New First Grade Classroom Setup (Day 2)

Today I finished my second day of classroom setup.

I didn't feel right about posting "before" photos of the room.  I used to when it was my OWN mess, but I couldn't post photos of someone else's, haha.  Let's just say I have my work cut out for me over the next few weeks. 

Fortunately, I had my husband to help me.  During these first two days:

1. We sorted all the file folders that were spread across the counter tops.  Science and Social Studies are now organized into my crates.  ELA and Math will be a task for another day.  I need to get to know the curriculum better before I can tackle them, but at least they LOOK organized while I move on to other things.
2. The book bins are almost all organized onto the shelves where they will stay.  This includes books by genre and by reading level.
3. He started stapling up my fabrics to cover up the yellow (more on this in a later post).
4. I emptied out my new desk and started filling/reorganizing it.
5. I cleared off the toys/games shelf and filled it with other toys and games I found around the room.  I've come to realize there are WAY too many.  It does not look inviting.  I knew I'd need to cover it with a curtain before, and probably unveil one shelf at a time to my firsties, but I will also need to purge.
6. I cleared off a shelf near the front of the room that I was unsure about.  It's a great little shelf that is exactly the right height for many spaces; the question is what will live on it?  It used to be near the rug for calendar, but it seemed to make the calendar hard to reach.  I'd asked the custodians to move it to the front of the room, but it was too cluttered there.  Instead I decided to put it near my reading table.  I like how it looks and I've already started putting materials on it so I think it was a smart move.
7. I realized (at 2 am last night) that my metal cabinet would make MUCH more sense turned around to face away from the classroom entrance.  This way it will not only face my desk so I have my materials at my fingertips; I will gain a new magnetic surface.  I could put my schedule on it!  We turned that around and I've mostly cleared it out and halfway reorganized it.
8. We halfway cleared out the two closets and started reorganizing.
9. I asked my husband to sort through a pile of construction paper.  He asked if I wanted it by size (9x11 and 11x17) or color.  I said "size," knowing that his OCD would not allow him to mix up the colors.  I was correct; it's all perfectly sorted now!  
10. We filled a trashcan to overflowing (not something that comes naturally to me). 

 Next on the to do list:

1. All those "halfway done" tasks.
2. The leveled books need new labels.  This is not just for aesthetic reasons; many are torn and hanging off of their baskets. 
3. The shelves near my desk need sorting.  I'm dreading this because I'm scared of messing up an order of things (although I don't think there currently IS one).  I guess I just have to take a deep breath and go for it.  I'm not messing up someone else's order; it's MY stuff now so I need to live with it.  If I make a mistake I only have myself to answer to, so I'll just go in and fix it.  
4. Color printing some items (more on that later).  
5. Give my hubby the day off.  He earned it!  Between entertaining his family and having me home all day Tuesday, he needs a day all to himself.  He didn't even complain about going in so soon after they left, nor did he ask for a day, I just know he needs it.  He agreed and was appreciative when I told him I'd be on my own tomorrow.

It might not look like much, but I'm feeling a bit more settled.  The feeling of being halfway between two classrooms was really unsettling.  You know how it is; our classrooms are our second home.  Today was a big step towards feeling like this is MY new room.  It's not pretty, but it will be.