Store Your Stuff!

Recently I posted about how I prep the TpT activities I create & buy, so I thought it would be good to share how I store my Literacy Stations materials.

I'll start with the before:

These file boxes aren't the worst way to store monthly materials, but they aren't the best way, either. On the plus side ~ they don't take up a lot of room in my work room. (We are super lucky to have tons of storage. Click HERE to see an old post that shows my half of the work room.) Really, hanging files are a pretty good way to store things. But... (see next picture)

Getting the files out to use with my guided reading groups was a pretty messy ordeal. I use materials I've made plus resources purchased from others on TpT. That's a lot of stuff to have to deal with when planning for my groups. (Click HERE to read more on how I plan for small group instruction.) So, I needed to come up with a better way to store things so that they are a little more user friendly.

Side note ~ zipper bags & a Sharpie are a MUST HAVE! I like to label the bags with the month they go with as well as the name of the activity. This is helpful when putting things away ~ I don't necessarily use everything in its "assigned" month. Differentiation, you know. ;-)

Anyway, back to my storage drama. Like I said ~ the hanging file folders were not a bad way to store the materials, but not so great when it came to using them. I bought these nifty containers that have locking lids at Target that are just the right size for holding a month's worth of activities. They are plenty big enough to hold any papers that go along with the cards. The containers are easy to use when planning my groups & sit neatly on the counter behind my table, unlike the file folders that spilled their contents all over the counter behind my table.

They stack neatly together & really don't take up much more space on my work room counter than the two hanging file boxes. 

What about you? How do you store your small group materials? Drop a comment to share your ideas and/or links ~ I'd love to get a peek at how you organize your stuff! Thanks for reading!

Organization and Storage

I try - I really do! - to be organized. Here are a few pictures of my attempts at creating an organized classroom. If you have any ideas to share, please do! I would love to hear them.

I know - you've seen this picture before. But I love the way inexpensive dish tubs hold things. They are light weight and easy for Kinders to carry.

My side of the workroom. I share this workroom with one of my partners (our third partner is sadly down the hall and has her own work space.) Our Terrific Teaching Assistant uses the table and desks in the middle when working with students.

In a recent post I stated that I was at school until nearly 5:00 PM. I was organizing this corner. It's amazing how quickly stuff piles up. (Oops! I guess I didn't get everything - the green basket contains various parts and pieces. ...that's for another day.)

These file crates hold all of my file folder & envelope games as well as other things that will fit in a hanging file folder. I have them categorized by subject (Language and Math), then organized by skill.

My craft supply cabinet. One summer day I recruited my college aged daughter to make the labels for each bin. As you can see, I removed some bins in order to fit large items like construction paper.

The space above the cubbies holds tons of stuff! Most of the lower cabinets house my read aloud collection. The high cabinets contain seasonal items.

 Ziploc bags and clothespins...an organizational mainstay in my classroom.

Reuse - Repurpose - Recycle

I am a firm believer in reusing, repurposing, and recycling whenever possible.  Not only does it help the environment, but it helps to stretch my teaching dollar!  I snapped a few pictures today of a few of my "RE's" to share.  If you have any interesting ways to "RE" something, please comment below.  I'd like to learn some other ways to use free or cheap stuff!

I admit it - I am a container junkie.  This cabinet holds a variety of containers: drink mix canisters, plastic bowls from noodle entrees, cups, coffee filters, and some little black foam plates that I have been using for years as "trays" to hold sequins, pompons, and other small craft supplies.

A wipes container makes a perfect paint brush holder.

My secret "hoard."  I purchase mushrooms every week and had always tossed the blue tubs into the recycling bin until one day I realized that they make wonderful little corrals for lots of materials.  (And the beauty of them is that if they get ruined I know that I will get a new one every week!)

A mushroom tub in use.  The blue rectangle beneath it is a piece of craft foam left over from a long-ago craft project.

If you know anyone with a baby ask her to save Gerber babyfood containers.  These little plastic boxes are good for many applications.  Here is the die from my Pots of Gold skip counting freebie.  I have also used these containers to "prepackage" small art supplies, and to dole out small manipulatives.  The lids snap on securely, so they are portable!

TV dinner trays make super sorting trays.  This bin is from my Math Center.

 

 This photo is elsewhere in my blog, but I thought I'd include it to show a use for the wonderfully versitile dish tub.

Glitter Station.  We use lots of glitter in our projects, and needed a way to keep it under control.  (After a particularly messy crafting session one of my students worried about what the custodian would think about the glitter on the floor.  Another student reassured her that our custodian might think that it was just another Christmas decoration!)  Anyway, a lid from copy paper box fitted with a large piece of construction paper makes a perfect glitter station.  The glitter is in a lunchbox apple sauce bowl.  Students place their project into the lid and glitter away.  Simply lift the paper out to funnel the excess glitter back into the cup

Cereal box template.

 

 These are the abacuses from my Skip Counting by twos activity.  I made them from the backing of a used up pad of chart paper.

Egg carton ten frames.  Simply cut off two egg cups to create a ten frame that can hold a multitude of objects. 

                                             
Lids, lids, lids!  So many lids and so many uses.  These "live' in our Math Center for counting and sorting, but they are frequently called to duty to hold wiggle eyes or other small items for craft projects.  They also are great for holding a dab of Tacky Glue or a smidge of paint.

Cheapo plates from Walmart.  (Four plates for 50 cents!)  The raised sides make perfect trays for keeping manipulatives in place.

 

 Another Walmart end-of-season find.  I have two wonderful Pencil Parents who sharpen pencils for us at home.  What a time saver!  Every Friday I trade out dull work-weary pencils for nice pointy ones.  Students are also able to swap out pencils when needed because we have them everywhere!

I have to give a nod to Dr. Jean for this one.  Repurpose page protectors into wearable signs.  Depending upon what you put into them, you can practice word families, numbers, etc.

Livestock water trough, cookie sheets, non-working fishing rod, and garage sale TV stand create a fun magnet center.

Such a lovely table!  This past summer when my daughter was moving into her new appartment at college someone was moving out across the hall.  He offered her this parson's desk.  She didn't want it, but figured I would.  My hubby sawed off the legs to make it kindergarten height, and PRESTO!  a table for our Discovery Center! 

Another lovely table.  It came from my parents' basement and is now used as a "Skill Spot."  The great thing about Kinders is the fact that they don't care what furnature looks like!  They are happy to have little spaces to work.

On the table pictured above are two more repurposed items - a little trash can (new) and some plastic popcorn containers that hold foam popcorn shaped sight word cards.