What time of year is it? Beginning of the year? Great! Then you’re probably motivated to get organized for the upcoming school year. Middle of the year? Then your room is probably a mess from the previous 5 months of not having time to clean it! So you NEED to organize! Is it the end of the year? Then times what I just said by 2 because you know you didn’t organize it in the middle of the year 😉 The lesson learned here is that there’s no one time to get organized. Now is the time. I’m not going to sit here and tell you to get bins and put things in them, I want to share with you some tangible things you can do right now that will impact your organization now and hopefully in the future!
#1 So one of the best things is to get yourself into a routine of being an organized person. Routine is your friend. Say that again: Routine is your friend. Here are 5 things to do before you leave each day:
• Clean off your desk!
• Get papers/materials out for the next day
• Grade at least ONE stack of papers
• File away the papers you copied today
• Check one item off of your to do list
Write them down right now so you don’t forget them and start doing them everyday before you leave school. You’ll be amazed in the matter of a week how much more organized you feel!
#2 Organization doesn’t always mean visual distress. (Sorry, I just laughed out loud when writing that. You walk into those rooms that give you visual distress, so you know what I’m laughing about). Organization can also mean behind the scenes. We’re so immersed in technology these days, why not let it do the organization for you! Here are 4 apps to save your organizational sanity!
• Classroom Organizer (Apple, Android) – This is a great one to use to help organize your classroom library! And it’s FREE!
• iDoceo ($$) – (Apple only) – This is an amazing app, and SO worth the money! Anything from gradebook, class seating charts, organizing notes and forms – this is it!
• Wonderlist – (Apple, Android) – Post it notes to go is basically what this app does for you! Have you ever had a list and left it at school? Or had a list that had school AND home items? Wonderlist can help organize all of your list needs!
• Confer ($$) – (Apple, Android) – Do you do running records and have a hard time staying organized with all of your notes? Then this is the app for you! Yes, it does cost money – but think of how much time you will save and how much more information you’ll be able to track about your students!
#3 Sometimes, all it takes is a visual to help stay organized. Monkey see monkey do! Here are 3 visuals for both you and students!
• Dry Erase Reminder Board – Keep a dry erase board by your door with the word ‘Reminders’ written at the top. Write EVERYTHING on it that you need to be reminded of – maybe even if it doesn’t involve the students! Let them help you stay organized and then think of what kind of model you’re setting for your students!
• Absent Work Bin – If you don’t have one, GET one! There are TONS of ideas on Pinterest on how to start them!
• Label EVERYTHING – This isn’t good for just you – it helps your classroom turn into a self functioning space. The classroom is for the students. By labeling everything it helps keep the students just as organized as yourself!
#4 Sometimes being organized does cost a little money. So get out your pocketbook! (Do we even call it that anymore?) Here are 2 products you NEED to buy!
• Weekly checklists – You make them anyways, why not make something PERMANENT that you can keep all year long! Here’s are some great ones from Ashley Schroeder!
• Trash Bags – Yes, I said it. Binge and purge people! Get rid of it if you haven’t used it if you haven’t used it in 2-3 years. If you need it later, you have my permission to buy it!
#5 – LAST TIP! Organize your post it notes. I can’t tell you how much better my desk looks and how much I get done because my post it notes are organized. Here’s what I’m talking about:
<——– This way I’m not just looking at 4-5 different notes scattered all over my desk! Grab if for free here! Thank you Brooke!
So I hope you found SOMETHING today to help you get a little more organized, because face it – we can ALL use help in that area! If you <3 these tips – you can grab them on this printable handout! Feel free to print and share them with a friend 🙂 Grab it HERE!
Ok, so I’m not going to lie. The BEST way to get organized in when you have adorable post its, papers, and calendars to make everything look pretty – am I right? Blair Turner Papers can help you with that! She has just the most crisp, clean, and beautiful papers for every possible classroom and at home need! She is letting me give TWO of my amazing followers a $50 GIFT CARD to use at her website! If you haven’t been there, definitely check it out now! Are you drooling yet?
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