How to Organize Construction Paper in the Classroom

The fastest way to waste time during a lesson is searching through a jumbled stack of paper for the right color. Construction paper and colored copy paper are the most common culprits. Here are two systems I use to organize construction paper and colored copy paper, so both are sorted by color and easy to grab.

How to Organize Colored Copy Paper: File Crate System

A plastic file crate with hanging file folders is the easiest system for colored copy paper. Each folder holds one color. Arrange the folders from lightest to darkest — or in rainbow order — so you can flip to the color you need without searching.

I had a pile of colored copy paper I never used because it was completely mixed up. Once I sorted it into the crate, I actually started using it. I set my class to the task of sorting one afternoon and they finished in about 10 minutes.

Place the crate somewhere students can reach it on their own. When they need a specific color, they get it without interrupting the lesson — and without digging through a pile.

How to Organize Construction Paper: Wooden Slot Organizer

For 12 x 18 construction paper, wooden slot organizers work well. These are horizontal divided organizers, similar to a mail sorter, with one color per slot. Standard wooden paper organizers fit 12 x 18 paper and are available at school supply stores or on Amazon.

Organize the slots in the same order as your file crate — lightest to darkest or rainbow order. Once every color has its slot, restocking takes seconds and students can put paper away on their own.

Both systems take about 20 minutes to set up and save time every day after that.