CFC Challenge- Week 2- Organizing Rules!

So, this week's Clutter-Free Classroom Challenge is to create your "rules" for organizing.



When I've read posts like this in the past, I see a lot of people posting things like "If I haven't used it in two years, it's gone."

Mine needs to be a little different. For one, I'm a new teacher- only in my own classroom for the 2nd year, so I don't have closets and closets of stuff. Plus, I will more than likely be moving in a few months, and who knows? I could teach kindergarten through 6th with my current license! I can't just throw out the more "primary" things because I'm in 3rd now, because I don't know if I could soon be  in a younger classroom.

My Rules:
- If it's a hand-me-down from another teacher that I don't use and just plain don't like, I must get rid of it.
- If it's a decoration with no purpose other than decoration, unless I LOVE it, it needs to go.
- Keep only one copy of papers (unless there is a whole class set copied already, because I like the environment too much to throw whole sets out!)
- Anything that might be of use to other teachers goes in the teacher's lounge before the trash.
- If it's something that can only be organized in a "miscellaneous" category, it needs to go.
- I can only keep one shelf's worth of "random containers for some later purpose." Yes, every teacher could have ten million of these- great containers you just can't stand to part with- but the crux of the matter is that I can't save them all.
- Whenever possible, use the 15 minutes after school for tidying up or organizing something. A little time specifically set aside for it every day is bound to help me maintain the organization.
- All containers in storage get labeled.
- Useful trumps cute.
- I will use photos and blog posts to keep me accountable every week, even when it's embarrassing. (You all can really help me with that!)


Progress this week...

Well, I have definitely made some on my back counter and desktop, but unfortunately, my Internet at home has been dead for almost a week and I can't upload photos right now. (That's why this post was so late!)

 It's not too late to join, if you'd like to organize your classroom and your teaching life! :) We're only a few baby steps in.