Holiday Project - Get my garage organised!

Yeah, I am now officially on Winter holidays - we have about two weeks here in Australia - and boy do I have a BIG project!

I recently moved house after my partner of eight years and I broke up. I had been living with him so I was the one who had to go through the gruelling process of moving. It is one of my pet hates! All the packing, cleaning and deciding whether or not I should keep or get rid of this or that.... it is so tiring!

On top of that, I've also been busy assessing and completing report cards. In year 2 in Australia, we also have the Year 2 Net where we collect evidence during the year and then 'validate' students we feel are at risk and require extra support in reading, writing and number. It is HUGE! We have to collect evidence on key indicators and sub-indicators (preferably evidence collected in 3 different modes). After we validate those students, we have to go to moderation with another school etc etc. Also, we have to sign the continuas for ALL students in those three areas - it takes many HOURS just to sign the things, let alone collect the evidence! So that at the same time as report cards and moving means some things have been put in the 'later' box.

So all of that is to try and justify what garage has become - I am so ashamed and hate walking in there. Most of my teaching resources appropriate for grade 2 are at school, but I've also taught Year 6 (where I had a very extensive classroom library) and I've also collected things over the past 3 years since I started teaching for other grade levels - I might teach grade 4 one day, you never know - that kind of thinking.....

So... brace yourself for this mess..

On top of the boxes here is some shelving I bought from Ikea to start this project. My ex is going to come and put it up for me in a few days - hopefully! I can't really start much until he comes in and does it (we are still great friends and get along well). 

Here are boxes of scholatic books, big books, boxes of folders etc.

Here's another look at the shelving. It has open sides and back so that I can slide big boxes of theme materials in and out easily. 

 The big vertical pile of boxes are all filled with books, there's another pile of books on the grouund. I seriously have too many books. Many have been contacted from teaching Grade 6, but I've also got boxes more that aren't appropriate for Grade 2 so they haven't been contacted yet but I buy them when they are cheep anyway.

A box of reource materials with boxes of books on top.

Just looking at it is making me want to close the door and forget about it! That's part of the reason I put it on here - now I have to give you updates on how it goes! I'll upload photos of the shelves when they are assembled and on my progress as I sort through all this stuff. I hate culling anything because I think I might use it one day... I can see a few hard decisions coming my way!

How do you organise all of your teaching materails that you are not currently using? I'd love some ideas!