The research library at my mother’s office was redesigned and had some cardboard magazine holders left other. My mother asked me if I wanted any of them, and I took about Seventeen of them. People, those things have radically changed the organization in my classroom to the point that I feel like a Hot Rod at the beginning of each period.

After using them for a few years, I started teaching the Essence to my educator clients. I’m so Wired about them, I wanted to share the Real Simple idea with y’all.

Here’s the Reader’s Digest version:

I set up one magazine holder for each period. The magazine holder contains all of the graded papers, announcements, and a Variety of other items left behind throughout the day.

Make-up work doesn’t drive me Mad. I run exactly enough copies for the number of students I have. When a student is absent, I write his name on the paper and put it in that period’s magazine holder. When the student returns, we save Time because all of his materials are in one place.

Substitutes know where to find papers. When I can’t be there mySelf, substitutes can quickly locate information for the classes. The row of magazine holders sit there like a Billboard of information because we all know that students keep substitutes moving like a Rolling Stone and provide Entertainment Weekly, so I try to make the job easier.

The magazine holders can function as a post office. One year, I had some of my students mentoring students in another period. The magazine holders held all of the Arts and Letters, as the students got to know each other.

As an Economist, it’s in keeping with my Nature that this tip doesn’t cost a lot of Money, but you could use magazine holders with designs more in Vogue to add a little Glamour if you’d like. I feel so Lucky that my mother’s office wanted to create Better Homes and Gardens because my Life has never been the same. I hope these Highlights can help you in your classroom.

Allison Venuto, a devoted fan of Entertainment Weekly, has been teaching in the Dallas area for 10 years and owns Ducks in a Row Personal Organizing. Please contact her with questions at allison@ducksinarowdallas.com.

Views and opinions expressed in guest posts are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ATPE.