Organization: Part 1

I'm called The Scattered SLP for a reason. I'm a trainwreck when it comes to clutter and organization!! I have great ideas and manage to not accomplish them. :) Or only make it halfway. But. My TpT addiction is creating a problem. I LOVE the materials I'm getting, but I'm having to get more creative with how I organize the different activities!! I want to actually FIND the awesome Scrambled Sentences and the Irregular Plurals cards... With more than 50 kids, no SLPA time, a preschool starting, and kids in 15 min sessions all day, every day, I absolutely CAN'T spend more than 45 seconds finding things. So I've embarked on a new Quest for Organizing and Labeling my materials. I was blessed with about 40 binders over the summer, which I put labels/covers on, but haven't filled yet (mostly because I hit the ground drowning this year with half of our SpEd Multidisciplinary Team being new to the school). I have weird storage in my office, which used to be the custodial hallway, so I have to get creative. I'll post pictures next week, as I am still in the putting away items process. But I'll add links to what I HAVE been doing, and then do a Part 2 of the blog post once I have the pictures and a table that doesn't embarrass me!!!! It's covered with "In-Process" materials that I finally printed and laminated.

I've enjoyed the Linky Party from SLPrunner all on organizing materials!! Check it out. Lots of great ideas for different sizes of materials AND different spaces.

I'm in love with note card boxes. I have several varieties because I get them as they go on sale, usually at Staples, Walmart, or Target. Or the Dollar Tree. LOVE the Dollar Tree!! They are along the lines of these from Amazon. You can use the dividers (for materials that are about index card size) OR you can take the dividers out and put flashcards in. If they are on a small book ring, you can fit several sets in each box. If you throw a label on the outside, you can pack it in a crate with others and always be able to pull out your variety of "Irregular PT" flashcards in that critical 45 seconds! :)

I'm using the Gallon Ziplock bags (like these) with Duct Tape on the bottom to add activities to my themed notebooks. These are great for activities with multiple sized parts. Make sure the tape is secure before you punch the holes. It really helps to keep those bits and pieces corralled. I laminate the cover page, too. Sometimes with the directions page glued to the back before laminating. I trim it down so that it fits easily in the bag. I make sure to use the bags with the slider lock to avoid the bag not sealing and then cards flying everywhere... Don't ask how I know THAT can happen... It was the only bag I had in my office and was trying to be organized... Lesson learned!! This works well for activities without bulky parts, and without velcro. The added bulk from the velcro makes less room for other activities in the same binder. I use the same address labels to label the bag, near the zipper end, so I can quickly grab the right bag to put in my Activity Drainer (I have a dish drainer next to my therapy table that is amazing at holding file folders, packets, and bags of activities. SO helpful!) for easy access.

For bulkier items, I have some big plastic envelopes, like these from Amazon, which can stand on the shelf independent of other folders or binders. I like that you can see what is inside and that you can fit interactive books with velcro or hands-on materials (I'm working on getting the animals for "The Mitten" and "The Hat" by Jan Brett to make another activity with toy animals and scenery). It keeps them secure while not taking up precious space in a notebook or a box! If there are lots of parts, then bag those individually. I have a compare/contrast activity that I can have in one box because I have the materials for both Gingerbread Books in ziplocks to keep them separate. Love it!

Disclaimer: Lack of Cuteness Ahead!! My office is very dorm-room-furniture-chic... A total mishmash of old items, new items, and colored furniture. Some wooden bookshelves. A nasty green cabinet. A white bookshelf. Blue/teal laminate counter and cabinets. A beige filing cabinet. And a double sink. Because I definitely need that.... I HAVE contact paper to cover the nasty green cabinet and the filing cabinet, but that project keeps getting pushed back. I did put up contact paper on the back part (behind the books) of the biggest bookcase, which makes it nicer to look at all day. I've tried to pull things together with the decorations and wall art. Purple, Teal, Blue. Chevron and some Polka Dots. I'm jealous of people who have offices/rooms that are color coordinated!! I think they are adorable!! I'm not able to do that right now, but am trying to move that direction. So when I found wonderful blue plastic baskets (oval and square) at the Dollar Tree, I snatched them up! And the boring white storage that I have will be dressed up with fabric or ribbon, depending on the item. But, for now, I'm using what I can get my hands on. Then upgrading as I go.

I made a Teacher Toolkit this summer, and I love it.

But it doesn't get enough use on my desk (its current location), so it will be moved to my therapy area. I have a shelf from home (like this one from Target) that I am going to put in its place. It will hold my phone, my cups of pens/pencils/highlighters, and I can put my reference binders on the shelves. My CCSS binder, my Preschool Binder, my SLP Resources binder, and anything else that I need at my fingertips while on my computer. Hopefully that will help reduce the insanity that my desk has turned into this year!!!

That's what I have for now. Have to do some organizing around the house and a mountain of laundry. Am looking forward to a 4-day weekend for Valentine's Day/President's Day/Unused Snow Day... Lots of time to sleep and do projects!!!! But that's still a week away.

Sarah