Organization

I would consider myself to be OCD about organization, but you wouldn't be able to tell this if you came to my house. However, in my classroom I try to have a place for everything. These past few days I have spent my time doing just that with some AWESOME labels from an AWESOME blogger, more on that in a minute!

However, before I became a teacher I still went to yard sales and bought ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I could for my future classroom. This gray thing below is one of my finds and I paid $5. The outside is made from wood while the inside a cardboard. My plans were to give each student a mailbox to store papers in. It didn't work that way because I teach 70 (well now 67) fourth graders. So I found other uses for it.
On the top left side is labels for each homeroom. Papers that we are currently working on are stored there. To the right are our red folders that go home every Tuesday sorted by class. In the middle are papers ready for those red folders and then paper storage. This has came in very handy even if I didn't use it as the way I intended. Thank goodness for yard sales!

Back to those labels. I follow a blog by Anna Brantley who created these VERY cute labels and they were FREE!! I asked her for the information so I could make more and she gave me the type of font, but said she would make them! And she did!! So I am totally sending all my friends to Crazy For First Grade for these labels and other awesome ideas!

Two Valentine's Days ago (actually day after V-day) I bought this super cute box of cookies for $1. He was too cute to resist. I actually threw away the cookies and kept the container for my future classroom. Now this lion proudly sits on my desk holding paperclips and the occasional rubber band. Everyone always ask if I made him, but I cannot take credit for that. Isn't he adorable?



The proof.
So as I said I am super organized and OCD about where things belong. In fact, I stay late everyday to make sure my desk is cleaned. One area that I cannot keep organized is this. It contains letters sent from the office that I haven't read just yet, my folder to put my items to be laminated in, my notebook for sending notes home, write up slips, and a few other items that I want near. Any suggestions on what to do with this? It really bothers me! And I promise I clean it ALLL the time!