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Clearing the Clutter – Messy Student Desks

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Get tips on how to help your students organize their messy desks.  I know I can’t be the only teacher out there who hates battling the messy desks.  No matter how many times we clean them throughout the year, they always seem to become a disaster in the matter of a day or two.  Hardcover books on the right side, folders and notebooks on the left, with space in the middle for supplies does NOT seem to work.  Every time students need to put papers back into a folder, it is always preceded with “Put this paper in your _____ folder.”  Perhaps the kids think I’m speaking some foreign language because apparently they just think I’m telling them to quickly shove it to the back of their desk.  I also try to cut down on the clutter by not having them keep their science and social studies textbook in their desk.  Those are two very thick books that we only use a couple times a week.  I take the few minutes to pass them out and collect them every time because I honestly don’t know what would happen if they were to keep them in there too!
Well, this is what I started doing this year and it has actually worked well for the few students who need the extra organizational help.  Please don’t be afraid of the picture you see next.  I know it may be frightening, but I promise, there is some good information below.  🙂
This is what my desks looked before my clutter intervention.  Does it look familiar?

Get tips on how to help your students organize their messy desks.  Get tips on how to help your students organize their messy desks.

One day I had my students clean their desk and sort their mess into piles.  I wanted their school supplies, books, and loose papers all in different areas.  They spent some time going through all their papers to put in their correct folders, or take home if it was from Halloween (not even joking).  Their textbooks and folders with papers were put back in their desks.  Their school supplies needed to stay on the floor.  I also found that my students hoard silent reading books.  I let them keep one on their desk at a time.  Apparently this means that they can keep 5 or 6 of them IN their desk to save in case of an emergency.  Ugh.

I don’t have a ton of storage room in my classroom, but I went around before we started cleaning and chose 6 of the messiest desks because that’s how many baskets I had room for.  Those students need to keep any extra supply (coloring utensil, flash cards, books, scissors, glue, etc.) in that basket.  We even dumped many of their supplies into a large Ziploc baggie so they can just grab that when it is needed.  Basically, whenever they need something, they have to walk over to their basket to get what they need.  It has actually been working quite well and the clutter in those desks have definitely been reduced, although I do find a few loose papers now and then.  I debated putting names on the baskets but decided against it because I didn’t want them to stand out to visitors or students from other classes as being disorganized.  They don’t have any problems figuring out which basket is which.

This has been working for me for the past couple of months.  Do you do anything with your students that helps keep their desks organized?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Melissa Mazur

Melissa Mazur

My name is Melissa and I am an educator, blogger, and curriculum designer.
I’m here to help offer you teaching tips and low-prep resources to help take some of the burdens off you so you can do what you do best – teach!

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learning lab resources- about

Oh hey there!

My name is Melissa and I am an educator, blogger, and curriculum designer.
I’m here to help offer you teaching tips and low-prep resources to help take some of the burdens off you so you can do what you do best – teach!  

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