Operation: Organization

Every summer I have the same goals: clean out the closets, purge the unused toys, straighten the junk drawer, etc. etc.!  Most summers I get to one or two things on my list.  This summer I tackled a big project at preschool-- Books & Thematic materials.

The reason I like to organize is probably because each project begins with a trip to the happiest place on earth.  Hello, Container Store.  I love you and all of your organized goodness.

They had these beautiful, colorful boxes (with tight locking lids, and coordinating label stickers) on sale.  I really shouldn't be allowed to shop there unsupervised!

I came home with a pile of blue tubs and the goal of digging all of my thematic resources out of the storage closet and into the correct boxes.  Previously, the papers were in a hanging folder, the toys were in plastic shoeboxes, and the little center activities were tucked into various corners of the closet.  But now... wow!  I may or may not have just sat there at school for a little while admiring these!

I did not want the new thematic tubs to go back into the closet, so we cleaned off the top of the storage cabinets in our dramatic play center, and were able to fit all 20 boxes perfectly up there.

Stage 2 of Operation: Organization was our book boxes.  Over the past 16 years, I have collected an assortment of magazine style boxes in all colors, styles and sizes.  And, I made the mistake of labeling them so that the books were all showing.  (Sorry for no picture.  I thought about it, but looking at that mess gave me cold sweats, so I decided against it!)

I bought these white magazine boxes from Ikea for cheap (like 5 for $1.50 cheap).  That made me feel better about my trip, err... trips... to the Container Store.

I printed new matching labels for all of the books.  Our thematic books fit in the cabinets under the thematic boxes.  Nice.

The overflow books (holidays and seasonal titles) sit on a tall bookshelf next to my teacher desk.  I used to cringe every time I caught a glimpse of that shelf, but now look how pretty it is!

If you have organization OCD like me, I know you can appreciate the feeling of accomplishment that I have from finishing this project.  And if not, go ahead and laugh.  I don't mind!!