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Clutter in the classroom means valuable instructional time lost scrambling to find small items like math manipulatives, glue sticks, and extra No. 2 pencils.  

Here's a tip: You can prevent clutter from taking over your classroom without spending a fortune. The answer? Recycling everyday items to create clearly marked storage containers for everything. Ask your friends and family to help you collect the following:

• coffee and baby formula cans (cover with contact paper)
   
• shoe and cigar boxes (cover with contact paper)
   
• tea tins
   
• old canister sets
   
• tall plastic cups
   
• plastic cereal bowls
   
• see-through cosmetic bags
   
• plastic-zippered bags
   
• plastic milk crates
   
• egg cartons
   
• durable restaurant and deli takeout containers with lids
   
• plastic ice cream and sherbet containers
   
• wicker baskets of any size
   
• shoe caddy with see-through pockets
   
• small pails/buckets (often available as part of kids' meal promotions)

Need advice on clearing out the clutter another teacher left behind or making the most of a small space? Check out "How to Make an Old Classroom New Again" and "Tips and Tricks to Supersize Your Small Classroom."