Clutter-Free Classroom Project: Week 3

It’s Week Three in the Clutter-Free Classroom Project!  Part of the prompt said, “Let us see those trash bags bursting at the seams, the recycling bins filled to the brim, and the boxes of treasures waiting to be welcomed into the lives of other teachers…” and I was beginning to panic.  Then I looked at the title of the assignment and took a deep breath.  If you look closely at the graphic, printed under “The Clutter-Free Classroom Project,” you can read the challenge: “Week 3: START to Purge the Clutter.”  Okay, I’ll admit: I added the capital letters to the word, START.  But I sure felt a lot better after I did!  (I’m sure Jodi doesn’t want us hyperventilating—or giving up!)

 

I guess I am just a “baby steps” person. In my heart, I want to be a “giant steps” person, but I find it is pretty easy to get discouraged when I think like that.  When I originally checked, no one had posted any pictures, and I didn't want to be first.* That made me nervous all over again because some lucky declutterer might have filled a dumpster and I had just gotten started.  But then some real nice people posted and I felt better.  Again.

*(By the way, it seems like I only enjoy being first when I can beat Hadar, Farley, or Reagan to posting first on Teeny Tiny Teacher’s site—and those gals must be fast typists because I rarely win!) (And, meandering FURTHER off topic, which I am justifying by using yet another set of parentheses, did you know that Farley and Reagan met up with several other BlogFriends on Friday, and  I am so, So, very SO, THO jealous!!! I AM expecting pictures!)

Back to decluttering…

A million years ago, in January, I posted some pictures of some huge piles of school stuff in my house.  I took several boxes out of my classroom because my room was looking so cluttered and I no longer knew what was in the boxes!  (Note to self:  Bringing unidentified school stuff home is usually a bad idea!).  Once I photographed the piles, I felt even worse… but not as bad as I did when I decided to spread all of that wonderfulness {heaping sarcasm} all over my house.

Which is why I mentioned those baby steps…

I had to start somewhere.  So I began with the pile in my house.  (Here I need to clarify:  It’s the pile that was photographed.  Please do not infer that other piles--of school stuff and home stuff--cannot be found elsewhere!)

I started the clean-up with seventeen boxes—seventeen boxes filled with a peculiar combination of items.  First, I put away the Christmas presents, which, in some cases, meant I ATE my way through the Christmas presents!  Then there seemed to be a clothing section, so the scarf, mittens, and socks from the Washington trip (and a collection of hangers) were put in their rightful spaces.  I never found the cupcake that went missing, but a few pieces of chocolate resurfaced (not hard to figure out where those went) along with two Starbucks cards that went directly into my purse.  There were also several things that went back to the classroom (they already had homes there).  And some bills were paid, important papers were filed, and a recipe for an Indian dish that was in the math practice book (No, I don’t know why) was instead relocated to the front of a cookbook.

What became obvious as I dug deeper was that several of the boxes were filled with books—mixed in with other debris.  So, I pulled all the books together in boxes and labeled them, “Books.” (Crafty, aren’t I?)  These books need to be labeled and leveled to be put into my classroom library, but it was clear that they were books and not cupcakes, so that put my mind at ease.

That left three boxes to be sorted.  I turned on some less-than-educational TV and got through the first box.  Two boxes remain.  If you can’t read the label, it says, “Items to be sorted (Gee I wish I knew where this stuff went!)”  I did give the piles a quick perusal to determine that there was nothing critical, time-sensitive, or living.  The recycling bin shows the evidence, but I’ll leave the “trash” to your imagination.  

I have a lot more to do.  But I have made a START.  After all, that’s what the graphic said.  And typing this post has given me motivation to look in the second box.  There may be more Starbucks cards to uncover or another piece of chocolate.  I just hope I don’t come across that missing cupcake.

Now, click on  the Cluuter-Free picture up above or here and read some more decluttering tales.

AND check back here at Finding Joy in 6th Grade on Sunday, January 22nd, because I have interviewed Maria Dismondy, author of the new children's book, Pink Tiara Cookies for Three and I just KNOW you are going to love her.  You may be the one who takes home a copy of her book (and a tiara cookie cutter too!)

What?
Can't wait until Sunday?
Want a chance for a copy of Maria's book right NOW?
Here's an idea... Click below to go to The Corner on Character.  She's GIVING AWAY a copy of the book AND a pink tiara cookie cutter!!  And then stay awhile and read some of Barbara's other posts!  She is amazing!

Oh, and one last (I did say LAST) thing...
Tara at 4th Grade Frolics is just two blinks away from reaching 800 followers.  EIGHT HUNDRED.  That's really a lot.  And she has a great blog!  Right now she's at 798.  But since 800 feels like a LOT more than 798, you could jump over, become a follower, and give her that 800  It could be you who brings JOY to sweet Tara's day.  Wouldn't that feel nice?  So, just do it!  Click below. Be the one...