My Label Maker ran out of tape!!!

It is a disaster!!!  I was right in the middle of labelling my new paper sorter too.  :( 

I was determined to get the office sorted today and I did it!  Even though I will need to catch up on the labels!  (ggrr)

Miss Smith came to school with me on Friday and helped get me started.... let's face it, she did a huge chunk of the heavy lifting for me.  

She got me started by pulling everything out of the cupboard (which was a bit of a mess) and sorting through everything.  I asked her to make two piles of folders (one for folders that were empty and one for all the others).  Then storage boxes that were filled went in one pile while empty storage boxes went in another.  Any loose paper work was then sorted into three piles.  First: worksheets/ printables/ copies/ booklets.  Second: Scary Teacher Paperwork (Miss S is not a teacher, so this was the best way to describe it to her).  Third: student work.  

Miss Smith did such a great job and I was ecstatic when I came back from a class to find my paperwork piles labelled with post-it notes.  She also sorted through my desk by piling up all the stationery products in one pile and the folders/ paperwork in another.  

This made it so much easier for me to tackle each of the paperwork piles.  I love Miss Smith.  After I sorted paperwork to be filed, Miss Smith filed it for me and then we put everything back in the cupboard in a much more orderly fashion.  

I took some advice from the Clutter Free Classroom to make a plan.  My main goal today was to get my desk cleared and functional again.  I purchased some new storage and had it in the corner so I had a place for everything as I needed it.  Admittedly, I am still using containers and folders that are recycled and left over from other places I’ve been.  While it would be nice to cull everything and buy brand new folders and shelves and containers so that everything is the same size and shape and colour, I can’t justify the expense.  So, for now, I will manage with what I have and purchase new items as I go.  Eventually I will get there.  

what used to pass as a tidy desk... still kinda scary.

Today I fixed up the desk and I have a few photos for you.  I don't have many "befores"….  sorry.  

This one looks okay, but you can see in the background how haphazard everything was in the cupboard.  

This is how the cupboard looks now.  :) 

At the bottom of the shelf are folders which house student records and teacher reference materials.   The stacked plastic crates are filled with resources and teacher stuff from previous years.  One of the stacks has empty/ partially filled crates for future storage.  

Here is my desk now! 

I cleared all the stationery into the drawers.  One (or two) of each  of the essentials are in the top drawer and extras are in the file cabinet beside my desk.  You can see I have a cup of pens on my desk. (CFC might frown at me, but I think I have done well) 

My planning and administration folders are in the full magazine box to the left and note books are in the blue one beside it.  I don't have anything in the grey one yet, but I will probably have a use for it by the end of the week.  

The four tier tray tower to the left are empty except for the top which has my photocopying folder and clipboard.  This was a dumping ground for paperwork in the past.  I did have them labelled: in, to do, to read, to file.  Then I had them labelled: Literacy Coaching, LNP year 8 (one subject I manage), LNP year 9 (the other subject I manage) and Scrap paper.  That did not work! 

I am thinking of using days of the week... I only go to school 4 days a week, so it will work just right, for now.  

The second draw you can see has my two bestest friends: chocolate and my label maker!
Of course there are the band aids, antibacterial and tissues, the case has "lady things" in it.
There are batteries, sticky velcro and a few other bits and pieces.  

Well, that's that then.  I hope you are proud of me.  I am.  

My  Teaching Partner, K, said I was so cute taking photos this afternoon and she was very proud of me.  I feel cleansed and refreshed.  Let's hope the feeling hangs around for a while.  

I am going to a writing workshop tomorrow (how to teach writing).  TPK is more excited than me and she isn't even going.  Poor Luv.   I'll let you know what the food is like.  LOL 

;) M