Organizing

How many of you have a massive drawer or container of stickers?

If you are a primary teacher you probably do.

I wanted to share one of my organization tips with you.

Like most of you I love containers, containers, and more containers.  A number of years ago I picked up this little expanding file from Big Lots that has about fourteen or fifteen sections in it.  Didn't know what I was going to use it for but I liked it so that was all that mattered, right!?

Inside of this handy, dandy thing-a-ma-jig I now have all my stickers.  Yes, you heard that correctly, ALL!

I cut file folders down to a size that would fit in each section and added a sticker to the front with the name of a month.  I got the stickers I used at the Dollar Tree in their scrap booking section.

Then, I sorted all the stickers into folders.  If they went with  a specific month they went into that file.  If they could be used for anytime they went into an "anytime" folder.  If they were subject specific they went into a "spelling" or "science" folder.  If it was a sheet of stickers that was too large to fit in the folder, I just cut it in half or fourths, or whatever so it fit.

Now, each month I pull that month's sticker folder and keep it in a spot where I can use it easily while correcting papers.

No more digging through a messy drawer or container searching for the dang snowman stickers for what seems like forever.

In addition to the drawer of stickers, I've tried using baggies for sorting my stickers in the past, but this is my favorite and by far most successful and easy solution.

I keep this on a shelf behind my new small group/desk area.

Also on this shelf I have my two Sterilite Clearview 3 drawer storage units that I keep my daily teaching materials in.

I have one drawer labeled for each day of the week and the extra drawer is sub only materials.

My kiddos know where to go to grab a set of papers or book, etc. for me if I need it.  I literally can say, "So and so, go grab today's math papers and bring them to me."  I also can pull the day's drawer out and take it with me anywhere in the room.

Every sub that I've had has made positive comments about the drawer system.

I've used hanging file folders in the past and the papers slipped and bent.  Didn't like that!

I've not had any problems getting everything to fit in the drawers, but I don't do a ton of paperwork.  However, you can get drawers that are wider or deeper.  Mine are slightly larger than 8 1/2" X 11" paper size.

The only thing I don't put in the drawers are art projects, big books, or manipulatives.

If you give either of these ideas a try, I'd love to know what you think.