Storing Your Curriculum
 

How do you all store your ciriculium? I am tired of random bins, boxes, and tubs. I found plastic file storage tubs that look pretty cool. You can put hanging file folders in them too. Any suggestions are welcome and needed!

Originally Posted by LostMyMarbles:
How do you all store your ciriculium? I am tired of random bins, boxes, and tubs. I found plastic file storage tubs that look pretty cool. You can put hanging file folders in them too. Any suggestions are welcome and needed!

I have printed material stored in 3 ring binders on a shelf organized by month and then by theme.

For supplies I use plastic storage boxes.
I buy clear ones and I buy the same brand/style in different sizes as sticking to one brand allows for easy stacking etc.

I keep on closest with shelves from floor to ceiling and I store the boxes stacked on that shelf so I can easily view them and see which one I am looking for.

Yes, it's sometimes a PITA and sometimes takes up more room than I want but it is what it is......I think we simply have to come to the understanding and acceptance that we need an entire room just for curriculum and craft materials.:lol: :p :)

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I think we simply have to come to the understanding and acceptance that we need an entire room just for curriculum and craft materials.:lol: :p :)

That's my plans. I, myself, could live in a bachelor apartment if I had to. I don't even really need a living room myself, so my plans are to rent (maybe rent to own) a 3 bedroom house with a basement. 1 bedroom will be my office/storage room and will have shelves galore. 1 bedroom will be my room and will be locked during daycare hours. 1 bedroom and the living room will be strictly daycare. Kitchen/dining/bath room will be shared. Part of the basement will be set up to be a nice indoor play area.

I used bankers boxes separated by season, theme and month.

I hang oversized (huge) plastic bags like this http://amzn.to/2bsOB9B in a closet on a hanger. It helps with preserving other space, lets me see what is inside the bag and I can label it for the season.

I'm lucky enough to have a full bedroom that I can dedicate to storage. I have about 10 5-shelf plastic shelving units that I stack clear plastic, labeled boxes on. It was key to find the right boxes and the right shelving units---I'm able to maximize how many boxes go on each shelf because I reallly shopped around and measured for the right size shelving).

On one wall, I have block area materials and books. Another wall is math/literacy/holiday and the other wall is art. The middle of the room and closet are pretend area materials.

I also have a filing cabinet full of all of my ideas written out organized by theme. I love my organized space, but it never seems to stay organized for very long, because I'm always throwing more things in there!

My patterns & ideas are all in files by month and stored in two file boxes.

My flannel board stories and activities are stored in clear bins-one for each month Sept.-May.

Then there are seasonal activities, decorations that are stored on shelves.

My books I read to the kids each have a bin with a lid/handle Sept-May. One bin for summer.

I have books on tape-yes that old! In ziplock bags store by month in two milk crates.

I have a plastic three drawer bin (the multi colored ones) with quick go to activities in my circle time area.

Curriculum is organized by plastic boxes with 1-2 themes in each box. They are inside of the stairway closet (and we had a part of the wall removed under there to gain MORE space).
I have about 6 stacks with 3 stacks on each side so they're somewhat easily accessible. It works well.
My books that accompany the themes are on three very large wall shelves my husband built in our Circle Time area. There are just too many of them.

I suggest browsing Clever Container-I am amazed at how handy some of their stuff is! Thirty one is another company who has LOTS of organizing stuff that I use.

I know there is a 31 distributor on this site-PM me, and I'll put you in touch with her.

Oh my, how do you all collect so much STUFF??!! That would drive me batty. :o
I simply do not have the space. :confused:

I use mother goose time, and I've found that I can store about 3 months worth of leftovers in one large clear storage container. I write the themes on a label on the outside. Then at the end of the year I combine themes that match from past years..so that about every 3 or 4 years when I have a younger group, I can use leftovers instead of subscribing.

I have a lateral file cabinet in the playroom. It desperately needs tidied up...don't judge me!!!

Suitcases!! the old school ones. I bought 5 cheap from the thrift store. I store a months (sometimes two) worth in there, plush the books that accompany that theme. the cd that contains printable and any art I did (i take photos) goes in a pocket on the inside top. These get stacked in a corner, which makes them look like stylish art instead of teacher storage. also have books stored under my bed

Originally Posted by Meeko:
I have a lateral file cabinet in the playroom. It desperately needs tidied up...don't judge me!!!

You think that's messy?? Lol.

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My patterns & ideas are all in files by month and stored in two file boxes.

My flannel board stories and activities are stored in clear bins-one for each month Sept.-May.

Then there are seasonal activities, decorations that are stored on shelves.

My books I read to the kids each have a bin with a lid/handle Sept-May. One bin for summer.

I have books on tape-yes that old! In ziplock bags store by month in two milk crates.

I have a plastic three drawer bin (the multi colored ones) with quick go to activities in my circle time area.

Do you put all your books and flannel boards in a theme or have open stock to randomly select too? I guess I never thought of separating any flannel stories as I don't have many. I keep all my books in a two-door shelving unit with the bottom shelf being all books on cd in alphabetical order, the next two shelves up are all board books as those take up much room, then next shelf up is sound books/texture/scented/unique books and paper back books, and lastly the top is a basket of flannel stories with the books or printed storylines and then it's Sept-August Seasonal/Holiday/Event Specific Books. I never thought of placing all these things into separate bins for storage but then again I do know if I did I would certainly be better about rotating out books! My goal is bi-weekly but sometimes 6+ weeks goes by and I realize "no wonder the kids are not interested in the Halloween book anymore!" LOL

I recently purged my curriculum materials and got rid of anything I hadn't used in the past 2 years. I also scanned all the ideas I'd clipped out of various places over the years. :eek:happyface

Now I have 1 big plastic tote with "3D" stuff (flannel board, magnet board, patterning, various manipulative games, etc) and 1 file box with "flat" stuff (file folder games, tracing sheets, matching games, etc).Both are sorted into Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter & General.

I kept a few favorite curriculum idea books but most of that stuff is on my computer.