Toolbox Organizer (again!)

So, last summer I blogged about my Toolbox Organizer that I made for my new classroom at the Plouffe (when my IRS position was eliminated for the first time).

Lucky for my permanent substitute, I left this for him when my position was reinstated in November, while I was on maternity leave.  Apparently it has been quite the hot item at the Plouffe!  I'm so glad I've motivated others to create their own! :)

Since I'm heading back into the classroom again in September, I decided it was a perfect time to create another one!  I used the same file I bought from www.teacherspayteachers.com (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teacher-Toolbox-CHEVRON-EDITABLE-organizing-labels-tools-796754) and this year I just kept it to two colors.  I used the editable pages, cropped and copied just the green and blue labels, pasted them into a new page, and created text boxes over the labels using a different font.  I absolutely love how this one came out...

I even made two copies of the labels so I could label the back of the drawers, too (those pieces in the way are the drawer dividers if needed).  You never know if people will see the back of the toolbox, so it's worth it to label both sides to keep everything looking neat!

Life is too short to have boring hair!

I totally wish I took a before picture of the absolute MESS of my hair drawer in my bathroom, and the mini-bin I had of all the hair elastics that were in this house.

I ended up getting an organizer to hang in the girls' closet for their necklaces and bracelets, before we got them their own jewelry boxes.  I didn't like the way that worked, so I had these organizers for the longest time not knowing what I was really going to use them for.

I went through a huge organizing spree this weekend.  One of the things that had to get organized was the hair elastics and my hair drawer.

Here's what the final product looks like:

One of the great things about this organizer is that it's double sided!  I have plenty of pockets to work with!

And it fits perfectly with a 3M hook in the main bathroom in this space that otherwise goes unused!

Organization Bin for Children's Work

So I finally got to finish organizing Madison's first year of Pre-School - TONS and TONS of artwork.  I'm so glad I decided to take a picture of everything she brought home - I'm in the process of making her a photo book of all her Pre-School work.  That will be for another blog entry :) 



I am so excited about how the organization bins came out!  Because I was in the mode, I already set Samantha's up, and started to set up Jackson's (of course I ran out of materials, so I'll finish his eventually ... poor third child!).

Materials I used (for one bin):
- 1 Filing bin (link to the one I ordered)
- Decal of child's name (left over from the Growth Chart decal)
- 20 Hanging File Folders and 1 Extended Tab Hanging File Folder
- Hanging File Folder Labels (picture below of the titles I used for the labels)
- 2 sheets of Avery 8163 Shipping Labels

Here's the list of titles I used for the hanging file folders:
- Medical Information
- Baby Book
- Dancing School
- Sports
- Pre-School - Year 1
- Pre-School - Year 2
- Kindergarten
- First Grade
- Second Grade
- Third Grade
- Fourth Grade
- Fifth Grade
- Sixth Grade
- Seventh Grade
- Eighth Grade
- Ninth Grade
- Tenth Grade
- Eleventh Grade
- Twelfth Grade
- College

and of course, color coded for each kid!

Labels for each of the school folders.  School Year, Grade, School Name, and Teacher Name.  I placed all the extras in a folder at the front of the bin so they're easily accessible when I need them!

My eldest helping me organize the bins!

All organized! (poor Jackson, I know!)

Here's how the Avery Shipping Labels are used to mark the school folder.

A better look at the Hanging File Folder labels.

All three bins... I love these because it makes everything uniform, and they stack up nicely!

Growth Chart

I've been going back and forth on whether I wanted to create individualized growth charts for each of my kids... or create one that they all share.  I found this idea on Etsy through Pinterest, and decided to order the decal for the growth chart with the kids' names on the side.

I was going to have hubby create a wooden piece that I could attach the decal of the growth chart on, but after thinking about it, I was asking myself where I would store it, where could we put it...but I wasn't having any luck.

Instead, I decided I would put the decal right on the wall in our hallway.  We have a perfect area between our bedroom doorway and the linen closet.  Here's how it came out:

And the names that came with the decal?  I ended up using them for the organization bins in the next post!

Oh, the Places Our Kids Will Go!

So I'm definitely a Pinterest addict (at least I can admit it, right?)...  And I found this idea that I absolutely loved...

Basically, it's a generic letter to my kids' teachers to sign in their "Oh, the Places You'll Go" book by Dr. Seuss.  Each kid has their own.  I did search Pinterest for the teacher letter... and I did a google search for images for "Oh, the Places You'll Go" and found the background I used for the letter.  Then, I printed the letters out on cardstock, and placed them in a protective binder sleeve, trimmed the binder edge, and placed the letter in the inside front cover of the book.  They're ready to go for each of the kids, and I'm storing them in their organization bin (next blog post!)

Back to Blogging!!

So I have been MIA for quite a while...

At the end of last school year I was "Blue Slipped" (my position was cut, so I was to be placed back in a classroom) and nervously waited a majority of the summer for my "placement call."  Out of the choices I was given, I took a Middle School Math position.  Since I was 9 1/2 months pregnant, I needed all the help I could get - hubby helped me move my belongings out of my old school and to my new classroom; mom and dad helped me clean (and when I say clean, I mean REALLY clean) my new classroom and set it up for my 7th grade students.



My new school was extremely welcoming, and they couldn't believe I was carrying around the large beach ball of a baby belly at the start of the school year.  I wasn't due until around September 30th, but it was baby #3 and this was my second pregnancy in less than a year.

The school year began - I worked 8 school days, and on Saturday, September 12, 2015, my son was born!

While on maternity leave, I ended up getting reinstated in my position that was originally cut.  The substitute that was covering my classroom was the next one to be hired back from the massive layoffs from the previous school year, so I was glad my students would get some consistency even after my maternity leave was over.  The substitute was a great fit for the position and the school, so everything worked out in the end!

Getting back into the swing of things after having baby #3 and starting back at my old position 3 months into the school year was not an easy task.  I already felt behind the eight ball since our building took a big hit starting the year with only two administrators (from a team of 5), absorbed a huge influx of students from one of the buildings that condensed from a K-8 to a K-5, and losing many positions which led to less faculty members.

Blogging certainly was not on my radar this past school year...

But I'm back!

My oldest finished her first year of preschool... (*stay tuned for my first organization blog with her school stuff*)

My middle child's personality is coming out in full force - and she's talking up a storm...

And my youngest is the most relaxed one of the three of them.

I'm finally getting a good night's sleep (crossing my fingers I didn't just jinx that) and am even going to take two online courses this summer so that I can earn some post-grad credits.

Since I was "Blue Slipped" again this school year, I'm not quite sure yet where I will be placed.  Of course my anxiety has already kicked in, however I'm trying to channel that anxiety into the courses I will be taking, and getting back into blogging creative organization ideas.