Back to school season is full of excitement, and a lot of stress. Teachers are expected to make dozens of decisions before students even arrive. That’s why today I’m sharing some of my favorite back to school teacher tips, all built around one simple mindset shift: decide once.
Kendra Adachi introduced the idea of a “decide once” in her book The Lazy Genius. It sounds simple, but this one shift helped me reduce decision fatigue and reclaim my energy for what really mattered, connecting with my students and actually enjoying teaching.
Here are 5 things I decided once that made the start of the school year smoother, simpler, and way less stressful.
1. How I Organized My Classroom Library
When you’re planning your back to school classroom setup, it’s easy to overthink every detail. One of my favorite teacher organization tips is to simplify your classroom library.
For years, I thought a good classroom library had to be organized in labeled bins. But as the weeks went on, the bins turned into black holes. Books were always in the wrong place. Covers were bent. Students couldn’t find what they wanted, and I spent way too much time cleaning it up.
So one summer, I made a decision that changed everything: I ditched the bins.
Instead, I sorted books directly onto the shelves by genre. I labeled the shelves, not the books, and added simple definitions to make it student-friendly. The labels acted like a bin to keep organization, but students could actually browse the books like a real library. Suddenly, even my third graders could independently find and return books without needing me to fix things daily.
No more digging through mismatched bins. No more books collecting dust lost in the shuffle. And best of all, I didn’t have to spend hours reorganizing every month.
It was one of the simplest decisions I ever made, and one of the most effective.
Want a full walkthrough of how I set it up (with pictures and printable labels)? Check out my ‘Ditch the Bins’ blog post here.
2. My First Day of School Plan
One of the most helpful first day of school ideas for teachers? Create a simple plan and reuse it each year.
I know how overwhelming that first day can feel. You want your students to feel welcomed and excited, but also start learning your classroom routines and expectations. And trying to come up with the perfect plan year after year? Exhausting.
So I created a full first day plan that mixes movement, community building, and procedures, all while keeping students engaged and setting the tone for the year.
These activities can absolutely be spread out over the first week if your school requires certain things on Day 1. But if you’re looking for a done-for-you starting point that helps calm those first-day jitters (for you and your students), this is it.
What’s included:
- “Get to know you” activities that spark real conversations
- Opportunities to move, talk, and build classroom culture
- Clear time blocks to introduce essential procedures
- Realistic pacing that respects short attention spans
I try not to keep students sitting for more than 15 minutes at a time. It’s all about structure with flexibility, just enough of a plan to keep the day smooth and intentional, but not so rigid that it stresses everyone out.
And the best part? I decided once. Pull out the same plan each year, make a few quick tweaks, and it’s ready to go.
You can grab my full First Day Plan for FREE in the Free Resource Library!
3. My Open House Routine
Open House used to be one of those events that made me feel overwhelmed before it even started. I wanted parents to leave feeling excited, informed, and confident… but I was constantly overthinking how to set it up, what to say, and how to make it memorable.
If you’re looking for open house ideas for elementary teachers, start with a plan you can reuse. I decided once and created an Open House routine that worked so well, I never changed it again.
Here’s what made all the difference:
- A simple structure: Instead of having families awkwardly waiting around for a presentation to start, I set up easy-to-navigate stations around the room. They keep parents busy and engaged while I greet families and let the room fill up. Each station has a purpose, whether it’s helping students show off their space or giving families something meaningful to do right away.
- Collecting the Right Information Up Front: At the beginning of the year, there are so many forms floating around that it’s easy to lose track of what actually matters. I wanted a simple, streamlined way to gather meaningful information about each student, things like their interests, learning styles, and how they work best.
- A PowerPoint That Covers Everything (and Keeps Me on Track): I use a consistent PowerPoint presentation to walk families through the most important classroom info. I’ve used the same one for years, just tweak it each fall, and it ensures I never forget to mention anything essential. It’s clear, streamlined, and saves me from the mental checklist spiral. Not to mention it’s the same one I use on the first day of school… a decide once two-fer!
The best part? Parents loved it. And once I had the plan in place, I never had to stress about what to do each year. I just refreshed a few materials and was ready to go.
Want to steal this exact setup (with all the printables ready to go)? Find it all in this blog post: 3 Secrets to the Best Open House Ever
4. My Classroom Management System
This is probably the most impactful “decide once” choice I ever made.
There’s no shortage of classroom management tips out there, but what worked best for me was creating a proactive system I could stick with all year. For years, I bounced between clip charts, marble jars, token systems, you name it. I kept searching for something that would magically work with every group of students. Spoiler: nothing worked until I created a system that made sense to me and that I could stick with consistently.
Eventually, I realized what I needed wasn’t a cuter or trendier system, I needed a consistent, proactive plan that built trust, taught expectations, and didn’t rely on public behavior tracking.
So I decided once. I ditched the clip chart and built a system that focused on:
- Teaching expectations before students had a chance to break them
- Giving lots of opportunities for practice, modeling, and positive reinforcement
- Responding to behavior in ways that were clear, respectful, and actually worked
I leaned into routines, transitions, and structure that gave students predictability, and it made a massive difference. My classroom felt calmer andI felt more in control, not because I was stricter, but because I had a plan and high expectations for my students.
This is one of those “decide once” areas that pays off every single day. When your behavior systems are built on clarity and consistency, everything else runs smoother.
See how I set up my classroom management system step-by-step in this blog post.
5. A Small Comfort That Made a Big Difference
This back to school teacher tip might sound silly, but it made a huge difference in how I felt each day.
I invested in a mini fridge and a Keurig coffee machine for my classroom, and it became my tiny corner of sanity. Whether I needed a cold drink after recess in the Florida heat, or a warm cup of coffee during planning, I had what I needed without leaving my room.
It was more than convenience, it was a simple way to take care of myself in the middle of a very demanding job. I made the decision once to prioritize small comforts, and it reminded me that I mattered, too.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need to Reinvent Everything
Back-to-school prep will always come with its fair share of chaos. But you don’t have to start from scratch every single year. By choosing a few key routines or systems to decide once, you’ll save time, reduce stress, and walk into your classroom feeling prepared and confident.
Start small. Choose one thing: library setup, first day plans, your classroom management strategy… and decide once. I promise, future-you will thank you.
And if you need some help getting your routines in place, I have ready-to-use resources that are designed to take the guesswork out of planning. You can explore them here: Create Inspire Teach TPT
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