I just recently started following The Clutter-Free Classroom blog. They have some wonderful ideas about how to declutter your spaces, including how to purge unused items and organize the things you actually need in
your classroom. I’ve gotten really into this idea lately and have spent a bunch of extra time over the last few
weeks tackling the project of cleaning out my classroom.
I have to admit, things have gotten pretty messy over the last few years. Art teachers naturally accumulate a lot of materials, including those things that I like to call “treasures.” You know, the items that most people would throw away in a second, but as art teachers we hoard them for when they might be useful for some type of creation. The problem is that I've just accumulated too much junk and over the years and these items have been tossed into random piles everywhere, making for a very messy art room.
It’s been a slow road trying to organize. I decided to tackle the storage room first because it was in the worst shape. I went through each area of the room, sorting out things I didn’t use or want anymore into piles: items someone else could use, trash and recycling. I compiled a list of all the things I didn’t want and e-mailed them to the other art teachers in the district. Within a matter of hours everything was claimed! I also compiled two boxes for goodwill, a few for trash, and a few for the recycling bins.
It’s amazing how much better you feel when you don’t have to look at a mess all the time. I’ve posted a before and after photo below. There is still more organizing that I can do down the road to make it even better. However, I now feel compelled to tackle my office and the kiln room. I also need to devise a plan for keeping it all clean and clutter-free!
If you are interested in this topic, you may also want to check out Zenhabits. They have been hosting a “Clutterfat Challenge” all month. Really good ideas about how and why you should get rid of things taking up space in your home.
your classroom. I’ve gotten really into this idea lately and have spent a bunch of extra time over the last few
weeks tackling the project of cleaning out my classroom.
I have to admit, things have gotten pretty messy over the last few years. Art teachers naturally accumulate a lot of materials, including those things that I like to call “treasures.” You know, the items that most people would throw away in a second, but as art teachers we hoard them for when they might be useful for some type of creation. The problem is that I've just accumulated too much junk and over the years and these items have been tossed into random piles everywhere, making for a very messy art room.
It’s been a slow road trying to organize. I decided to tackle the storage room first because it was in the worst shape. I went through each area of the room, sorting out things I didn’t use or want anymore into piles: items someone else could use, trash and recycling. I compiled a list of all the things I didn’t want and e-mailed them to the other art teachers in the district. Within a matter of hours everything was claimed! I also compiled two boxes for goodwill, a few for trash, and a few for the recycling bins.
It’s amazing how much better you feel when you don’t have to look at a mess all the time. I’ve posted a before and after photo below. There is still more organizing that I can do down the road to make it even better. However, I now feel compelled to tackle my office and the kiln room. I also need to devise a plan for keeping it all clean and clutter-free!
If you are interested in this topic, you may also want to check out Zenhabits. They have been hosting a “Clutterfat Challenge” all month. Really good ideas about how and why you should get rid of things taking up space in your home.
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