Organizing my Teacher Desk

So I’ve written a little about this before in my new teacher series, “I Just Got a Teaching Job- Now What?!” but my desk is an area that can always use some improvement. As I’ve said before, I HAVE to keep my teacher desk- and mine’s huge.

So, this summer, here’s what my right desk drawer looked like:

I forgot to get a complete before picture, but be assured it didn’t look like that anymore.

Here it was after I cleared out the back. Clearly, the front is craaazy. The culprit? Too much tape. I decided to repurpose this art box and fit most of the tape inside.

I may be a magnetic tape hoarder.

Special computer paper (thank you, Dollar Tree!) is now underneath my index cards. The ones in boxes are needed for when I post vocabulary words. And tape is better contained.

This is how the front looks for now, but I think it’s too crowded… I am loving using the old index card boxes as dividers, though, and I think some of the other things just need a little divider in the back to be their new home!

Later I moved the hand sanitizer because there’s a better spot in the other drawer.

Needs a little work, but it’s better!

The left desk drawer was even crazier, but here’s how it ended up.

I love using these little baskets as dividers to hold my stamps and Post-Its, but I think most of the stamps are headed for the teacher’s lounge soon. I just don’t use them enough. I think putting my stickers in it might make more sense, if I just cut them down to fit.

Under the black thing on the left, there’s a little teacher emergency bag. I took pictures so I can post about the contents soon.

The right side definitely looks kind of crazy, but it actually holds 3 separate packets.

On the left, supplies and certificates for when my kids reach Sparkling. The top right, reading rewards. The bottom right, birthday certificates and stickers, all ready to go and filled out in order. It might not look super neat, but it makes it really easy to grab-and-go!

I still need to take care of the middle drawer (which totally still looks like it did this summer… riiiight…)

and one of the file drawers, and the top- but honestly, the filing involved is going to take me hours. This week, I just did not have the time. I am doing better at keeping the top of my desk cleaner, though!

I might go in on Monday and work on it… or I might enjoy a day at home, lounging and grading. We’ll see :) So glad we have a make-up snow day!

What I’m loving about the CFC Challenge is that it gives me something to think about each week. Yeah, my desk isn’t all the way organized yet- but I had a very busy week, and I can bet that without this challenge I wouldn’t have even touched all that mess. Progress still counts, and posting about it helps keep me accountable.

I can’t wait to see some of your successes!

Clutter-Be-Gone!

Here we go again- week 3!

The challenge this week was to go around the room and put away all that little stuff that has a place, but you just haven’t gotten to putting away yet.

I didn’t get as much done as I would’ve liked, but I think it’s pretty important for me to keep blogging about how things are going regardless.

This is the sink area in the back of my room, where I store snacks, food supplies, and supplies for students to access as needed.

Before:

After:

Many of these things could fit in the cabinets, when I just took the time to organize them better! It’s much easier to find what I need back there now. I still need to do something with the pocket chart back there (yellow blob), and figure out a better use for the trays to the left, but the junk is gone.

My desk area has definitely been slowly making progress, too. It’s slow- but it’s getting there.

Before:

After:

This area is still somewhat cluttered, but I went through my pens, pencils, and markers to throw out those not working (and put in my new Christmas pens). I also put lots of little things back where they belong, and started using the blue bucket above as a catch-all for Post-Its, tardy notes, and the other *little* things that find themselves onto my desk. Eventually, I think I want a better solution, but it’s better for now.

I think going through some of the clutter is helping me see which systems are not working. I don’t have a great way to store papers copied ahead (probably in part because I’m not usually working very far ahead!). I need a different place to put scrap paper that students can use for bookmarks (because it’s currently sharing a space and not working!). I need to have a place for extra copies, and another place for copies that I file (and I need a way to make sure I actually file them, too!)

I still have areas that I need to “purge,” but I’m seeing little bits of progress, and I’m excited to keep going!

It’s not too late to join, if you want :) Check out the other participants in this week’s challenge here.

Time to go enjoy breakfast!

P.S.- I have Internet back at home again, and I love it!

CFC Challenge- Week 2- Organizing Rules!

So, this week's Clutter-Free Classroom Challenge is to create your "rules" for organizing.



When I've read posts like this in the past, I see a lot of people posting things like "If I haven't used it in two years, it's gone."

Mine needs to be a little different. For one, I'm a new teacher- only in my own classroom for the 2nd year, so I don't have closets and closets of stuff. Plus, I will more than likely be moving in a few months, and who knows? I could teach kindergarten through 6th with my current license! I can't just throw out the more "primary" things because I'm in 3rd now, because I don't know if I could soon be  in a younger classroom.

My Rules:
- If it's a hand-me-down from another teacher that I don't use and just plain don't like, I must get rid of it.
- If it's a decoration with no purpose other than decoration, unless I LOVE it, it needs to go.
- Keep only one copy of papers (unless there is a whole class set copied already, because I like the environment too much to throw whole sets out!)
- Anything that might be of use to other teachers goes in the teacher's lounge before the trash.
- If it's something that can only be organized in a "miscellaneous" category, it needs to go.
- I can only keep one shelf's worth of "random containers for some later purpose." Yes, every teacher could have ten million of these- great containers you just can't stand to part with- but the crux of the matter is that I can't save them all.
- Whenever possible, use the 15 minutes after school for tidying up or organizing something. A little time specifically set aside for it every day is bound to help me maintain the organization.
- All containers in storage get labeled.
- Useful trumps cute.
- I will use photos and blog posts to keep me accountable every week, even when it's embarrassing. (You all can really help me with that!)


Progress this week...

Well, I have definitely made some on my back counter and desktop, but unfortunately, my Internet at home has been dead for almost a week and I can't upload photos right now. (That's why this post was so late!)

 It's not too late to join, if you'd like to organize your classroom and your teaching life! :) We're only a few baby steps in.

Starting the Clutter-Free Classroom Project- The Before Pictures!

I read about some teachers' organization resolutions last week, and had to laugh.

Some people have this natural affinity for organizing, and I just... don't. I never have.

I was that kid whose desk was dumped over onto the floor by her teacher.
I was that kid whose dad once took everything off her bedroom floor and took it away for two weeks.
I still am that teacher whose class actually comments when there aren't piles on my desk.

The thing is, I like when things are organized. And I have slowly found things that work for me in the classroom, but I've only been in my own room 2 years and I switched grade levels this year!

I've decided to take on the Clutter-Free Classroom Challenge for 2013, and it is scary.

When you first walk into my classroom, it doesn't look that bad.

The library needs some labels and some book box fixes, but overall, I don't think it'll take too much to get into shape.

The back of the room is pretty good...

... until you get to the sink area.

The front of the room isn't too bad, other than a quickly dying carpet and some books to be put away.

My small group area is recovering from some crazy time before break, but it the table itself is usually clear. (Right now, I'm working on MOY assessments, not groups, so it hasn't gotten back to normal yet.)

Behind the small group area is just a mess, though.

Annnd the worst part of the room? My desk area. See that pile on the left? It was actually twice probably three times as high when I came back from break, but I cleared it away somewhat before remembering to bring in my camera.

Both parts are a mess.

Behind the desk is bad, too...

And I forgot to get a picture of under the desk, which is just as terrible.

But, hey, this week I was already able to clear off one giant pile!

Look at the pretty desk space!

There's, uh, a lot of room for progress... right?

I'm embarrassed to put this out there, but, hey- it's part of the process. Maybe I need a little embarrassment as motivation :) I can't wait to show you the 'after'!

If you want to join the Clutter-Free Classroom Challenge, link up here! I'm excited to change the feel of my classroom, simplify my teaching life, and shop at Target and the Dollar Spot- I mean, be a better example to my students!

Please tell me I'm not the only one whose room looks like this? :)