Anyone who has stepped into a busy classroom knows how fast paper, bins, books and supplies can pile up. That is why a project from Audrey of the Organized Chaos channel feels so sweet. Audrey took a day to help a local teacher tame a cluttered classroom, for free.
Audrey has a project called Chaos to Calm, in which Audrey goes around the country and declutters followers’ homes for free. This time Audrey decided to switch it up and help out teachers. A post went out asking if any local teachers could use some help, and plenty of them answered.
A team of three
This was the first teacher declutter Audrey did. Audrey brought along a daughter and one of the daughter’s best friends. Having helpers is a smart idea for any big job, because three pairs of hands can grab bins and sort at the same time.
Audrey of the Organized Chaos channel says the video ends with the thank-you note the teacher sent afterward, and calls it beautiful and “the nicest thing.”
Start with the easy win
The team began with the books, because Audrey thought that would be a really easy place to dip a toe in the water. They took all the books out and rearranged them so they looked better. Instead of facing every which way, the books had more order to them.
Everyone grabbed a bin and organized the books a bit. Audrey says sometimes you have to trick your brain into seeing the order, even when the items are sorted into bins. A calm-looking shelf is not only pretty; it makes the room feel easier to be in.
Look for right angles
Here is a tip worth copying. When Audrey organizes, the goal is to look for right angles, because that maximizes your space. Picture a circle next to a square, or a square next to a square, and ask which wastes less room. Square beside square wins.
The same thought works in a pantry, a garage or a closet. Boxes and bins that line up edge to edge hold more than odd shapes jumbled together.
Asking before tossing
When there seemed to be too much of something, or an item seemed old, the team asked the teacher. According to Audrey, the teacher was almost always on board with getting rid of anything that really needed to go. It is a good reminder that helping someone declutter works best when the owner makes the call.
Supplies in matching bins
After the sensory items were done, the group moved on to the teacher supplies: paper towels, disinfectant wipes and lots and lots of Ziploc bags. All of it came out and got sorted.
The teacher already had some bins from Target, and Audrey liked them. Audrey went back to Target and bought a bunch more to finish the job, so everything could stay uniform and orderly.
Audrey says uniformity matters to your brain, because your brain is always looking for patterns. The more randomness you have out, the more overwhelmed you feel. That is also why pencils, crayons and similar items stayed in their original boxes.
Know when to call it a day
At the end the team called it quits for the day. Audrey could tell the girls were starting to get burned out, and Audrey was getting tired too. Then came the big reveal, and Audrey asked viewers to share their honest opinions in the comments. Another teacher declutter is on the way later that week.
Stopping before everyone is exhausted is good advice for any project at home. A tired crew makes poor choices and tends to quit for good.
Try it in your own space
You do not need a classroom to use these ideas. Here are a few you can try this weekend.
- Start with something easy, such as books, so you build momentum.
- Use matching bins so shelves look calm.
- Line things up in squares and rectangles to save room.
- Ask the owner before tossing anything old.
- Stop when you are tired and come back another day.
If you know a teacher, offering a few hours of help might be one of the kindest gifts you can give. A pair of extra hands and a stack of matching bins can lift a big weight off someone who spends their days looking after a room full of kids. Even a small offer, such as an afternoon of sorting or a trip to pick up bins, can make a real difference.
Audrey’s idea is a lovely one: take a skill you have and give it to someone who could use it. Clutter gets cleared, a teacher gets some breathing room, and a daughter and a friend get to see what helping looks like. That is a good lesson for any family, and it did not cost anything but a day.
More Stories You May Like
- Consuming Too Much Decluttering Advice Can Make Decluttering Feel Harder, Because Your Brain Gets Overloaded If You Never Act On It
- Couple Paid Sixty Dollars For A Vintage Ethan Allen Piece And Loved The Solid Maple So Much They Nearly Kept It Before Listing For Eleven Hundred
- She Spotted What Looked Like A Seventy Five Thousand Dollar Ostrich Birkin On A Thrift Store Shelf And The Price Tag Twist Was Seven Dollars
