Day 6: Still Helping the Kids and Myself Get Organized

The last thing that I did yesterday was to put each group's box of binders in a separate place. I first had them all on the trapezoid table. Then I decided that it was a bad idea for them all to go to the same spot at the same time so I separated them. I wanted them all to have their binders at approximately the same time when we begin small group instruction. The Toad group comes to me straight from the carpet so I put their box of binders underneath the radio that I use for whole group. They finish up their rotations in workstations so it works for them to return them there as well. The Terrier group begins their rotations in workstations so I left theirs on the trapezoid table. The finish up with independent work at the blue table which is right beside the trapezoid table making it easy for them to return their binders. The group crayon container as well as the "carousel" that holds the pencils, glue sticks, and scissors also go on the trapezoid table so they can easily return them as well. I put the binders for the Turtle group on the desk by the dry erase board right in front of the small group area. While the Toads are getting their binders, the Turtles can go get theirs and go to the independent area before the Toads get to the small group area. They end up with me, which makes it easy to leave their binders right there.

I also put the bumpy and smooth blending cards in page protectors inside a binder. I am going to leave it with the materials for small group. If for any reason they have to wait on me, they can use those cards to practice with each other. Theoretically, they should be easier to keep up with inside the binder and not as easy to drop and scatter.

Day 1: An Address Book for my Storage

Ok, I have decided to try to do at least one small thing each day to get better organized and to write about it. I figure that if I commit to writing about it, then maybe I will be more likely to follow through. Since moving back from Memphis, I have been doing small things to organize. I just haven't been that consistent with it.

My first piece of organization is to be able to find the things that I have stored. If life were perfect for me, I would be able to see everything that I need at first glance. However, now I have much too much stuff to be able to do that so I need to use a storage system that actually stores things out of sight. My problem with that has always been that whenever something is put away "in a safe place", I can never remember where I put it.

Here is my solution. I commandeered an old address book from my nephew. He wasn't really using it anyway. In this address book, I am going to write the "address" of each of my items or collection of items. That way when Christmas comes around next year, I will be able to use the Christmas pencils that I bought on clearance and promptly lost once spring got here. I can also group all of my things together that are alike and won't have small stashes all over the house.

To make things easier on myself, I am going to cross-reference in my address book. For example, this past fall, I dressed up as Miss Haversham from Great Expectations. I have stored my costume with my summer clothes underneath the steps in the laundry room. I will list the location under: Miss Haversham, Great Expectations, book characters, costume, and wedding. Sometimes I am bad at remembering the correct name for something. I never know which one of these things I will remember first so I can just put it under each spot.

Now I just have to have a good place to keep it so that I can find it when I need to find it.