2.03.2012

My Work Space: Clutter Free!

I took a challenge from Clutter Free classroom to clean up my work space, and it was needed. I was tired of walking into my classroom and the messiest, most cluttered area in the room being my area!

Here is a link to the before shots. This was a fairly easy transformation. A little work with big results!
 This is the view from the door. I removed all the graphic organizers from wall. I try really hard to keep the top of the brown shelf clean. I added the lanterns to bring the eye up. That was a tip from a reader and it made a huge difference!
 Here is a close up of my work space. I don't have a traditional teacher's desk, so I work and teach from here. I do guided reading groups, science experiments, social studies study groups, writing conferences, you name it...it's done here, so I need this space to work for me!



 I moved the rainbow drawer unit to the student area. They can fix those drawers all day long...they were driving me nuts! I moved the students' white drawer units to my area. I use those to keep work for each subject/class throughout the day (we are partially departmentalized). I already had the scrapbooking paper lining the inside of the drawer, but it helps bring unity and color to the plastic drawers. It dresses them up a little, dontcha think?



  I had these plastic drawers on my brown books shelf already, but they were down low on the bottom/near bottom shelf. I had all the teacher guides and notebooks on the top shelf. By swapping the shelf the items were stored on, I brought unity and color to the most visible shelf (top shelf). I have the exact same materials, just in different places. The notebooks and teacher guides look kinda "junky" even though they are in great shape. It's just a lot of broken color and shapes and sizes. Now they are not visible unless you are behind my desk. 


 I raised this table up about an inch, and slid my filing cabinet under it. I don't know if you can tell, but I have a table skirt and ribbon on top of the colorful drawers. I can't decide if I want to add it or not. It would be in the way. I am in and out of those drawers throughout the day for supplies. But if I decide to add it, I have the materials ready to go!

 What do you think?  It's going to take work for me to keep the top of that shelf clean, but other than that it's been an easy, breezy change!

I have LOTS more pictures of my classroom that I'll be sharing over the next few weeks, so check back soon!

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9 comments:

  1. WOW Tracy, that is a huge transformation, but I can see that you still have the same resources. I hope it works for you. I would love to hear how it's going in a couple of weeks! I am in the process of decluttering my teaching/office space and you have given me some great ideas. Thanks :)

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  2. AWESOME!! What a ton of work you did!! Everything looks so organized! I love, love, love the scrapbook-paper lined drawers, I've been thinking of trying that for awhile and you have definitely convinced me.

    Congratulations on your gorgeous room!!
    Kristen

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  3. your space looks great and inspriing me to get crackin! I can't wait to move to a bigger room next year so I can incorporate some of these idea :)

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  4. It looks great. Am wondering where you purchased your lanterns? Colors match my room perfectly and i

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  5. LOVE it! I can't wait to come volunteer just so I can see your cool new room!

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  6. I'm curious. Is that paper around the bottom of your kidney table/desk ? Or is it material? How do you make it stick. If it is paper does it last very long? If you teach at that table I would think students might fool with the paper or material and ruin it quickly. I really like the look and it would hide some of the things I put under the tablle too.

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  7. I would love to know what is on your table too. I have a desk that does not have a flat front and would love to cover it. I am thinking of using cardboard and covering it with bulletin board paper and border to change the look.

    Heather Mix
    An Interesting Mix

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  8. The table skirt is cheap fabric. I hot glued it to the edge of the table, let it hang down, then cut it right where it hit the floor. I only gut about 6 inches, then I ripped the rest, and it rips straighter than I can cut. I hot glued the green ribbon over the blue fabric. It's been up all year and the only place that has to be reattached is the place were it starts, on the back side of the desk, I think from me rubbing against it.

    I have wooden stools I "hide" underneath, enough seating for my largest group (8) including the one blue chair. I'm one stool short!

    I would not use paper and border, it's less forgiving than fabric and ribbon. It's harder to cut, will wrinkle, is noisy, and it tears. The fabric is quiet, it moves up and down easily to store materials, and the kids have not had a single problem with it.


    I got the paper lanterns from Hobby Lobby. They were 3 in a pack for 7.99. All 3 were the same color, but in 3 different sizes. Watch for the 40% off coupons and go for it!

    I can't wait to see what you guys do in your rooms!

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  9. Wow, you look so organized already! I love the look of the drawers with the matching paper lining the front, too.

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