Friday, January 6, 2012

4321...Clutter!

clutter...Clutter...CLUTTER!
This post is part of the Clutter Free Classroom Project. 
Read more here.
Every fall I swear to myself I will be organized.  Every year after winter break I realize I let it get away from me.  Hopefully this challenge will help!  
Antoinette has opted out of this challenge.  She is feeling a little overwhelmed right now. :)

A little background info about my classroom:
-It is the 4th classroom I have been in since I have been at my school.  It will be my long term classroom, unless I change grade levels. (YEAH!)
-I have to keep my teacher desk and the half round table. Principal says!

Here are the pics of my clutter: (Forewarning there are a lot!)

My pen organization!


My desk top.  There are layers. 
For those of you with a clean desk every Friday,
 as Antoinette would say sarcastically with a laugh and a smile, "Bite me."

Look a clear spot!

My laptop table.  In my classroom last year I didn't have one of these. 
I don't know if I like it.  This one I could get rid of, if I wanted to.

Mentor text bookshelf.  A new purchase from this fall.


Behind my desk.  This is stuff I still haven't unpacked from the fall.
Do I REALLY need it?

Still more stuff behind my desk.


I thought this would help my desk clutter.
Does it look like it helped?

There is even a bin under my desk of papers to be filed.
Seriously!?!

Inside the desk I have to keep.

I swear in August this looked great...


This is a deep drawer.  I just can't figure out how to use them correctly.


This is the back of the deep drawer.

This is the student work turn in station by the end of winter break.


My tall coat closet.

room decor

My purse goes in here somewhere.

I have tons of buckets. 
They hold things like name tags, labels, sticky clips, etc.

The dreaded bottom shelf.

The good news is, I just close the door.
Clutter all gone! 

This is the cabinet above the sink. 
Where do you store a year's worth of Kleenex?
And the other part are Pringles cans.  (I will post about those another time.)

Craft storage, Pringles cans, and left over science kit supplies.

An unclear pic of the labels I have on every cabinet and drawer.

Class library storage.
And a shout out to Ladybug Teacher Files for the awesome crayon storage idea!

Scissors, writing, and glue.  Custodian says it can't be in their desks.

I bought these thinking I could use them.
I don't know what to do with them though?

My nemesis- the half round table.  My students use the mini laptops here.

Math manipulatives storage.  It doesn't scream organized like I hoped it would.

More math manipulatives. As well as the side of the Science kits.

That globe.  Where do you store it so it won't be in the way?

The most organized corner of my room.  :)

Seasonal decor storage.  Looks horrible, but is very functional.

The other half of my classroom library. 

Where I store my printed resources. 
I would LOVE to go paperless and just have it electronically. 
That takes lots of time though.

I have two file cabinets, a 4 drawer and a 2 drawer.
These are labeled and organized.   

What do you do with the stuff kids give you?

Look at how organized my copies are!  Shocking.

My poster storage.  It seems like this awesome unit should keep me organized.


But, I discovered this set of student newspapers where I didn't expect them to be.
I have been searching for them since NOVEMBER.
As you might be able to see, I have my fair share of clutter.  I would really LOVE your help.  To be honest these pics really did bring to light that I have a problem with clutter.

Best of luck decluttering your space!
EmilyK

13 comments:

  1. Yeah for us getting rid of clutter! I actually just labeled my filing cabinet similar to what you have done and I love it! If only I could get some shelves uncluttered!

    Adventures of a 6th Grade Teacher

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  2. Looks like you have a lot of great stuff, it just needs some organization. I have learned that having the same containers for everything with labels, does wonders for decluttering.

    Ms. M
    Ms.M's Blog
    A Teacher's Plan

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  3. Ok.. I think we are the same person. I was nodding my head through this whole post.

    1. I need me some pen organization! I have a bucket for them but drop them when I finish writing.

    2. I have two bags behind my desk from the beginning of the year. Obviously the need for them is great.

    3. I bought hanging pocket folders to clear the desk clutter. Mine didn't work either.

    4. I always have a "to file pile" somewhere embarassingly close to my desk.

    5. I have SO many buckets. If they weren't $1 at Target, it woudn't be such a problem.

    6. I came thisclose to buying those colored magazine holder bucket things because I felt like I needed them. They would have been sitting where yours are.

    7.I have no idea where to put my globe or the things the kids give me.

    8. The one thing I always find in the strangest places are the student newspapers.

    Jeesh, is this comment long enough?! Your room is my room so I can't wait to see it finished! :)

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  4. Thanks for linking up. I put my globe on a windowsill so that it is out of the way. Do your students access it regularly? If so maybe on the center of a table if you have one that is used for supplies or such.


    ❤Jodi from...
    ★★The Clutter-Free Classroom★★
    Helping Teachers Get Organized

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have some many things, and that is good.. some of them are organized... so you are on your way..

    the kiddo stuff.. it stays for a week or two then travels to "my office at home, so I can think about you when I am working at home" i.e. some stuff I keep, others go to the goodwill

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  6. Hey Emily! Thanks for the shout-out :) You have way more organization than clutter!!! I was glad I took photos too...I think it is really going to hold me accountable in actually finishing some cleaning projects! I'm looking forward to seeing more :) :)
    Kristen

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  7. Okay, I can really relate to your pictures. I've been working on my classroom for a while and I still have areas that need attention. I hope to learn some tips. I know I want my teaching area to be better organized. Now, I have to make a plan of action.

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  8. Thanks for letting us see inside your classroom. I now know I can go take pictures of my classroom and I have others like me.:) Your colored bins... my kids use them to keep their station folders in but if I get a chance to get them on "file" you will see they leave them pretty messy. But that was my hope for my colored bins. At least we can all learn together. Thanks!
    Kinders on the Block

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  9. I have two filing cabinets that I think could help me be organized if I didn't just drop stuff in there and close the drawers, haha! Good luck to all of us on this adventure! :)

    Marvelous Multiagers!

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  10. Ohmiword, this post made me laugh out loud! You are too funny. I am hoping this project will help me too. I'm your newest follower and found you through the linky :)

    Bonnie
    Living A Wonderful Life

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  11. Ok Emily... Yes I opted out of doing this one, but it was more that I was embarrassed of my clutter as opposed to being overwhelmed. lol Now that you have so bravely posted your clutter, I feel I should join you in this endeavor. Organization is definitely an area of weakness for me and I have always seen weaknesses as challenges to overcome. So I will take pictures of my clutter and spend second semester working toward ridding myself of this weakness.

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  12. Emily,
    When I look at your pictures.....I see myself! In our abundant world, clutter is an unwelcome part of life. Some people work through stuff better than others. I do my best to remember that what matters most is what we do every day, rather than once in a while. I do promise you this: you can make big gains by a small devotion each day to this endeavor.

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  13. Thanks everyone for viewing my clutter! I appreciate all the good faith. We must all believe it is possible to overcome this!

    EmilyK

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