Got Organization? tips from your favorite SLP bloggers!

Organization.

We all want it. But how many of us feel truly organized? The struggle is real, fellow SLPeeps!

I asked some of my favorite SLP bloggers for their organization tips and am excited to share them with you!

Organization tips from one SLP to another:

* Have a “this week” bin. Put items you’ll be reusing over and over that week in a bin that is easily accessible, and switch out items as needed. (Meredith,  Peachie Speechie)

*A place for everything — I make sure I have a specific place for different materials (articulation, language, fluency ) and that everything for those areas stays in their place. So after I am done with it, it goes right back to where it should. I also have my room labeled with my different sections: craft materials, board games, etc. That way, even new kids in my room can find items quickly and easily and put them back just the same. (Maureen, The Speech Bubble)

*I use Excel for most of my organizational documents: one sheet has student names/teacher/IEP date/triennial date/speech hours/goals, one sheet for my schedule to easily move kids around as the need arises and another sheet around progress report time. I copy and paste student names, print them, and check them off as I complete their progress reports. (Teach Speech 365)

*I love keeping everything in clear holders so I can find it easily. Ziploc bags and page protectors are my favorites! (Linda, Looks Like Language)

*Put things away right away, or at least every Friday!  Make Friday your put it away to end the week.  This way, you can come back on Monday to a clean therapy room/desk. (Hallie, Speech Time Fun)

*I’m such a huge fan of label makers. I think that every speech-language pathologist should invest in a solid label maker (there are hundreds on Amazon). For me, I put sticky labels on all of my boxes that contain speech therapy materials. This helps me to be able to see exactly what’s in the box at the drop of a hat. Labels keep me super organized. (Erik, Erik X. Raj)

*To stay organized, I have a BIG data and organization binder for my whole caseload. I have a tab for each student and include a contact log, therapy logs, contact information, goals, datasheets, rubrics, and any other important information I may need quickly. I also have a caseload binder with forms that I would frequently need to reference, so I have referral forms, staff contact information, bell schedules, an IEP calendar, and a list of all my IEPs written down by month. It all stays in one place, so I never lose anything! (Felice, The Dabbling Speechie)

*Know what you have! It’s easy to collect so many materials that you forget about awesome products you love because they are buried or hard to find. Figure out a way to organize yourself to remember…it could be as easy as a list or a storage system. (Jenn, Crazy Speech World)

*Seems counterintuitive, but I think it is good to have a junk drawer. There has to be one place where you can throw the stuff you don’t know what to do with! I happen to love my junk drawer! (Sarah, Speech is Beautiful)

*Even though it’s extremely hard to even THINK about going when we’re ending the year, the more you prepare before school starts, the better it will be. Tasks such as printing out data sheets, refilling prizes or stickers, stocking up on office supplies, organizing that junk drawer, and planning your first week of activities when school starts are easy ways that help make going back a lot easier. (Nicole, Speech Peeps)

If you want to get serious about getting organized, check out my course:

Super Organized SLP

helping school-SLPs take back their weekends!