I started on my classroom this morning. I didn’t stay there all day, but the hours I put in were satisfactory. See, my biggest problem is getting sidetracked. Example: I’ll pick up something and think, “This should go to the kitchen”, then walk it to the kitchen. I putz around like that and get very little work done in the given amount of time. Alternately, I might try to make a little pile of things that go elsewhere the room, but while walking them back to their spots, I’ll find other things to piddle with. I am no good with making decisions. Not today, though! The terrible Teacher Corner where things piled up through the whole summer was going to get gutted!
I had a system. I had a table for Things That Go Somewhere In This Room and another Table for Things That Go Somewhere Else In This Building. I also had a ‘donation’ box, a recycling box and a trash can.
When I picked up something, it went to one of those five places, and that was it. Every half hour or so I would ‘take a break’ and put a couple of things away in the building, but only for a couple of minutes.
I still have a lot of stuff on the tables, but at least they are somewhat sorted for now and should be easier to deal with.
The corner has to be organized, though. That’s when I start lumping stuff together in boxes that won’t get touched for a year. I am going to try to avoid that.
Brad says
You describe the sorting process so well. Why is it so stinkin’ hard? Even when the entire pile is my stuff, and I could just throw it all away, it STILL takes forever to sort through.
Kristi says
Way to go! You can do it!!!!