New Bags for Fall

With school starting, I've been swamped.  I promise I'll be posting more often with organizing tips.  However, I wanted to share the new Thirty-One Gifts catalog with you.  There are some fabulous new patterns this fall and a new Super Organizing Utility Tote.  This one zips closed.  Many of you have emailed me asking if the Organizing Utility Tote had a cover like the Large Utility Tote does.  Finally, I can answer yes!!!. Here are a few of the new items.  Also this month if you spend $31 you can order another item and receive 31% off the second item.  If you are interested in ordering, you can shop my website.

Thirty-One Gifts

Large Utility Tote item #3121

"NEW Super Organizing Tote Item #3893

Organizing Utility Tote Item #3105

Organizing Parent Helpers

I'm back in the classroom.  I haven't been able to post for a while due to not being allowed in my classroom.  Now that we are in there working  and preparing for our students I can once again share my quick organizing tips with all my readers.  I have a parent volunteer system that I've been using for 20 years now.  It is so simple.  I use large manila envelopes that have been laminated.  I place the prep work, directions and a sample, if necessary inside the envelope. The envelopes are placed in a box outside my classroom door.  Parents can sign-out an envelope and return it by the due date.  Usually I have prep work that involves cutting, tracing or stapling.  Below is what my envelopes look like.  I've also included some free decorate labels to attach to the front of your container.  Just click the polka dot label to get your freebie.

Puzzle Storage

Storing puzzles in the classroom has always been such a challenge.  I can't stand the wire puzzle racks as all puzzles aren't created equal.  Some are just too big or too small to fit the rack.  This leaves the puzzles falling and scattering pieces all about. I don't like to store things away form the kids- out of sight means out of mind.  After searching for better puzzle storage I came across a few different options.  I decided to go with the containers.  Shocking I know given my recent confession in regards to my plastic container obsession.  After several trips to the Dollar Store I found enough different sized containers to fit my puzzle pieces.

Large Floor Puzzles
The large blue containers are a much needed improvement over the cardboard boxes as you can see from my photos below.  I salvaged the picture from the box and taped it to the inside of the  lid, so students will have it to refer to.  I labeled the front of the box with a number and did the same for the back of each puzzle piece.  This way when I do find a random puzzle piece I will know exactly which container to put it in.

Tray Puzzles 
I really debated over what to do with these.  As I said earlier I was using the wire rack, but the rack didn't work, puzzles always fell.  Originally I bought smaller plastic containers to put them in and my intention was to label the puzzle pieces with numbers and write the corresponding number on the puzzle board. I would really like to use this system.  However,the containers do take up more space,and I just don't have the room.  Instead I stacked all the tray puzzles in one large plastic container that is kept on the shelf next to the big floor puzzles.  I will rotate these puzzles for the kids to use.

Someday I may get super creative and take a photo of each puzzle and put it in a photo album with the puzzle number, for the kids to flip through and select their puzzle.  Until then, they will just have to use the method I'v put into place.

Organize Your Classroom Blog Hop

This is a fabulous post over at Raibows Within Reach.  So many different organizing ideas all in one place.  I just had to share.  Grab a snack and hop over there.  Be ready to take notes there are some great ideas.

Student Supplies: Staying Organized

Creating access to all the supplies students need to do their daily work, can be challenging.  Over the years I've tried different approaches, table top caddies being used as communal property, a supply station, ziplock bags inside desks and individual pencil boxes.  When I was teaching second and third grade, I used individual pencil boxes for students to keep their supplies in.  I felt the students were old enough to be responsible for their own belongings.  Each student was given a pencil box that contained pencils, erasers, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors and a glue stick.  It was their responsibility to keep track of their supplies.  If they were to lose something, they would be able to borrow what they needed from my left-over container. The left-over container was made up of old supplies from the previous year and supplies I'd find on the floor after-school.

Using the pencil box approach was great for older students, but kindergartners and first graders are messy and not all were capable of keeping track of their items.  I'll admit that last year I did try the pencil boxes with my kindergartners and it was a huge disaster.  Mid year I collected the boxes and brought out the shared table caddies.  Having these little ones share supplies worked well.  Best of all it taught them to SHARE and learn to WAIT THEIR TURN.

This year I'll use table caddies again.  I found these last spring at Target and decided to save them for the new year.  You can often find containers like these at the Dollar Tree or Target's Dollar Spot ($2.50), or pay more at places like Really Good Stuff and Oriental Trading.  I've also found some similar to these in the auto department at Walmart.

To go with my new theme this year in my room, I've made table labels.  I printed the labels onto card stock, used my personal laminator from Costco- only $20, and then I used my Xyron sticker maker to apply adhesive to the back.  To keep the caddies clean, I am using frosting containers to hold everything.  I know what you are thinking, that is a lot of frosting- Yes it was, but my kids make cupcakes all the time- we've been saving the containers all year.

You can grab your labels right here for FREE!!!

The Ultimate Bag and a Super Sale

Many of you know I am a Thirty-One Gifts consultant.  I love their bags and have far too many according to my family.  I wanted to share with all my readers, this month's special.  If you've always wanted that Large Utility Tote, now's your chance to get it for only $10 when you spend $35.  So if you loved my Teacher Work Bag, now you can get it for $30, have it monogrammed, then get the Large Utility Tote for $10.  That's two great bags perfect for the upcoming school year.

MY WORK BAG: THE ORGANIZING UTILITY TOTE #3105

LARGE UTILITY TOTES

Storing Construction Paper

Construction paper is something we all have in our classrooms.  However, the majoirty of us probably store it the same way, in stacks.  Depending on how tall your stack is, it can be really hard to get to the papers on the bottom.  Last year I used a file crate with hanging folders to hold my paper, but the crate had to sit out on the counter taking up a lot of space.  A few days ago while rummaging through our local Beverly's Craft Outlet store, I came upon these.  I have about 10 of these at home in my craft room all holding scrapbook paper. When I saw these I immediately thought construction paper.  Not sure why I've never thought of it before.  They hold about 200 sheets of paper, don't take up much space, and they will fit in my cupboard.  I payed about $2 for each of mine because our store is closing, but you can get them at most craft stores and on Amazon for around $7 or $8 and probably cheaper with a coupon.  They are the Cropper Hopper 12x12 Paper Holders.    For the 12x18 construction paper, I still have to stack it in my cupboard.  my husband is cutting me extra shelves to add to the cupboard so I can have only two colors per shelf. Pictures for those will be soon.