<p>As a teacher, I have lots of stuff. I have boxes of books in my garage, plus tons and tons of teacher-books and lots of teacher supplies. I happen to teach young readers, 1st and 2nd graders, and I’m a teacher in an academic afterschool program for 3rd graders. Plus I tutor a few kids, in varied grades that range from 4th grade to 9th grade. Not only that, but I’m so tempted to save all our SAT-prep books because my 9th grade student needs so much help.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, all these boxes of trade books, lessons books, and papers are driving my husband bonkers. I figure it’s very well organized, so what’s the problem? But he thinks it’s just too much and I’ll never use it all. Here’s my question: how much stuff is too much? How do you get rid of these treasured teacher-supplies? And, how do you keep it all organized, so I can save some of this stuff, but reduce what I don’t need?</p>
<p>Maybe you can put a statute of limitations on the stuff - ex: stuff you haven’t actually used in 3 years gets tossed or finds a new home elsewhere if one can be found.</p>
<p>I’m a teacher too…if it’s in a box in my house, it’s not likely to be used. And where I am, storing things in boxes in the garage is a mildew invitation. </p>
<p>I got rid of things in this order:</p>
<ol>
<li>Toss things that were published before you were married.</li>
<li>Toss things that are 10 years old…or older.</li>
<li>Toss things you haven’t used in ONE year.</li>
</ol>
<p>That should whittle down your boxes.</p>
<p>I will tell you, I TRIED to give some of my older stuff to some of the newer teachers at my school…they were NOT interested!!</p>
<p>I have no advice. I am a former primary grade teacher who has not taught school in about 23 years. I still have everything, though we have a very large basement. Last spring, my then 23 year old daughter had a part time job tutoring underprivileged elementary school kids in their homes through a govt. program. While there were workbooks for the program, she borrowed tons of my math manipulative materials. It was kinda neat passing them to my D to use to teach. Glad I still had ‘em. (honestly, I have saved everything like all my kids’ toys, etc.!)</p>
<p>I am with thumper, if it is at home in a box you are not likely to use it. What if you make yourself a deal and try to cut all of your stuff in half? Look through the old workbooks and just keep the best pages–you can always make copies for later use. You can donate a lot of stuff to the goodwill and some one will be happy to use it.</p>
<p>My mom has an entire shed full of stuff from when she taught 5th grade. That’s been close to 15 years ago! Now she is a teacher’s aide in a high school special ed room. She has no need for any of the stuff, but she won’t get rid of any of it. We need one of you decluttering experts to come clear out the house and our 3 sheds!..</p>
<p>I’m an art teacher at the elementary level so you can imagine how much stuff I accumulate!
Most of it is in my classroom but some of it is in my home. I agree that if it’s in a box you won’t use it. I even have boxes in my classroom that have things in them that i never use because I forget that I have them. </p>
<p>I agree that you should throw out all of the out of date, obsolete stuff. Put the stuff that you want to keep in clear storage containers so that you can see them. In a year, if you haven’t used them, toss them.</p>
<p>If you haven’t needed it this year, don’t have room for it this year, it’s your summer project…get rid of it.
Anything on paper can be scanned and tossed. if it isn’t worth the effort to scan it - well, toss it.</p>
<p>A little off topic, but if you are getting rid of “good” things that you just don’t want/need anymore, please consider donating to a school or program that really needs what you have.</p>
<p>No hints here. Just special thanks to all the teachers do to go the extra mile! </p>
<p>I know that my kids really loved having classroom bookshelves filled with interesting book, and I think often the teachers has purchased the books themselves. In our district, budget cutbacks have sometimes meant that teachers went without raises for many years AND contributed extra classroom supplies.</p>
<p>colorado_mom, I wasn’t talking about books for the kids! I meant things like the crooked “master copy” of worksheets from 8 years ago that “might” be used again, even though that textbook has been replaced…drab classroom decorations that haven’t been up in years… bulky math manipulitives that support concepts not taught at your grade level since Reagan was in the White House… yes, I have friends who still have this stuff.</p>
<p>And yes, some of it could be donated, but some is just junk.</p>