Clutter Free Classroom Challenge...My Plans

I'm linking up with Clutter Free Classroom to help me get more organized in 2013!

HERE is my post from last week's challenge (If you REALLY want to see my clutter...ugh! I'm closing my eyes!).

This week's challenge was to simply share your plans on how you plan to get more organized.

Well, let's review....

My Clutter:

#1 TOO MANY BOOKS
#2 IN TOO MANY PLACES
#3 IN BASKETS THAT DON'T MATCH
#4 WITH NO LABELS

So here is my plan to tackle this clutter:

#1 Bring one basket home a night to go through and decide which books to keep and which to donate to our Great Book Giveaway that is housed in our Media Center.  I will keep only the ones that are used and pertain to my theme instruction.  Also, I have a large basket of books that need to be DRA labeled and added to my leveled baskets that stay out all year.

#2  Walk around my room and find all the different nooks and crannies where I have books stored.  I will house ALL MY BOOKS in the same location, unless they are books that stay out in my classroom all year (which I do have many of those as well).

#3  Look at the baskets that I do have and see what I ABSOLUTELY need.  Now, I know my OCD just doesn't like this mismatched basket issue, but I keep telling myself that the themed books are hiding behind curtains at the back of my room.  It really shouldn't matter to me that they don't match because nobody will see them but me.  So I have convinced myself to compromise (for now).  I will try my best to make each storage shelf unit (there are three side by side) have matching baskets.  This will at least make me feel a little better.

Does anyone else have this problem with basket that don't match?  Please tell me you do so I will feel normal again. Ugh!

#4  Make labels for all of my baskets.  I already have a label template that I used around my classroom for other book baskets.  I will use the same one and make theme labels, laminate them, and attach them to each basket.  This will make it so much easier for me...right now, I have to pull down a basket and look at what is inside.  CRAZY!

So that's my plan and I am sticking to it (or at least I will try to)!

Well, for those of you who know that I am not a procrastinator...I found a few extra hours on Wednesday, so I HAD to get started!  I was excited!

Of course, what did I start with?

Not concern #1!

Concern #3!

First, I appraised my unmatched basket situation and did a little reorganizing to see if I had enough baskets to SOMEWHAT match each shelving section.  

Here are my findings!

Before

After

Before

After

Last shelf section (sorry no before picture).

I think it is starting to look a little bit better.  I still don't like all the mismatched baskets in the second section but I will see what I can find.  Ideally MY OCD SELF would love to find four more blue baskets and then that entire section will match.   However, I might just have to settle for two white baskets for the top shelf.

So that is my clutter....it's getting better.  

And I LOVE that there are others out there that are just as motivated to organize their clutter thanks to The Clutter Free Classroom.

Go link up, get rid of your clutter, and share your ideas.

Happy Blogging!

Ann