It’s back to school time! At the top of most teachers’ lists is getting their classroom organized and ready to receive their students. Classroom organization can be both fun AND challenging, especially if you are prone to piles upon piles on your desk or work table like I am. Here are a few tools and supplies that have really helped me to stay on top of my organization game!
A Planner
Whether you prefer digital or paper planning, a planner of some sort is pretty much a MUST have in the teacher biz. I am partial to Erin Condren’s teacher planners, but there are far less expensive planners out there that do pretty much the same thing. Happy Planner is another favorite among teachers and several Teachers Pay Teachers stores offer printable and/or digital planners! Find the one that is right for you and don’t forget to use it!
Storage Drawers
I have so much stuff. There is a neverending amount of stuff that I have. My classroom is inundated with stuff. In case you haven’t gotten the message – stuff is everywhere in my classroom. Whether the stuff be stacks of papers, books, pens, clips, whatever – it takes over my room in no time at all each year.
So – where to put the stuff? I like to hide it in drawers as often as possible. Ideally, those drawers would be organized and labeled, but I’m thinking that this year, anyway, it is simply a means to an ends. The ends being getting the stuff off my table and off my desk and put somewhere else.
Those little slidey rainbow drawers are a popular option for many teachers, but I’ve found they tend to come off their tracks a bit too easily. I did find these awesome things a couple of months ago and they have a bonus supply organizer on top to boot!
Book Boxes
My students each have a book box. All of their classroom library books and school library books live here. When it’s time for independent reading and/or Daily 5, my students grab their book boxes and they are off to reading land.
This was a system I started last year and I LOVE it! Last year, we stored our book boxes on the floor around the edges of the classroom, but this year, I have cubby shelves in which the books are stored and it is working out really nicely! These are book boxes we use and I have several cube shelves around the room in which to store them.
Supply Organizers for Me
I like to keep a hint of whimsy in my classroom, because it makes me smile. A cute pen holder, a fun sticky note dispenser, and a retro tape dispenser that doubles as a paper clip and pen holder (because I have eleventy million pens – and you know you do too!) bring a smile to my face! AND they keep my supplies somewhat organized.
And a heads up – the pen holder did need to be assembled – I had no idea when I bought it! It was relatively simple, but I would recommend some all purpose or wood glue to keep it together for the long haul.
Supply Organizers for Them
Kids need a place to keep their pencils and glue and scissors together, friends. Especially if they change classes like mine do. My teaching partner and I used these HUGE bags last year – everything fit in these puppies – but they didn’t really hold up. This year, we are trying supply boxes again. But man, it is HARD to find something that not only holds everything but also lasts! So, while this item is definitely on my must have list, I will confess to not having the perfect solution for this one just yet.
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope, if nothing else, you’ve found something here to inspire your organizational soul!
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Talk to you again (virtually!) soon!
Deedee
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