Some Advice for Packing up a Room

Tis the season to pack classrooms and offices up for summer cleaning. If you haven't done so already, you will be and this may be stressing you out. This was always a love-hate part of the year for me. Love doing an end-of-year cleanse, but damn, so much stuff to go through.

If packing up has you feeling all sorts of ways, here are a couple of tips to help you get things packed pretty quickly, and will also have you set to open up your boxes at the start of a new academic year with a little less angst.

1. As you move something from a shelf to a box, assess the value of the item. This is not a Marie Kondo version of "does this spark joy?" - no time for that. This is a quick "did I use this and will I use it next year?" Quick question, quick answer. Don't think about it, just go with your gut. If it's a "yes", place it in the box. 

2. The items that your "no's" do need to get placed somewhere. These items still require a bit of consideration because you do not want to toss still useful items. Have enough room to be able to separate out the items and make separate piles or have other boxes for what needs to be returned elsewhere and what needs to be tossed. Again, quick and easy. 

The key here is to start the process of keeping only what you know adds meaning to your teaching in preparation for your next year. When you return to set up your office or classroom again, you will have less to sort. At this point, you will work through a different process when you have more energy and patience.