Behind my desk, I have a six-drawer storage unit. Drawers are marked: Out, In, To Do, To Read, To File, and Pending. This one thing is my secret to a clean desk: When I bring mail in from the office, my rule is that it never touches my desk. It goes in one of these drawers.
From the bottom up:
"Pending" means I've looked at something and I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I may need to relook at it or do something later, but it is not urgent.
"To File" This can get pretty full if not worked on at least once a week. I figure if it stays in this drawer too long, maybe it's not so precious to me, and I recycle it.
"To Read" is for messages from teachers, information about my insurance, or a pamphlet I want to read later.
"To Do" gets used a lot. I have a To Do form I keep in here. I also have three file folders in this drawer: One marked Students; another marked Teacher; and the last one is marked Copies To Make. A student asks, "Could you check and see if I'm above a C in your class?" Toss a note in the Student drawer. You get notices to pass along to students, toss in the drawer. Make sure you check this drawer during each plan period. As I come across items I know I need to copy for the next week's lessons, I put them in my Copy folder in the To Do drawer.
"In" is one I make sure I do not use to put everything in. I use it when I'm not sure what drawer to put something in or something I just don't have time to look at. I make sure I do look at this drawer every day and move it to another drawer or the recycle bin.
"Out" is only used for items that I know exactly where I need to take them outside of my classroom. Let's say I signed that new form for my insurance but will not go to the office for another hour. I put it in "out" and take it to the office later.
I have more organization tips for the classroom that I will post later. But this one is my Secret to a Clean Desk and a Happier Me.
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