I have been using resources from Teachers Pay Teachers as a 3rd grade teacher and homeschool mom for over a decade. I’ve proudly run the Clutter-Free Classroom Teacher Store for that same amount of time. Therefore, I have quite a bit of experience dealing with what sometimes seems like a Teachers Pay Teachers technical problem. When that happens, I’ve been quick to assume that a specific product or seller error was to blame. Turns out, neither is usually the cause.

Usually the cause of the problem is related to something technical on the teacher’s end. Often, the resource has been created or updated recently. That means the newer resource may not be compatible with a computer, program or software that needs updating.

Different teachers have come to us asking some similar questions. We created this page to provide more detailed support, more efficient trouble-shooting and guidance on how to resolve issues. We know how busy you are, so we wanted to create a way to help you as fast as possible.

This page will help you troubleshoot issues you may be having with your Teachers Pay Teachers resources. Jump to the section you need by pinpointing the issue you are experiencing.

I am having trouble with…

• downloading the resource
• accessing the digital components of the resource
• printing the resource
• something else

1. I Can’t Open the Resource or It’s Not Downloading Properly.

It says I need a password to open the file.

Prior to uploading teaching resources to Teachers Pay Teachers, sellers “secure the files”. This is a requirement of the terms of use of the font designers and clipart creators. A password is only needed to make changes (copying or editing) to the protected PDF. Teachers will NEVER need a password to open a TpT resource.

Are you trying to open the pdf in a document program?

Microsoft Word can convert a PDF into a Word doc. To do so it must have the security disabled on the file. In this situation, a password would be needed to alter the security of the PDF file. If this is the case, simply be sure to download and open the file in a PDF reader instead of Microsoft Word.

Adobe Reader is free and quick and easy to install. Here’s a link: Download Adobe Reader!

It says my zip file or PDF is empty.

Some Windows users may receive an error message stating the contents of the ZIP file are empty. This may also occur when opening PDF files within a ZIP file. The cause seems to be when the default program for downloading and extracting ZIP files on your device has changed or needs to be updated.

TpT has shared information about this on their site. They wrote…

To avoid any issues with downloading the ZIP file to your device, right click on the TpT download link and choose ‘Save as…’ to save the ZIP file to your desktop instead of clicking the ‘Download’ button on TpT.

Please be sure that your default ZIP file extraction software is correct. For example, you will not want to try extracting a ZIP file with a web browser such as Microsoft Edge as it won’t work properly.

After extracting the files within the ZIP, we recommend opening PDF files with Adobe Reader, which can be downloaded for free here: Adobe Reader

Teachers Pay Teachers, General Technical FAQ

2. I Can’t Access the Digital Components of the Resource.

I can’t open the file with the link inside.

In the past, we placed the links to digital resources into PDFs. However, we found not everyone was able to access the links this way.

In our more recently created or updated resources, we’ve been placing the links into Word docs and have found that to be a good fit for most teachers because the link remains clickable.

You do not need to have MS Word installed on your computer to open the document. iWork is an office suite of applications created by Apple Inc. for its macOS and iOS operating systems. It is free for all users and should already be installed on most Apple products. In this case, the Word Doc will automatically be converted when you open it to Pages without needing to have MSWord installed on your computer and the links should then be clickable for you.

I can’t click on the link.

Once you have opened the PDF or the document that houses the link, you should be able to click onto it and be taken directly to your destination.

If the link does not seem clickable to you, try one of these troubleshooting options:

• If you are referring to a link in a Microsoft Word (or Pages) Document, place your cursor at the end of the URL. Press the return/enter key. Sometimes if a link appears to not work this will reactivate it.
• If this doesn’t solve the problem and you can’t access the digital resources by clicking the link, I recommend your next step be to highlight the entire URL (link). Copy the highlighted text. Paste that link into your Google Chrome browser.
• Type the URL into a Google Chrome browser window.

The link doesn’t take me to digital resources.

All of our digital resources are available via Google Drive. The link will not take you directly to the digital resources themselves, but rather to a page where you will make a copy of the resource in your own Drive.

As soon as you make the copy, it will open the digital resource for you in either Google Slides or Google Docs. You should rename it to make it easier for you to locate in your Google Drive in the future.

Now you can use this file within Google. You can also download it as a Powerpoint file, as a PDF or as image files (JPGs or PNGs). This will give you the flexibility of using the resource on platforms other than Google Classroom.

Please note that you do need a free Google/Gmail account and an active internet connection for the link to open.

3. I Can’t Print the Resource or It’s Not Printing Correctly.

It says I need a password to print my file.

Prior to uploading teaching resources to Teachers Pay Teachers, sellers “secure the files”. This is a requirement of the terms of use of the font designers and clipart creators. A password is only needed to make changes (copying or editing) to the protected PDF. Teachers will NEVER need a password to print a TpT resource.

However, there are times when teachers will get a message asking them to enter a password. One example is when they try to print a resource downloaded from Teachers Pay Teachers. It may seem like we have added unnecessary obstacles to your already busy day. I assure we are not withholding top secret codes. Let’s solve that problem.

Are you using preview on a mac instead of a reader?

IMACs, Macbooks, Macbook pros, etc. default to opening PDF teaching resources in Preview. Preview is the default application in macOS. Image files (examples: JPG, PNG, and PDF files) may automatically open in it. Preview offers Mac users a quick and easy way to see various documents. However, it’s not the best option for your Teachers Pay Teachers resources.

If you’re asked for a password when printing a TpT product it’s most likely because the file automatically opened in Preview. Opening it in Adobe Reader should solve the problem.

Adobe Reader is free and quick and easy to install. Here’s a link: Download Adobe Reader!

Are you printing it yourself or sending it to a copy center?

Some school districts use copy centers that need to manipulate files to accommodate their methods of printing.

First, it is important to note that there is a difference between when a print shop refuses to print because of copyright and when they cannot print because a password box pops up. If they refuse to print because they feel there is a copyright issue, following the directions I wrote about accessing your printing authorization certificate will solve that problem.

However, if they are telling you they cannot print because of the password popup box, that is a different issue. It may be that the district printing process copies the file and re-formats it into a type of file their printing equipment uses. It could also be that they are trying to extract pages which is not allowed in a secured file. Since this is a problem that stems directly from the copy center, you will need to address it with them.

One possible workaround I can offer is to print the file yourself and provide them with a scanned copy of your printed resource.

I don’t know why I can’t print the resource.

It’s frustrating enough when you know why something isn’t working and need to figure out how to fix it. It’s even worse when you don’t know what is wrong and therefore have no idea how to overcome the obstacle. When it comes to printing issues, here are a few of the common problems… and their solutions!

The file is too big or has too many graphics for your printer.

I ran into this a lot when I would print resources I bought on TpT at school. The printer would try to take in the info it needed, but usually would just decide it wasn’t going to do the job.

We secure and reduce all of our files before we upload them to Teachers Pay teachers. By creating this smaller file size for you it not only takes less space on your computer’s hard drive, but it should also avoid the problems I used to have when printing large files.

If you do seem to have a problem printing (and you know you have properly downloaded and opened the file), these steps* may be helpful:

1. Click print as you normally would. This will open the printing window.
2. Instead of clicking OK/Print in that window as you normally would, select the advanced printing option.
3. Choose “print as image.”
4. Click OK.
5. Click print.

*These steps may vary slightly based on your printer. If the above does not work, I recommend Googling “how to print to image + (your specific printer make and model).

Are you looking at the file in an online viewer?

When I download a PDF from TpT and click on it right after it downloads, I will see the PDF in an online viewer. This means I can see the PDF and there are icons to download and to print. There is also a location bar at the top that reads something like…

file:///Users/my name/Downloads/product-file-name-1.pdf

This is an online viewer or browser window. I have tried printing from here before and it doesn’t always go well.

This is a simple fix. You just need to close out of that, find the file in your download folder and open it using the appropriate application (Adobe Reader for PDS, iWork Pages or MS Word for Word Documents, etc).

Did you open the file in preview?

For most Mac users, files open in Preview by default instead of a Reader. This can cause printing problems. I wrote about Preview vs. Reader in a section above. That same info will help you if this is your situation. Jump to the info in the section titled: Are you Using Preview on a Mac Instead of a Reader?

Are you using an outdated version of Adobe Reader?

Like all software, Adobe Reader does need to be updated from time to time. If you’re able to open and print some TpT products, but others are giving you problems, this may very likely be the reason why. This is especially true if the resource you are experiencing issues with is a new or recently updated file.

What else can I try?

When using a search engine to seek a solution, use keywords related to your problem + the model of your printer. I also always start my searches by adding the current year in hopes of getting the most recent information.

If you are attempting to print an entire file, instead try printing smaller page ranges.

Make sure your computer and printer are communicating by printing another item as a test.

The file is not printing correctly.

There are black boxes printing where images and clipart should be.

Of all the tech issues I have encountered over the years, this one is definitely my biggest pet peeve. It not only wastes time, it also wastes ink, which means it wastes money.

I made a video that explains the problem and the solution.

I was told I couldn’t print a product because it is protected by copyright.

To protect their intellectual property, most Teacher Authors will add a copyright symbol and their information to the bottom of each page. If a teacher wants to have resources printed at commercial places like Office Max, Staples, etc, this can sometimes be problematic.

If the clerk is doing his or her job properly, you’ll be told you need permission to print the file. No worries. You already have it.

Here’s how to provide proof of permission to print and copy resources:

1. Go to your purchases folder on TpT and locate the resource you want to print.
2. Next to the purchase date you will find links to your receipt as well as a Printable Printing Authorization.
3. Click on the latter to open a certificate granting you permission to print and copy. Specifically it reads, “The holder of this receipt is authorized by the owner(s) or author(s) of the materials listed below, to print and/or make copies of these materials for personal use and/or classroom instruction.” It also shows your proof of purchase.

4. I am Having Trouble with Something Else Related to the Resource.

We are happy to help you! Please fill out our customer support form to send us your purchase info so we can assist you more quickly. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8-3, except for holidays. You can expect to hear from us within 24 hours during those working hours.

The post The Clutter-Free Classroom’s Teachers Pay Teachers Customer Support Page appeared first on Clutter-Free Classroom | by Jodi Durgin.

When the back-to-school season starts, I dread thinking about how on earth I’ll be able to come home from work and cook for my family every night on top of running to the grocery store because I forgot some main ingredients in the dinner that I planned. I either deal with that stress, or I just give in and we have take-out (which turns into extra money spent, extra calories, and extra pounds that I don’t want or need).

One solution to this is meal prep! There are many ways to meal prep for your work week including creating a menu, freezer meals, or portioning out larger meals across many days. Pinterest is a great resource for finding ideas on how to meal prep so it fits your lifestyle, but since you’re here, let me share with you a few teacher meal prep tips that will help you plan food ahead of time to make your school year less stressful.

6 Teacher Meal Prep Tips

Below are some teacher meal prep tips to help you start the new school year off right.

1. Join the InstaPot Craze

People go crazy for this thing! If you don’t have one, now is the perfect time to welcome one into your home. You can enjoy many school night dinners together. There are tons of recipes on Pinterest to get you started. It’s a real time and money saver. Check out the affiliate link below!

2. Batch Out the Process

Many people spend one entire day a month preparing meals to freeze. This is beneficial because you only need to make one big grocery trip (that alone will save you time and money) and spend one day prepping foods, cooking, and washing dishes. This plan works best if you have large freezer space to fill. These are my three tried and true, personal favorite cookbooks for quick, easy, and healthy meals that you can make in batches and freeze.

3. Team Up with Friends

Some find it nice to team up with friends and each take responsibility for a few meals. Coordinate who will make what so you have variety. Each person prepares enough freezer meals for everyone in the group. For example, you may be responsible for preparing six lasagnas to distribute to five friends, but in return, you get five different meals to put in your freezer. For added fun, you can plan a potluck where everyone brings a cooked version of their meal to sample as well as the frozen version for friends to take home. This would be great to do with a group of teachers from your school. Not only do you get to socialize, but you get to eat a delicious meal and take one home for later!

4. Make Extra Servings

What I find works very well for me is to make a triple batch of a dinner. We eat one for dinner and freeze two for future nights. This works fantastic because over time I build up a nice collection in the freezer. The inventory rotates frequently and we have meals available for most weeknights. Pull out and heat in the oven while you rest your feet from a tiring day.

5. Create a Menu

As a family, create a menu of what you’ll eat for dinner each night. Do this a week ahead of time. List out how much of each ingredient you’ll need and head to the grocery store. When you get home, have the menu posted and organize your groceries by meal so it’s easy to grab and cook. If you have a plan for what you’re going to make, it will take away some of the stress as you drive home thinking about what your family will want for dinner.

6. Pack Your Lunches for the Week on Sundays

Packing your lunch in the morning before work can be stressful as you’re trying to get out the door, so lunches can be a part of your meal prep too! On Sunday, use Tupperware containers to pack your five lunches for the week. Include the healthy items that you know and love, so you’re less likely to grab sugary cookies midweek because you “just need it”. Healthy lunches, no extra stress in the morning, no wondering what you’ll be eating the next day. These are three of my favorite tools for packing snacks, my lunch, and water.

In closing, the trick to teacher meal prep is to be organized and prepared. You do all the work ahead of time, so during the workweek, you don’t have to think about food and can focus your energy on other important areas of your life. Plus it’s a great way to save money as a teacher! We all have other things we need to worry about, so don’t allow the stress of meals to be one of those!

If you want to hear what other teachers just like you are doing to save time and money with meals and food prep on school nights, join the Clutter-Free Club Facebook Group. This free group is a community of positive and supportive teachers. Be sure to check it out!

The post Teacher Meal Prep Made Easy: Fast, Quick, and Healthy Food Ideas for Busy Teachers appeared first on Clutter-Free Classroom | by Jodi Durgin.

5 Financial Tips for Teachers about Saving Money at the Grocery Store

In addition to not needing to schedule pee breaks at specific times, one of the nicest benefits to summer vacation is having the luxury of grocery shopping when it is less crowded. Hello grocery store at 9am on a weekday with no lines! This blog post will provide you with tips for how to save money as. a teacher at the grocery store. Not only will these tips help you stick to your grocery budget, but they will save you a lot of time too.

1. Make a Checklist.

The first financial tip for teachers on this list is to make a checklist. Consider making a list of foods you buy regularly. Keep it handy and check off items as you run out. It’s always smart to have a pen and paper close to the refrigerator to keep an ongoing list of things you have run out of. I know that if I tell myself “I need to pick up salsa at the grocery store” and I don’t write it down immediately, I will not remember to pick it up the next time I go to the store.

2. Map Out Your Grocery Store.

I did this about five years ago and it has been an invaluable time saver for me. Grab a notebook and go to the store you always shop at. Start at the beginning of the store and make a list of what items are found in which aisle. I obviously didn’t write down each and every item, but I did make sure to include any category I may (at some point) purchase. When you get home, type up the list in a word document and print a bunch of copies. Use this as your grocery list by simply highlighting the items that you need to buy. This prevents you from needing to go back and forth for items on the list that you forget to grab. It’s helpful if your grocery store keeps things pretty consistent. If not, try to update your map at least once every few months.

3. Organize the List and Divvy it Up.

The third financial tip for teachers on this list is to organize your shopping list and divvy it up. I took it a step further and reformatted the list so that the first half of the store is on the top of the page and the second half of the store is on the bottom of the page. This is helpful when my husband and I go to the store together. We grab two carts, rip the list in half, start on opposite sides of the store and meet in the middle. Making your grocery list organized by where you’ll find it in the store will save you precious time and prevent you from having to suffer from “road rage” when you’re trying to read the signs on the aisle, but someone has stopped randomly in the walkway.

4. Stock Up.

Making a menu and knowing which items you use often or need for specific recipes will allow you to buy nonperishable products in larger amounts. I noticed we were buying some items (oatmeal, cereals, pasta, etc.) often. This meant that I was adding it to my list weekly, finding it in the store, checking out with it, and making room in the pantry for it regularly. By buying enough for the month once, I didn’t need to think about it weekly. This financial tip for teachers will also help you with your meal prep!

5. Use a Grocery Delivery Service.

Some stores offer services that allow you to order and pay online and either have the groceries delivered to your door or brought out to your car. Some services are free and others have a small fee. Do the math because while it may seem like an unnecessary luxury, the cost is probably far less than what you will spend on impulse buys when in the store. This option is also helpful in keeping you on track with healthy eating.

A side note with this one, though, is that I would recommend picking out your own produce to ensure you get the freshest and most appetizing looking options. You can’t assume that the employee picking out your groceries cares that you like firm peaches because they’re just going to grab what’s quick and easy.

If you’re interested in trying this out, but don’t want to pay for a delivery service like Amazon Fresh or from a regular grocery store, look into the free grocery pick up offered by Walmart. I tried it myself and found it to be very quick and easy. I opted to get meats and produce elsewhere, but it was perfect for getting the boxed items, cleaning products, and canned goods I needed without the hassle of fighting the crowds that come with a typical Walmart trip.

Additional Resources for Teachers

We hope these financial tips for teachers about how to save money as a teacher at the grocery store were helpful! If you did, then you might find these posts helpful as well:

• How Teachers Can Make More Money
• How Teachers Can Save More Money
• Strategies for How Teachers Can Maximize their Time
• Money-Saving Teaching Resource Collections
• How to Write Emergency Sub Plans

The post Financial Tips for Teachers: How to Save Money on Groceries in 2024 appeared first on Clutter-Free Classroom | by Jodi Durgin.

3 Tips for Purchasing Teacher Clothes

Below are some tips and ideas for elementary teachers purchasing a new teacher outfit.

1. Seek Comfort

It’s important to have pieces that are comfortable. When selecting clothes, think about how you need to be able to move in your clothes when selecting them. Do you sit on the ground a lot with your students? Do you need to be able to run at a moment’s notice? Keep these things in mind when selecting clothes.

2. Look for Versatile Pieces

When shopping for new clothes, look for versatile pieces. It’s great when you can find clothing that can be worn at work and in everyday life. Also, look for staple pieces that can be paired up with numerous other pieces. This makes it so you can mix and match to make different combinations. You’ll save yourself money and time if you have pants that work with numerous tops and vice versa.

3. Shop at Stores with Teacher Discount Programs

There are a bunch of stores out there that have teacher discount programs where you can score 15% off by showing your teacher ID. Take advantage of these exclusive discounts!

How to Organize Your Clothing Closet

Below are tips for elementary teachers organizing their teacher outfit clothes in their closet.

1. Don’t Procrastinate

You don’t need to wait until spring time to do some “spring cleaning” in your closet. If you haven’t worn an item in over a year, donate it to a place like Goodwill or Salvation Army. If you’re like me and you have clothes in many different sizes because you’ll “fit into them again someday”, then pick up a clear storage tote at Walmart and store them so they don’t get in the way of clothes you wear regularly (and you’ll be able to see what’s in the tote if it’s clear!). After purging your closet, you’ll find you have much more space to organize the clothes that you wear on a regular basis and it will save you so much time each morning while getting ready for work.

2. Work in Small Chunks

Taking EVERYTHING out of your closet at one time will cause you to be overwhelmed. Start with like-items (shirts, pants, etc.). Create piles for “donate”, “storage”, “keep”, and/or “trash”. This will help you see what key pieces you have to work with in your wardrobe.

3. Have a Plan for Unwanted Items

Have a plan for where the items will go after they are out of your closet. As you cleaned your closet, you made piles for where you want the clothes to go, and now it’s time to act! Have those storage bins ready and fold the “storage pile” clothes neatly into each bin. Then find a place to store those bins where they won’t be in the way (garage or attic). Did you create a “donate pile”? Good! Load up the car and your next trip out, head to your nearest drop off site! The clothes you chose to keep need to be placed back in your closet in a way that helps you find what you need quicker (by item type, by color, by season, etc.).

4. Set Very Specific Rules

It’s important to set very specific rules for whether or not you will keep an item. It’s easy to hold onto something because you “may” wear it in the future. Setting non-negotiable rules will help avoid that. If you haven’t worn it in a year, are you really going to wear it this year? Probably not.

Sometimes just asking yourself these three questions helps:

• Do I wear this regularly? 
• Do I love it? 
• Would someone else be better off owning it?

5. Take Inventory of What You Have

Take a mental inventory of what you’re putting back in your closet to keep, so you know what pieces you may need to pick up the next time you’re out shopping.

How to Save Time in the Morning

Below are elementary teacher outfit organization ideas for making school day mornings easier.

1. Pick Out Your Clothes Ahead of Time

Pick out your outfits and prepare the clothes for the week on the weekend. Put together everything you need (top, bottom, undergarments, accessories). This will save “what am I going to wear?” minutes as well as ensure that what you intend to wear is clean and wrinkle-free. As a bonus, this also prevents coming home to a pile of discarded clothes on the bedroom floor that you tried on and didn’t wear that day.

2. Arrange Your Closet Purposefully

Arrange your closet in a manner that makes it easy to find what you need. This could mean by color or by like-items being grouped together. For example, I have one side of my closet as “work clothes” and the other side is “casual clothes”. This helps me piece together outfits quickly.

3. Store Away Clothes You Don’t Need

If you live in a seasonal climate, box up clothes from the off season. Even if your closet is really large, you’ll find it easier to get ready for school if your space is simplified.

In closing, we hope you found this post about elementary teacher outfit organization ideas helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:

• How to Make Connections with Your Elementary Students
• 10 Tips for How to Save Money as a Teacher
• How Teachers Can Make More Money this Year

The post Elementary Teacher Outfit Organization Ideas for 2024 appeared first on Clutter-Free Classroom | by Jodi Durgin.