Coming Soon! An All-New Classroom Design

Have you heard the news? I am partnering with the amazingly talented Melanie from Schoolgirl Style once again to decorate my kindergarten classroom with an all-new theme. After two wonderful years of enjoying my Rainbow Chalkboard classroom theme, I decided it was time to shake things up a little.

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Melanie and I started planning what my new theme would be several months ago, and I drove out to her little shop in July to stock up on a few classroom essentials.

Stocking up on @schoolgirlstyle goodies for next year! #iteachtoo #iteachkinder #backtoschool #schoolgirlstyle #kindercraze

A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Jul 3, 2015 at 11:10am PDT

Once August rolled around, I headed back into my classroom ready to work and I really had my work cut out for me. This is how my classroom looked when I first walked in the door. I had a new plan for how to decorate the space above my windows so the silhouettes of children playing had to come down. You wouldn’t know it, but those paper decorations were held in place with a whole lot of glue and a little bit of tape! Each display come down in one piece. It was such a shame to throw them away, but after 2 years, the paper definitely needed to be replaced.

This came down from above my classroom windows today. A whole new theme means fresh paper and saying goodbye to these cute kids! I’m working with @schoolgirlstyle to redo my classroom and I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds! #iteachtoo #iteachkinder #backtoschool #classroomsetup #TpTCheckOutMyClassroom A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 3, 2015 at 2:14pm PDT

From there, the real work began: deciding on a color scheme. My new Schoolgirl Style theme came with plenty of printables, but I still needed to narrow down my color scheme.

Working in my classroom, playing with colors, and trying to decide on a palate. It’s so overwhelming! What’s your favorite color from the set? #iteachtoo #iteachkinder #schoolgirlstyle #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #backtoschool #b2s2015

A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 5, 2015 at 8:25am PDT

This has proven to be quite a task! So many people on Instagram have been eagerly waiting for a peek at the new colors and design, but something in the room changed every single day. Often, it was big changes. Like the time I covered the massive bulletin board in the back of my classroom with Canary Yellow Fadeless paper.

I decided to go with yellow on the giant board in the back of my classroom. For today at least. All classroom decor decisions are subject to change before the first day of school. And maybe even after the first day. #tptcheckoutmyclassroom #kindercraze #backtoschool #schoolgirlstyle #iteachtoo A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 10, 2015 at 9:53am PDT

Only to decide that it was too much yellow a few days later and start all over again with a new color.

So long yellow paper. You were nice while you lasted…

A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 12, 2015 at 9:38am PDT

And then there was the classroom library. Oh my word, I thought that space in my classroom might be the death of me. I spent hours this summer looking around for every possible color of plastic bin to use in my library. I really wanted it to have lots of teal.  This was the initial color scheme I had in mind. Within a day, it was replaced with this: And soon evolved into this: I really wanted to find book boxes in softer colors and was not having any luck. So I took my matters into my own hands and decided to spray paint a couple of book boxes to see if that was a viable option.

Stepping out of the classroom and into the garage. It’s all in the details! #spraypaint #classroomsetup #backtoschool A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 11, 2015 at 1:31pm PDT

Spoiler alert: it isn’t.

I ultimately decided to embrace the colors currently available for plastic boxes. My library has successfully been transformed and I decided to change things even more and make the switch to using my White Series Classroom Library Labels (instead of the black labels I had been using).

Survived the first day of school and now working on my classroom library. I’m making the switch to the White Series! #tptbtsselfie #iteachtoo #iteachk #iteachkinder #teacherspayteachers #kindercraze

A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Sep 1, 2015 at 10:44am PDT

Those black labels aren’t the only thing to change. I decided that it is finally time to say goodbye to my little chevron bookshelf. The design is just a little too busy for my new classroom theme.

Time to say goodbye to my little chevron bookshelf. It chevron is too busy for my current classroom design 🙂 #iteachtoo #iteachkinder #backtoschool A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Sep 4, 2015 at 8:30am PDT

I recently purchased a new piece of furniture from IKEA and my wonderful husband even came in for a few hours to assemble it for me. He also sent me flowers. I’m not at all sure how I got so lucky.

My husband seriously deserves some kind of award. He had flowers delivered to school “just because” AND he spent a few hours assembling furniture in my classroom this week. I am blessed beyond measure and so thankful for him. #classroomsetup #iteachtoo #besthusbandever #teacherlife #backtoschool

A photo posted by Maria Manore Gavin (@kindercraze) on Aug 23, 2015 at 9:53am PDT

As my classroom color scheme evolved, so did my debit card. I have made countless trips to various stores to purchase new items and just as many trips to return items that I ultimately decided were not a good fit for my classroom design. This is just one haul that I decided to return during an afternoon of errand running. The gold letters went back to Hobby Lobby, the coral baskets went to Target and the decorative cork boards went to Bed, Bath & Beyond.

School resumed this week for me and once again, my classroom was not ready on time. It has a definite atmosphtere (and, thankfully, a color scheme) but many of the finishing touches are still a work-in progress. I ripped down my classroom alphabet after the first day of school and replaced it with a new look. I am hoping to roll out the rest of the details in the coming week so I can share it with you soon!