Need help getting organized? Then you’ve come to the right place! This post details seven simple organizing hacks for teachers that can be used all year long! These organizing hacks donβt break the bank and they are super easy to implement.
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Simple Organizing Hack #1- Sort Items by Monthly Topics
My first simple organizing hack idea is to sort your teaching items and activities by monthly topic.
Investing in this 10-Drawer filing system on wheels (they come in rainbow colors or clear) has been such a lifesaver for me. I love this thing so much that I purchased two of them!!
One holds all of our classroom art supplies, which Iβve labeled by color. The other one holds my monthly teaching topics and books.
When it is time for me to lesson plan for the upcoming month, I just pull the entire drawer out, check the cover sheet to see what items I have in the drawerβthen boom, bada, bingβIβm ready for that monthβs activities.
Sorting items by monthly topics is a great organizing hack for teachers for several reasons:
- It saves time on lesson planning.
- Putting like items together cuts down on clutter.
- You wonβt miss out on special events related to that month!Letβs be honest, I canβt remember Grandparentsβ Day like itβs Christmas! (Not that I donβt think grandparents arenβt the absolute best!)
And I donβt always remember the details of that really cool activity we did last year for our April STEM project. (Not that I donβt love STEM Projects)
Popping open a drawer, cabinet, or some other efficient space with everything for that month brings all those goodies back to mind for me!
Simple Organizing Hack #2- Use Digital Post-It Notes for your To-Do List
As obvious as this one may seem to be, it still surprises me how many teachers donβt use this simple organizing hack!
To be transparent, I used traditional Post-It notes for my to-do lists, but then I would forget where I put the post-it!
That defeats the purpose of using them in the first place.
I am SUPER happy about my Erin Condren teaching planner that includes a section for me to put Post-It notes.
But Iβve really stepped up my Post-It note game with the FREE Post-it Plus app that allows me to make all my sticky notes digital!
I can write on traditional Post-it notes like these here and take a picture of them which are stored directly onto the app.
OR-I can create digital post-its right on the app.
Related Post: Apps That Help Me Teach More Efficiently
Once loaded, I can share with them co-teachers, rearrange them, update the note using my Apple Pencil, and delete them once Iβve accomplished that task.
It is sooo easy to use!! And you can change the color of your notes on the app, so if you want to color-code your to-do list items, you can.
Want to know my favorite part? Setting up βboards.β You can create a board of like items and the app saves them to keep your post-it note to-do list even more organized!!
Can I get an AMEN?!
I created printable sticky notes for work request like making copies, setting up bulletin boards, etc. If you are like me and want your sticky notes to be simple and super cuteβthen you will LOVE these.
Simple Organizing Hack #3-File Lesson Copies By the Week
Copies oh copies! The inevitable paperwork associated with teaching. Which by the way, I am working hard every year to use less paper because my ultimate goal is to have a completely paperless classroom. But I digressβ¦
My third simple organizing hack for teachers is to file your paperwork by the week in file folder crates or totes.
I purchased this clear file-hanging, portable tote from Staples, but you can also get it here on Amazon (affiliate link.)
As I mentioned above, I try to plan a month at a time. (If you are freaking out by that statement, I have an upcoming post on my tips and tricks for saving time on lesson planning coming soon!!)
I used my DYMO Label maker to put the days of the week on hanging file folder tabs. Then I use binder clips and another label to write the week associated with the folders. I write that weekly date with a pencil so that I can erase when itβs time for a new week.
This binder clip snaps on the first folder of each week.
When copies are made, I can very quickly and easily file them according to what day and week they belong to. Then I can go back to find them within seconds!
I have saved sooooo much time using this simple system!
The bonus feature of this simple organizing hack is when Iβm absent or thereβs an emergency, any sub or my TA (Teacher Assistant) can just grab the entire dayβs folder of whatever day we are on and see what lessons/activities are there.
A quick glance in my Erin Condren lesson plan book will get the teaching train back on track!
Simple Organizing Hack #4-Establish a Separate Area for Teacher-Only Paperwork
A space for everything and everything has its space! (My Ecclesiastical paraphraseβ¦LOL!)
Paperwork meant for teacher eyes only should not be filed, stored, or kept near papers meant for students.
Confidentially should remain utmost even when organizing.
Make life easier and safer by setting up an established area for teacher-only paperwork.
I use this simple organizing hack in my classroom with a wall file hanger. My classroom βthemeβ is black and brights, so I purchased this one from Amazon that is efficient and has those pops of neon-bright colors against the black hanging background.
A win-win for my organized teacher heart: cute and functional!
Simple Organizing Hack #5-Purposely Choose Smaller Desk Supply Organizers
Bigger desk supply organizers might give the impression of being efficient, but they actually do the opposite. The bigger they are, the more JUNK you are going to pack in them!Β
So I can keep this simple organizing hack short and sweet: DOWNSIZE THE DESK MATERIALS!
Simple Organizing Hack #6-Color Code Student Work
My sixth simple organizing hack for teachers is to color-code your student work.
Color-coding student assignments work great for so many teaching situations.
Here are ways Iβve used this organizing hack:
- For literacy centers groups; I differentiate instruction for my rotating groups based on color.
- When you teach more than one section of students. For instance, I teach 4th Grade LA and SS and my co-teacher has Math and Science.
Then we switch classes. Before the day ends, we switch back with our βhomeroomβ or home-base of students. If you team teach or have students that switch classes, color-coding the sections does WONDERS for your organizational flow!
Here are the different ways you can color-code student work:
- Use colored paper clips. Each βclassβ or βgroupβ will be assigned the same color paper clip.
- Color-code the bins, trays, or folders you will use for students to turn in work.
- Print copies on colored paper
- Allow students to use colored ink pens or colored pencils to complete certain assignments.
(I only use this hack with my rotating small groups. It is a fun break from the monotonous traditional pencil writing AND seeing all assignments written in an assigned color helps me to quickly know which group it belongs to.)
Related Post: The BEST Pencil Management System EVER!
Simple Organizing Hack #7-Store Posters and Wall Border in Clear, Hanging Bags
My seventh and final simple organizing hack is to use clear storage bags that hang for your posters, anchor charts, and bulletin board supplies.
These storage hanging bags are now my Holy Grail for this area of organization!
I found them for an incredible price on Amazon (which you can also see by clicking here) and they were worth Every. Single. Penny!
I use these to store my anchor charts, instructional posters, decorative posters, bulletin board trim and sentence strips.
But be creativeβyou can use these for whatever your heart desires!
I am fortunate enough to have a storage closet that I share with another teacher, and I use these heavy duty command hooks for my storage bags to hang on.
So they arenβt taking up the shelf or floor space.
With my handy-dandy DYMO Label Maker, (#thebestever!) I label the bags with the type of posters inside. So when I need a certain item, I donβt have to look through every single bag.
I just go to the labeled bag I need, while it is still hanging on the hook and grab my items.
Easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy!
Plus they are super durable! Iβve had these bags for years with no sign of wear and tear yet!
BONUS ORGANIZING HACK:
I just had to throw in a bonus organizing hack!!
Here it is: wrap a cute curtain around your desk/table to hide βtemporaryβ clutter.
Yes, even with the best organizing systems in the world, you will have moments or days when everything just hits the fan at once.Β
Prepare for those moments by having a βhidingβ spot where you can just throw things until you get yourself together.
The key to this system is to NOT leave things there for long! Your little curtain can only hide so much honey!
There you have it, folks! Seven (plus one!) simple organizing hacks for all my teacher friends out there. These tips can even be used in a homeschool class or a Sunday school class.
Please pin this post to share with others!
Happy teaching π¦
One Response
I start my morning being organized but I often end up all over my classroom. We try to clean up as we go but that can also cause a fight. We have colored baskets with everyone having a color and their paperwork goes in it and then at the end of the day we put all of our papers in our folder to stay at school or go home.