Organizing-Small Steps

I can't believe that it is almost August. I have 3 weeks of summer vacation left, and it feels like we just got out of school!

My room finally got cleaned, so I've started working in it. I'm doing a major organizing haul this year, since this will be my first time being in the same school for another year. (This will be my 2nd year at this school if the previous statement did not make sense ;)

Since I'll be living with this room for at least another year (hopefully a lot more!!), I needed not to just store stuff, but have it work for me (previously, I've shoved my stuff where it has been easily accessible, and used what I could easily find from the stuff in the room)

I've been going through stuff with a cold heart-if I haven't touched it or used it, I don't need it. Some stuff will be thrown away, some stuff is going on the 'free' table at school, and other stuff will be gifted to other teachers.

My major project? Remember these shelves?

 

Everything is kind of willy-nilly all over the place and it wasn't sensible (to me).

So I spent an hour and half doing some work today (with some more to go!)

Some of you might see the pictures and say "Kaitlyn, that looks messier than when you started!"

I know.

But there is a method to my madness. :)

This is what it looked like when I started: (I apologize for the blurry pictures-camera has be acting up!)

I moved a lot of shelves today, and cleaned each one before I moved it (ewww-they were icky!). I think I got a lot done in the hour and a half I was there!

Right now:

This is the Math/Science Area.

There book luggage will be on the bottom shelving currently has binders all over it :)

On the second shelf, I have my center binders (separated by domain) with the center bins next to it...I just need to organize those! Then I have more common used manipulatives.

The third shelf have less commonly used manipulatives.

The top shelf holds the science materials that didn't fit in the closet.

This is the start of the literacy section.

The blue bins hold guided reading packs, and the clear bins hold mentor texts.  I still need to finish organizing this area-put all the literacy series stuff in their new home!  (Plus, add all the binders I have...but we won't talk about that :P )

The rest of my classroom:

All those piles have a purpose! There's a trash pile, a free pile, different teacher piles and an old math resources pile (that we still have to keep even though we are all piloting different programs for a whole year...)

I didn't put the rest of my word wall up, because I stagger the letters (based on the number of words for each letter) and accidentally took the picture off my camera-whoops! I'll have to put it back on before I finish! :)

What are some of your organizing tricks?

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn