The Great Give Away (so far)

Now that I am leaving the classroom (!!) for an office, things have to change.

I have got to rethink my hoarding habit.

And stop shopping...

Or at least shop for different stuff.

Plus, that storage unit.

And both cars.

And my front porch.

And that classroom I was going to inhabit.

There is a ton of stuff.

My desk in our team office is not big enough for all that.

Nor do I really need six, no seven, bookcases.

I need one.

It was on my front porch for a while, now its where I need it.

I'm also keeping my library cart.

Not only do I love that stupid thing, our office has use for it.

Most everything else, though, has got to go.

The vast majority of my classroom library, I donated to the school I was going to be part of.

Then I found another 6-10 boxes of books in my storage unit.

Oh my...

I left tons of school supplies at the school too.

But not everything had been moved yet.

Plus, my desk was completely empty.

Like had to borrow a pen and post it note empty.

So I had to go through my boxes and fish out some specific supplies.

I also had to locate the box with my desk paraphernalia in it.

The way I pack, my desk trays were simply stacked into a box somewhere.

My toys are staying with me too.

Toys are awesome, I love them, and I need them.

The extras can be used as give aways or PD stuff.

I mean, if kids love stickers and stress balls and patterned pencils, teachers will too, right?

I heart the toys.

The boxes of colored paper, card stock, lined paper, and construction paper had to be divided.

Of course, I'm keeping some.

And I wanted to donate some to the school I have basically abandoned.

Then I also promised some to my teaching besties.

The teaching materials/resources are a whole 'nother issue.

I can't bear to see them go to waste, but they aren't exactly useful to anyone else.

Anyway, after going through most of it and choosing what to keep, I still had to get rid of the rest.

So I decided to have a give away.

One of my best friends was kind enough to organize it for me.

Basically, we set a time.

Every teacher friend I have was invited to come to my storage unit.

First come, first serve, abscond with it all.

It was fun.

Sadly, not everything was taken.

A few things were claimed to be picked up later.

A lot is left still.

I guess I will have to do it again.

Next week, so I can avoid paying a third month on that storage unit.

Either way, I enjoy giving it all away.

Almost as much as I find it sad and terrifying.

It is a good thing, a clean slate, a chance to make sure all my hoarding doesn't go to waste.

Giving things to people who can use them, in a selfish kind of way, feels good.

I am enjoying the transition.

Giving things away makes it easier to grieve for the lack of students in my new life.

Because I do, I will, I can't help but feel loss along with the gain.