Optimum Organization: Where is my desk?!

It's that time of week that makes my organizational heart oh.so.happy!! It's time for another installment of:

So let's just start with a little confession time-how many of your desks live buried under a Mount Everest high pile of papers, to-do lists, and the occasional first grade treasures you've collected throughout the day? It's ok-don't be shy? :) We've all been there and have probably felt a little like this guy at times:

And I don't know about you, but when my desk is cluttered, my brain feels cluttered! So I went on a hunt to find a solution and for the past year have been loving this:

For $15 it has been worth every.single.penny I spent on it to keep my desk clean and my head clear!  :) 

Whenever I get a piece of paper from a student or out of my mailbox it goes right into one of my file folders in the hanging pocket chart. 

Some of the categories of my file folders are:

-To Do

-To File

-To Copy

-To Laminate

-To Grade

-Class Lists

-Paper Collections (for picture day or field trips or whatever papers are coming in at the time)

-BRAVO reward coupons (click HERE to get this Freebie)

-Office Folder

-Parent Notes

You can make the categories for your file folders fit whatever works best for you! And they can change too as the year goes on. 

Then whenever you go to sit at your desk (not that we as first grade teachers really ever sit down except for at the end of the day or during our planning periods :)  and tackle lesson planning, emails, or the unending to-do list, you don't have to go through the mounds of papers on your desk or have that cluttered head feeling. Instead you can go right to the folder where the paper is!

Interested in seeing your desk again? :) I've included links for you of some different organizational hanging pocket charts. I purchased the first blue organizer for my classroom, but some of the other ones might work better for you. Just click on the picture to check them out:

 How do you keep your classroom organized! Be sure to link up and share!!

And if you haven't already taken advantage of the 40% off sale I am running on my favorite organizational tool for take home volunteers, then you can click on the picture below to check it out!

I love being organized!! :)