I had a very messy cabinet full of different colors of paper, which I use all the time, but couldn't find my way into or out of.  So I was hit with a revelation.... PAPER BOXES!

I took all the half-open paper packages that were hanging out everywhere and consolidated them into one color per box.  Now I can easily stack paper on top of each other, but am still able to pull one out without disrupting the whole stack.  I almost hear angels sing every time I open my cabinet :)

My classroom

Below are pictures of my classroom.  It's always a work in progress, but I'm pretty pleased with some of my new ideas to stay organized this year.

My attendance magnets.  Kids move them as they enter the room.  It's made taking attendance so much easier, and kids like it!

Our vocabulary board and calendar are front and center so students can keep an eye on what's expected of them.  Having long-term calendar dates up front has helped them stay organized too!

This is the slightly chaotic space behind my desk.  It's still a work in progress, but here's what it looks like so far

The 5 Kingdoms bulletin board is at the back of my room.  We color-code each kingdom to help us remember them: Blue Bacteria, Purple Protists, Brown Fungi (because most fungi are brown), Green Plants, and Red Animals (because most have blood...this was a contribution from my students)
Notice: There are four folder bins under the board.  These are great organizers and were totally FREE! They are the bins that folders are stored in at the store.  I asked Staples if I could have the empty ones on the shelf and they gladly gave me as many as I could carry! It never hurts to ask!

This is another work in progress, my Student Center.  There's a handful of stuff that kids always need, so instead of having them ask me every five seconds, I've made a place that is theirs to use.  It has labeled (of course) drawers for pencils, erasers, hole reinforcers, highlighters, glue, etc.  They have done a pretty good job keeping things organized!

This is my favorite addition this year...sadly I can't get the picture to face the correct direction! This is my new silver shelf from Target.  It's super sturdy and adjusts to your desired shelf heights.  Currently it's storing my countless bins of small office supplies and manipulatives that I use for class, as well as my AV equipment on the lower shelves.  It's so hard to find narrow shelves, but this one fits perfectly in my little corner!

 

Sterilite Shoebox - One of my good ole' standbys.  I think I have about two dozen of these guys.  I use them for everything! 

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Sterilite 3-Drawer Cubes - These come in a variety of sizes.  I use the paper-sized ones most often, although there are two or three of the 12x12 cubes on my wish list for my larger scrapbook paper!

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Sterilite 3-Drawer Cart - I started with just one of these, but I think I have ten at last count.  The wheels make reorganizing any room much easier!  They also travel very well.

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10-Drawer Scrapbook Cart - I only have one of these that I use in my classroom, but the colored drawers match my class colors perfectly so who could resist! They are pretty pricey retail, but Joann's often has them for a pretty good deal (about $30 or so).  Worth every penny!

My organizing standby's

Although my family jokingly mocks my strange attraction to organizing things, I think deep down they appreciate my "mad skills."  Every once in a while they'll ask if I can help them organize a closet or craft space, and I ask them to prepare with the following list.  I call it my basic recipe for organizing a room.  With these few basics, any room can look and feel more organized, and maybe even become more functional (gasp!).

List of types of objects (brushes, paint, etc.)
Size of space available - don't forget to think up! Using wall space can save tons of floor space!
Budget for organizational supplies (paper covered cereal boxes can be great magazine holders if the fancy metal ones are not in the budget...everyone can afford to be organized!)

I bring my laminator, computer and some scrapbook paper to make color coded labels.  What real organizing junkie can resist color coding?!?!  After a little bit of preparation and a few hours of labor, we turn a cluttered space into an organizational wonder!

I'd love to hear about your tips and tricks!
Suzy