Back To School Organization...Giving Back To Those That Give So Much 2025 Edition

Last year I decided to give 3 very deserving teachers in the Boulder Valley School District a little classroom organizing help. I asked members of the community to nominate who they felt had the most compelling stories and shared the outcome in a blog entitled "The Power of Giving to Get - Another Professional Organizer Story About Generosity".

I will admit, scheduling with teachers in the very short window of time they have to get ready for another school year proved to be challenging and I only ended up connecting with 2 of the 3 recipients chosen, even though back to school organization is on every teacher's to do list.

So when I organized the giveaway for this year, I was thrilled that all 3 teachers were able to take advantage of the organizing help, however, there was one who couldn't coordinate a date with me until the second day of school. I wish I could tell you it didn't matter that much, but if you have ever been in a 1st grade classroom at the beginning of the school year you know it can take a little time to get the students into a rhythm so unfortunately I wasn't able to capture a video of the teacher sharing her experience working with me because she was, in fact, teaching while I was busy decluttering and re-organizing several cabinets, drawers and shelves. That said, I took this video of the students taking a "brain break" for no reason other than I think a bunch of 6-year-olds following some movement video is simply adorable.

Meanwhile, I didn't capture a before photo of the area I focused on most of the time I was there but did get one after I was done. Ultimately I just wanted all of the "like items" grouped together rather than spread out in several different cabinets and drawers. So now when the teacher needs anything whether colored pencils, crayons, markers, paper or anything else, they are all in the same place. I realize this may be common sense for most people but sometimes teachers "inherit" a lot of stuff from a previous teacher and get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to store everything. Teachers are there to teach and yet we think they should also know how to create sustainable systems for supplies. I think that is a rather unfair expectation. Teachers already do WAY...TOO...MUCH!!!

The other two teachers?

Well, one didn't need organizing as much as she just needed an extra set of hands for simple tasks that she hadn't gotten to yet and had the list on the white board for me to attack...

Nothing I did was rocket science but clearly the teacher was still very grateful...

And the final teacher?

She needed help primarily getting all of the classroom books organized.

I was, of course, amused that she wanted the free reading bookshelves organized by color. But consolidating all of the required reading books for the year to accomplish the goal of eliminating one bookcase was by far much more rewarding...for me.

If I could help every teacher every year I absolutely would. Maybe one day I will win the lottery and be able to offer my services for free every day year-round, but that would require actually buying lottery tickets. I guess I have just been someone who decided having food, clothing and shelter are a better way to spend my hard-earned money. Well, that isn't entirely true because my concert budget has probably exceeded any other category over the past decade and if that brings me joy I can forego a few meals here and there right???

And on that note, here's wishing all of the teachers and students a fantastic and very organized year ahead!