Extreme Makeover: Kindergarten Closet Edition

So, I was a tiny bit spoiled in my move to Kindergarten last year. 

You see, every two Kindergarten teachers share a very large storage closet between their rooms.  Last year, there was not a classroom beside me and I kind of, well, sort of, "spread out" a little in the closet. 

And, although I couldn't be happier to welcome my friend into the classroom "through the closet", I have been less than eager to get it cleaned up.  Sweet Harding has been so patient with me! 

So, I began today with the help of Supermom, Mrs. Claire B!

Here are some closet before pictures:

What a mess!

This would be the OTHER side of the closet that I have taken over!

I could lie and say that I have no idea how it got like this, but let's be honest, I do.

And it's called: The Life of a Busy Kindergarten Teacher!  I plan on doing a better job of staying organized throughout the year next year and by putting things back in their place right away! 

Claire and I worked for hours!!  I had to turn my head as she did what was best for me and the closet- threw lots of useless and old and ratty junk away.  Why do we have this nagging feeling to cling to the weirdest things and say to ourselves, "But, I might use this one day......"  

We ended up with a very large bag of trash, piles of old workbooks left by the teacher in my room the year before, 4 loads of stuff to donate and a table full of odds and ends for the new teacher on our team!  I feel so much better! 

There is still work to be done, but now, it's not so overwhelming to go into my closet.  I can actually see and know what's in there! 

Here are a few pics from after:

All my thematic tablecloths are on one shelf!

All my letter tubs, together at last!

Books on the bottom shelf.  These still need to be organized in some way.  However, now I can reach them all!

It may not look like much to you, but this closet has come a LONG way, baby!