The Mess

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?"
--Albert Einstein

I am a stacker.  Given the chance I will stack piles of papers, books, folders - anything, anywhere and everywhere.  So today, during our work time in the classroom, I took out my desk.  It was a big step.  A desk is like, security.  Your place for your things.  I didn't need it though.  I never went near it when the kids were in the room and when they were out I always sat at a table to grade papers, or do other work, because my desk was always stacked a mile high with junk!  My cousin donated a bookshelf with sections and I used it to organize everything.  It actually worked out so that I had space to put everything in an organized manner with room to spare.  The best part, there is no way to stack anything.

I still have my space but I take up about 6 feet less of prime real estate in the classroom and I have to be organized.  Forced organization is the best way to keep it straight.  On an even more positive note, I was able to put up pictures of my babies on the side so I can see them every day.  Much better then knocking over a frame all the time.

I also found a great tip for organizing construction paper on a blog called "Two Things In Common."  I filed it all away in my hanging file folders so it is not falling all over the place sitting on top of the cabinets.  (This is her photo, not mine, but mine looks exactly the same!)



I love having the time to organize some of the classroom.  I may be a stacker, but all of those stacks stress me out!  Life is so much calmer when everything has its place.  Any other ideas on organizing the classroom?

"Out of clutter, find simplicity."
--Albert Einstein