Be sure to download your freebie at the end of this post!
As a teacher, classroom paper clutter can so easily and quickly build up, leaving you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. It can be difficult to find what you are looking for, not to mention the fear of misplacing important documents and files. In fact, paper clutter can be one of the most significant challenges for teachers, often leaving them feeling overwhelmed and disorganised each time they set foot in their classroom.
In this blog post, we’ll explore a (non-exhaustive!) list of 10 types of papers to declutter and stop them from taking up valuable space in your classroom, workspace, and mind.
These are lesson plans from previous years or units that are no longer relevant to your current curriculum or teaching approach. Holding onto outdated lesson plans can clutter your filing cabinets and make it difficult to find the materials you need for current lessons. If you’ve updated your curriculum or teaching methods, those old lesson plans are just taking up space. Recycle them and make room for new ideas.
Duplicate handouts and worksheets that serve the same purpose can quickly accumulate in your classroom. Keeping multiple copies of the same resource is unnecessary and takes up valuable space. Consider keeping only one or two copies for reference and recycling the rest. Better still, keep a digital copy instead!
Notices and announcements from past events or activities can clutter bulletin boards and wall space in your classroom. Once the event has passed or the information is no longer relevant, it’s time to remove these notices to make room for current updates.
Worksheets and assignments from previous lessons that were never used or completed by students can clutter your desk or storage areas. If they haven’t been used already, chances are they won’t be used any time soon. Recycle unused worksheets to clear space for new materials.
Newsletters from previous years or semesters can pile up quickly and take up valuable storage space. Keep the most recent newsletter for reference and recycle older editions to declutter your classroom.
Coupons or vouchers for free trials or discounts on educational resources are only useful if they’re still valid. Check the expiration dates and toss any that have passed to prevent cluttering your workspace.
Handouts and materials from past conferences or professional development events can accumulate in your files and drawers. If you haven’t referred to them since the conference ended, it’s time to let them go and make room for new resources.
Curriculum guides and documents that have been replaced or updated with newer versions can clutter your filing cabinets and binders. Keep the most current version for reference and recycle older editions to free up space.
Personal notes, reminders, and to-do lists can accumulate on your desk or bulletin board over time. Take a few minutes to sort through them and discard anything that’s no longer relevant or necessary to declutter your workspace.
Textbooks, dictionaries, and other reference materials that are outdated or no longer relevant to your curriculum should be evaluated and updated as needed. Keep the most current editions and consider donating or recycling older versions to reduce clutter.
Important Reminder: This is not about getting rid of everything. It’s about creating a more streamlined, organised, and functional classroom environment for both you and your students. Consider if any of the documents you come across are already available in a digital format (or could be digitised) as a way to retain the important information they contain. This strategy significantly reduces the amount of physical paper clutter in your space, while still allowing you to preserve essential documents and information.
Now, you and I both know that there are far many more papers that float about in a classroom than just these 10 types that we have listed today. So what better way to kickstart your paper decluttering journey than to provide you with a detailed list of even more types of papers to declutter from your classroom and workspace?
To help you get started, I created a free guide and checklist listing 51 (yes, 51!) types of papers to immediately declutter from your classroom, helping you to create a more organised, streamlined, and functional space for both you and your students. Inside this guide, I outline how you can begin to take action, as well identify your next steps in the paper decluttering process.
You can download your free copy below!
Let’s create the organised classroom space you deserve, one step at a time.
ALL my best,
