use inexpensive spray paint from Walmart to paint wood or metal to make it match. My calendar hangs on a bulletin board next to my whiteboard, so hanging the numbers in a magnetic basket keeps them handy nearby.
You can often find small magnetic baskets at Dollar Tree or on Amazon here.
Printable calendar source
Create management displays.
Create bulletin boards to manage birthdays, class jobs, your daily schedule and center rotations. Teach students how to rotate center cards or change the calendar each day and assign it as a class job.
Daily schedule templates source
For an easy classroom job board, create pockets by stapling the bottom and sides of a card. Write students’ names on craft sticks and place them in the pockets as you assign jobs.
Class jobs, student birthdays templates source
Feature a burlap themed focus wall.
Laminate focus wall templates to display learning targets, guiding questions, and standards if they are required at your school. Use a Mr. Sketch marker to write on laminated cards. These markers are water-based and wipe of easily with a damp paper towel. No more smudgy cards! they are
Focus wall templates source
Create customized binder covers
Binder covers source
Continue the chalkboard and burlap decor theme as you organize teaching materials and lesson plans. customize binder covers for your guided reading and math plans, interventions, meeting notes, student data and more.
These binder templates are part of a complete chalk and burlap classroom decor set and come in a printable, ready to use version as well as an editable Power Point.
Display Wall Art
Display motivational statements, your name, bulletin board titles and more with decorative letters in a chalkboard and burlap theme. I used hot glue to add an accent colored bow to each letter.
Bulletin board letters source
Fill in bulletin board corners, door decorations, and group decorative elements around your classroom with printable burlap medallions.
Do a burlap classroom theme on Meet the Teacher Night
Carry the same burlap theme for Meet the Teacher, back to school open house, and parent curriculum night. Click here to read how to plan a stress-free Meet the Teacher Night and see how to set up burlap themed stations, parent forms, manage supplies and more.
Newsletter template source
Creating a beautifully organized classroom is easy using calming neutral colors and cohesive elements. I hope these clever chalkboard and burlap classroom decor ideas help you create a classroom you love!
Shop this post for a burlap classroom theme:
Click here for Meet the Teacher, Curriculum Night, and First Day of School templates and PowerPoints.
Pin this post on Pinterest and share it with your teacher friends!
For more classroom ideas and back to school inspiration, visit these posts:
Amazon Finds for a Burlap Classroom Theme
Organize Your Classroom
Plan a Stress-free Meet the Teacher Night
Have the BEST First Day of School Ever!
Happy teaching!
