As spring arrives and the school year winds down with field trips, assessments, and end-of-year activities, consider using this opportune time to prepare for a smoother back-to-school transition in the fall. Spring cleaning isn’t about packing it all away. Its about taking a moment now for some strategic planning can lead to a more relaxed and confident start to the new academic year.
Here are five strategic spring-cleaning moves you can do now, without touching even one single glue stick.
1. Audit Your Routines, Not Just Your Supply Drawers
Skip the bin-sorting for now, start with the things you do behind the scenes. Which routines made your classroom run smoother? Which caused constant stress? Take note of these things:
- Arrival and dismissal routines
- Small group transitions
- Core subject transitions
- Tech logins or tool access issues
- Home communication rhythms
Write it down while it’s fresh. You’ll avoid reinventing the wheel come August.
2. Build a Better Template Library
Your future self doesn’t want to hunt for last year’s parent night slide deck or classroom expectations doc in August
Take 30 minutes to:
- Gather commonly reused documents (syllabi, newsletters, seating charts)
- Drop a copy of them in a clearly labeled folder like:
💡 Back to School Templates 2025
Pro tip: In addition to the “blank copy”, add one “example” version so you’re not starting from scratch.
3. Digitally Declutter Just One Thing
Digital clutter is sneaky and stressful. Taking one look at your computer desktop may reveal the problem. Choose one thing to clean up:
- Rename or organize your cloud storage folders
- Archive last year’s digital portfolios or Seesaw classes
- Clear your desktop, trash bin, and downloads folder
Start small. One clean space will lead to more.
4. Make a “Future Ideas” Parking Lot
Spring is when inspiration strikes but can quickly get lost in the end-of-year rush. Create a simple document or note titled “Ideas for Next Year”. Write, doodle, or craft your ideas about:
- That project you want to expand into more
- A classroom layout you want to try
- A new tool or book to explore
- A parent engagement strategy that hooked families
Don’t plan how you are going to embed these, just collect the ideas before they leave. This gives you a springboard when you start prep later.
5. Pre-Schedule Small Re-Entry Moments
Mark one 60-minute calendar block in late July or early August titled “Back-to-School Reset.” This is a time to collect any new ideas that may have jumped into your mind during the break. Take off the pressure of doing everything at the end of the year. Create re-entry points to give your mind opportunities to download your latest and greatest ideas.
Let the Spring Cleaning Begin
Spring cleaning isn’t about packing it all away, it’s about clearing mental space and setting up systems your future self will thank you for. You don’t need a label maker to do any of these ideas. You just need 30 intentional minutes here and there to feel lighter later.
