BY MELISSA GLENN, CERTIFIED EDUCATOR AND READING SPECIALIST
Inside: Streamline your classroom clean up with these awesome tips and a free end of year classroom cleaning checklist. Find easy, efficient strategies to finish the year strong (and peacefully!)
With just a month of school left, I felt the familiar knot in my stomach as I glanced around my cluttered classroom. Ungraded papers lay stacked on my desk. Crumbs and sticky spots covered the desks. And yet, the real work was still to come.
Before summer break, I’d need to completely clear out and deep clean for maintenance crews. This annual torture involved hours of sorting, scrubbing, packing, and lugging. My eager countdown to vacation soured, tainted by dread. No matter how early I started, it was stressful and exhausting.
I daydreamed about magically tidying the chaotic room into a pristine, organized space. But, short of magic, I needed a plan. There had to be a way to streamline tasks and prevent cleanup from ruining my last days with students. I refused to let overwhelm cast a dark cloud over the joyful closure we deserved.
With organization and efficiency, I could make cleanup easier. I just needed the right approach to get through it without sacrificing time or sanity. My students and I had worked too hard to let closing up ruin this special time.
This time would be different. I was determined to end on a high note, not buried under clutter and depleted. There was still time to make this transition smooth. I grabbed a notebook and started planning.
Table of Contents
Let’s explore some strategies to streamline the end-of-year classroom cleanup, making it less of a chore and more of a smooth transition into summer.
Why End-of-Year Classroom Clean Up Matters
Before I became a teacher, I didn’t realize that most teachers must completely “close up” their classrooms before summer break. I am not sure what I was thinking, but I thought everything just stayed in place until the fall.
While it can be stressful, thorough end-of-year cleaning serves several important purposes:
- It Creates Space: Removing clutter and excess materials provides room for maintenance crews to work over the summer.
- It Allows Deep Cleaning: With all surfaces cleared, custodial staff can deeply clean floors, furniture, and windows without obstruction.
- It Provides a Fresh Start: A decluttered room feels crisp and new for teachers and students starting fresh in the fall. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to return to musty, dusty furniture.
Timing is Everything
Timing is key when tackling clean up. Consider:
- Last Weeks: Use the last 2-3 weeks of school for step-by-step classroom clean up. Here in NJ, our school year ends near the end of June. By mid-May, I liked to start planning my process for cleanup.
- Designate Classroom Clean Up Days: Decide when you will clean off certain items and cover them. For the things you will need to the bitter end, leave those to deal with last. But you may find several things you can clean, put away, or cover a few weeks before the school year ends. (If administration permits it).
- Weekly Tasks: Spend 15 minutes each day having students tidy and organize during the weeks leading up to the end of the school year. It adds up!
Jumpstart Your Classroom Clean Up
Getting a head start on classroom clean up prevents last-minute stress. In early spring:
- Create a master cleanup checklist to keep you on track.
- Purge unused materials and inventory supplies. Toss or donate the excess. If you haven’t used it in a couple of years, you probably won’t ever. Stop letting it take up space in your life!
- Gather cleaning and packing supplies like wipes, bins, and storage bags.
- Take “before” pictures of bulletin boards and displays to easily recreate in the future. Save them to a folder on your phone or computer.
- Plan summer prep tasks like pre-cutting laminate, updating classroom décor, etc.
Declutter and Organize Like a Pro
Follow these tips while sorting through classroom contents:
- Categorize: Designate bins or areas for keeping, tossing, and donating.
- Involve Students: Let students handle sorting age-appropriate items under your guidance.
- Color Code: Use colored bins or stickers to denote different categories.
- Photo Documentation: Take photos of bulletin boards, wall displays, and room layout to recreate.
- Manage Papers: Only keep current student work and records per policies. Send home other student work and shred or recycle the rest.
- Pack Smart: Label boxes by room location, such as “Class Library” or “Small Group Table.”
- Label Items: Make sure things are kept from getting lost by labeling EVERYTHING that isn’t nailed down with your name and room number. I liked to print pieces of paper with my name in a large font and then tape the paper to each item.
Maintenance Must-Do’s
Get everything nice and clean so you return to a truly fresh classroom. Don’t forget these cleanliness tasks:
- Disinfect: Sanitize all surfaces, including desks, countertops, toys, and manipulatives, especially after a sick season. Follow proper cleaning protocols.
- Furniture Check: Inspect chairs, desks, and shelving units for repairs. Request maintenance.
- Technology Wipe-Down: Clean computer monitors, TVs, tablets, keyboards and other electronics.
- Inventory: Take inventory of supplies and make lists of what needs replenishing for next year.
Lay the Groundwork for an Awesome New School Year
I know you want to focus on wrapping up this school year. But if you take the time to get a head start on fall, you will 100% thank yourself later. Here are some things you can do at the end of the year to prep for the next one:
- If permitted, set up fresh bulletin board paper/fabric, borders, and other wall decor. You may want to cover them with plastic tablecloths (from the dollar store) to protect them.
- Cover all furniture with plastic tablecloths to keep them dust-free.
- Organize your classroom library and resources so everything is easy to locate.
- Sharpen pencils and prepare manipulative bins and kits.
- Run copies of papers you’ll need for go-to back-to-school activities.
- Type up your summer welcome letter and supply lists for new students. Put them into envelopes and take them home with you so you can send them out as soon as you get the addresses of new students.
The Right Tools Make a Difference
Having go-to resources guarantees you will start next year prepared. My editable back-to-school template bundle contains everything you need, including surveys, name tags, desk tags, and more! Grab it now so you can hit the ground running when you get the names of new students and start the new school year on the right foot.
Make It Easy with the Ultimate End of Year Classroom Cleaning Checklist
End-of-year classroom clean up does not have to be overwhelming. Stay on track and tackle tasks efficiently by downloading my free editable end of year classroom cleaning checklist.
It includes key tasks to guide you through decluttering, deep cleaning, packing up the classroom, and preparing for next year’s success. Having a clear plan makes all the difference in keeping cleanup stress-free.
Get your free checklist by signing up above and take the first step towards breezing through end of year cleanup.
This summer, relax knowing your classroom is sparkling clean and ready for an organized, fresh start in the fall. Your future self will thank you! Implementing these tips will make clean up easy.
