15 steps for a perfect teaching desk
15 steps for a perfect teaching desk
Decluttering, Cleaning, and Organizing your Teaching Desk
We all need a little help with our desks sometimes
Whether you are a first time teacher or a school legend, you’ve taken a look at your desk and asked “How do I declutter, clean, and organize this mess?” This article will take you through the process step by step featuring:
“5 steps for effective decluttering that won’t cause you grief.”
“5 ways to clean germs and stains from your desk.”
“5 organizing practices that will put you back in control of your workspace”
I’ve also created a free pocket guide to decluttering, cleaning, and organizing your way to a perfect teaching desk. You can download and reference this pdf while in the field.
Decluttering your desk
The desk may have become a home-away-from home for you. The clutter on your desk can hurt your ability to get work done. Clutter is also unsightly and potentially embarrassing during class-observations and parent conferences. Decluttering your teaching desk doesn’t have to be a stressful event.
So, if you struggle with keeping a tidy desk, the following “5 steps for effective decluttering that won’t cause you grief” inspired by Marie Kondo’s bestselling book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” may guide you to the right path. Let’s get started making your desk the perfect teaching desk.
"5 steps for effective decluttering that won't cause you grief"
#1
commit to the process
Set aside a block of time of at least 30 minutes to complete the decluttering of your desk.
Teachers, like all professionals, are often pressed for time. However, reorganizing your desk bit-by-bit in the time between classes is sure to lead to oversights.
You want to create a workspace that will bring a smile to your face. A decluttered desk will be a joy to use.
Ok, I've set aside the time.
Great! Now, bring over 3 bins. Label them: ‘small stuff’, ‘knick-knacks’, and ‘papers.’ This is the first step to organize your desk.
#2
start with the small stuff
Don’t reach straight for the picture of your family pet, or the first card a student ever penned you.
Leave these items for step #5. Worrying about them now will only serve to slow down the decluttering process.
What do I do first?
Gotcha, start with the small stuff. Gather the pens without caps, broken pencils, and the drawer of old paperclips and worn erasers together. Place them in the ‘small stuff’ bin.
Your goal is to build confidence by starting small so that you are prepared to make larger changes.
Once you have checked all of the drawers, and have removed all of the obvious clutter from your desk you can move on to step #3.
#3
knick-knacks off the desk
You might have collected quite a few knick-knacks even if you are a first year teacher.
Oftentimes we don’t notice just how much of our desk workspace is taken up by quote blocks, plastic apples, and sports souvenirs.
What about gifts?
Some of these items may have been gifted to you, and you may be worried about offending your gift-giver.
Of course we are thankful for these gifts, but we aren’t obligated to keep these items on our desks. Especially if they are not conducive to our workflow.
After making your decisions, unwanted items should be placed in the ‘knick-knacks’ bin and brought home for donation or disposal.
Making a trophy case
What is a trophy case?
A trophy case is a place for you to showcase your personal style in your classroom. It can be as large, or as small as you like, and it can be updated seasonally.
Consider creating a small ‘trophy case’ out of a nearby bookshelf for knick-knacks that you can’t do without.
How do I make it?
Simply take two book ends and set them about two feet apart.
Then, place a heavy book on each of the bookends to create sturdy walls for your ‘trophy case’.
The space between these books can hold items that you would like to have on display.
#4
papers off your desk please
Sometime during the middle of the school year, or at the beginning of a new lesson you may have taken to “organizing” handouts and completed assignments in tidy little piles across your desk.
What do you have against my piles?
Besides the constant hazard of misplacing or knocking over these piles? They may indicate to others that you are not on top of your duties.
So, take completed papers and place them into your ‘papers’ bin.
Label important papers with Post-it Notes in preparation for the organization of your desk.
#5
the sentimental items
After completing step #4 you can see your desk again, but there is still the issue of sentimental items.
Is your desk really the best place to keep a glass picture frame or meaningful letters from prior students?
If you intend on using your desk during writing-workshops with students it may be better to place delicate items in the trophy case.
Can I keep my sentimenal papers?
Yes, photocopy sentimental papers and place them in a positivity folder. (Sign up at the bottom of this page to be notified when the positivity folder quick read is published.) Bring the original copies home.
Now your items are at reduced risk of sprinkler damage, spilled coffee stains, or stray markers slips that might happen during the school year.
Cleaning your desk
While your students desks are routinely cleared and cleaned, your previously cluttered desk might not have been cleaned in quite some time. Take this time to give your teaching desk a deep cleaning while it is still completely empty.
You should not only disinfect your work surface, but you should also remove any unsightly water and coffee rings, stray pencil and pen marks, stuck on grime, and tape residue. The following “5 ways to clean germs and stains from your desk” will help you remove even the toughest stains and advance you further in your quest for the perfect teaching desk.
"5 ways to clean germs and stains from your desk"
#1
disinfecting your desk
Disinfecting your desk is as simple as wiping all of its surfaces with a disinfectant wipe such as a Clorox or Lysol wipes.
Fragrances make my head hurt.
If you have a sensitivity to the smell or chemicals found in these wipes you may find success with a homemade alternative.
First, take one cup cup of water and place it into a spray bottle. Then, add 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and add it into the bottle. This creates a scent free disinfecting solution. Apply this to your desk with a clean cloth.
#2
removing coffee and water rings
Removing water and coffee rings from your desk can be accomplished with items you already have at home. You should first wipe down your desk with soapy water and dry it with a clean cloth.
What if it wont come off?
After wiping, if the ring is still visible, there is another option. Apply some non-gel toothpaste to a cloth and rub the ring for a minute or two.
Toothpaste is a mild abrasive. It will function similarly to appliance polish in a pinch. After the stain has been removed, buff the area with a clean dry cloth.
#3
removing marks
Removing pen marks from hard surfaces such as your desk can be accomplished with rubbing alcohol. Stubborn pen marks may require a bit of rubbing with a rubber eraser.
Pencil marks can be removed with a soft eraser and a bit of time. Often the pencil marks will smudge as they are erased. You can lift these smudges with some warm soapy water and a clean cloth.
There's Sharpie on my desk.
Permanent marker stains can be removed using rubbing alcohol. You can assist the process with some non-gel toothpaste. Simply apply the toothpaste to a dry cloth and rub away at the marker stain until it has faded away.
Be aware of fragrance sensitivities
I want my classroom to smell nice.
Although the scent of lemon and lavender may fill you with joy, the fragrances found in cleaning products may negatively affect the health of your students. fragrances can cause headaches in some individuals, and even more severe effects in others.
What should I use then?
If you are in a scent-free school make certain that the products that you are using will not harm students with fragrance sensitivities.
Follow your schools guidelines when selecting cleaning products, and ask for clarification if necessary.
#4
removing stuck on grime
Removing stuck on grime may require you to pull out your wallet, but it won’t cost you anything but a little time. Take out a used gift card or credit card and use it to scrape away stuck on grime.
The grime is dried on.
If the grime is stubborn, wet it down with some hot soapy water and let it soften for a few minutes. After you have softened it up, give it another go with the plastic card.
After scraping and wetting, if the residue persists, rub the area with a mild abrasive such as non-gel toothpaste. You may then clean the area with some more soapy water, and dry with a clean cloth.
#5
removing tape residue
While decluttering your desk, you may have removed posters and photographs that were held on by tape. You may feel some sticky tape residue that was left behind, if the tape had been applied to the desk surface for some time.
Removing tape residue can be tricky. If warm soapy water doesn’t do the job, there is another option. You can spray a non-stick cooking spray, such as Pam, onto the tape residue and let it sit before wiping again.
I don't have Pam at home.
If you don’t have access to the spray, you can apply vegetable oil to the affected area instead. After a few minutes have past, you may find that the residue comes right off.
Stubborn residue may be removed by scraping it with a used gift card or credit card, and then re-applying the vegetable oil.
Organizing your desk
Now that you have decluttered your desk, you have to opportunity to organize your teaching desk into a professional workspace. Don’t fall back into organizational strategies that haven’t worked for you in the past. You are not obligated to keep student folders, homework bins, and school supply containers on your usable desk space.
Find a home for these items on a nearby bookshelf. As for must-have documents, these “5 organizing practices that will put you back in control of your workspace.” are the final step to achieving your perfect teaching desk.
"5 organizing practices that will put you back in control of your workspace"
#1
organizing school supplies
Although most student school supplies should be in an area that the students have easy access to, there are some supplies that you should keep at your desk depending on the grade level that you teach. Make permanent markers, staplers, and your personal stationary accessible to you at your desk.
Where do I put them?
By organizing these school supplies at your desk you will save time and future headaches. If your desk has drawers, dedicate one drawer to these supplies. If your desk has no drawers, a simple three tray organizer can be used. These organizers will help you make the most economical use of your limited desk space.
Tray organizers can be found online for under $20, but you can make one using supplies you have at home.
#2
organizing administrative papers
Even as more and more schools opt to go paperless, organizing essential papers is still a necessity for working teachers. It is important to have your attendance forms and emergency preparedness papers accessible and easy to grab at a moments notice.
These papers may find a home in your tray organizer, or on top of a bookshelf near your desk. Don’t bury these papers inside of your desks drawers.
What about my substitute folder?
After your papers are all together, make sure that your substitute folder is up-to-date and prominently labeled as a professional curtesy. For help creating the ultimate substitute folder click here.
#3
organizing student papers
Unlike administrative papers, it is recomended that student papers be stored inside of a desk drawer or in an opaque accordian folder near your tray organizer. This protects the privacy of your students, while allowing you easy access to yet-to-be graded assignment or ongoing assesments.
A student should not inadvertantly see anothers work when at or around you desk unless you are showing an exempelary submission with prior consent from the student.
Completed papers are taking up room.
Once these papers have been graded or otherwise completed, return them to your students or file them using the organizer described in practice #4 .
Making a tray organizer
What materials do I need?
You can make a tray organizer for your desk using three large cerial boxes, a hot glue tool, and some colored paper.
Jamie Petito made a great Youtube video on creating organizers using cerial boxes that you can view here.
How do I make one?
First, take your three cerial boxes, and cut the tabs off of them. This should leave you with three 5 sided boxes. Then Line up the three boxes one ontop of another. Now, use your hot glue tool to attach them to one another.
Lay the organizer on its side. Attach colored paper of your choice to the top, sides, and back of your 3 tray organizer. Place heavier objects, such as staplers and scissors in the bottom tray. The upper trays can hold your personal stationary.
#4
organizing files
If you are teaching in a newer school, you may not have a metal filing cabinet attached to your desk. Without a filing cabinet you may find that lesson plans, handouts, and resources begin to pile up on your desk. Even if you have a filing cabinet, mobility issues may prevent you from making the most of its drawers.
Is there a filing cabinet alternative?
Yes, a quick solution to this problem may be to first take a look around your schools storage room, or consult the media office to see if there are any unused magazine file holders. If there are no magazine holders available, you can purchase a twelve pack of them for under $15.
These magazine holders keep your files accessible. They have the added benefit of being able to hold irregularly shaped papers, notebooks, and journals. They can also be moved to your desk as needed without straining your back.
#5
making time to organize daily
If you teach in an elementary classroom, you may already have incorporated a few minutes at the end of each class or school day for your students to clear their desks and tidy their materials.
You may have originally hoped to use that time to tidy your desk as well. Still, you may be caught in the constant “Who’s jacket is still on the shelf?” routine.
How do I reclaim organizational time?
One way to reclaim this time with younger students is by playing “Before I let you go, I have to know…”
Ask questions in the sing-song format of “Before I let you go, I have to know…” followed by “do you have your desk cleared/cubby empty/jackets and hats/take home folder?”
Students will respond “Mhmm.”
After a few rounds of the game choose a line leader and say the following: “Sounds like you have everything you need, now like up quietly, and _ will lead.”
After your students have adapted to the new routine, you can take the minute or two that the game takes to clear your desk daily before you move on to your other duties.
