Where it Happens

Activity Tailor bag copy

Over last few years, my location has changed a lot.  I was doing therapy at a preschool, a couple elementary schools and in homes.  I always had space to work, but my materials were stored in my trunk and my huge rolling bag.  It was tough.  Last year, I was able to focus on a single school (I had a straggler or two, but really I was in one place).  I had a space to call my own, but it didn’t truly feel like mine.

I was right.  About a week after school ended, I found out that my space would be changing.  Lucky for me, a staff of wonderful maintenance workers packed up my office and moved the boxes into the new space.  I continued to enjoy my summer and thought that one rainy afternoon; I’d head over and start organizing.

Activity Tailor room boxes copy

Best intentions, right?!  Along comes August and I still haven’t touched or even seen a box and then I get another email—moved again!  So I dodged a bullet there, but now I was assigned to a room I didn’t realize existed….

I dropped my son off for his first day and set out to unearth my own supplies (my students start later than he does) and, turns out, it’s lovely!

I started with this:

Activity Tailor room empty copy

And ended with this:

Activity Tailor room with window copy

Biggest news, it has a bathroom!  My previous location was in a trailer with no water which limited messy projects and when a little one had to go “right now,” well, there went a lot of the session.

Let’s take a little tour!

On the walls I have the ASHA approved posters I picked up at last year’s convention.  Turns out they’re an odd size for framing so I bought inexpensive poster frames which were too long and covered the inside cardboard with polka dot wrapping paper for a cheap mat fix.

Good clothes copy

Posters from the Stuttering Foundation, a few printed freebies from my online SLPs and a poster I loved on Zazzle.

I’m also really excited about the adorable “Speech Room” banner from Dean Trout!  (I was able to locate inexpensive valences online that coordinate well enough).  I’m so relieved to still have windows!

Carpet was a find at Tuesday Morning.

Activity Tailor room shelves copy

My games are all visible on the bookcase and I found these darling boxes at my local Harris Teeter.  The clear film even flips up if we want to “feed” an animal anything!  I bought enough that my most popular sounds each get a box and I labelled them so we all know what we’re working on.

Activity Tailor room closet copy

In my closet, I have animal print totes with extra games and supplies as well as reference books.  It seems like a lot of stuff, but I’ve actually got a closet at home filled too!  Eek!

Activity Tailor room cabinet copy

My cabinet actually has space for my jacket and bag and also holds my literacy materials.  I feel like all this organization is going to make life so much easier this year!

The majority of my students are elementary aged (4-11 years).  That’s a wide range, so I need to make sure my room isn’t too baby-ish.  I keep the sandbox, play mat and toys away.  My big kid games are visible and I can tuck away the animal cubes quickly if someone finds them offensive!

I’m in a little house right next to the school building.  It’s a little bit of a walk which helps keep me fit, and is also the reason I often share tips of incorporating the hallway into therapy!

Did your space change this year?  Are you as excited as I am?

shark feeding

I found THREE more of my animal cubes (shark, frog, hippo) to giveaway!  They are great for storage, but also for “feeding.”  Entries must have a US mailing address to enter.  Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Mary-Beth

    Love the new office space! Thanks for sharing your tips. I’ve been in everything from a windowless closet (literally) to a full size classroom. Your space looks like a perfect size. With windows AND a closet it looks like you’ve hit the jackpot!

    1. admin

      I’m feeling VERY lucky indeed!

  2. Debby Childs

    You are lucky that you hadn’t unpacked before being moved again! Two years ago, over 365 days, I was moved into 5 different rooms!!! At least they were all in the same building. Whew!

    1. admin

      I know it! Sometimes procrastination can pay off 😉 I can’t begin to imagine moving so many times in one year. The only saving grace to the moving situation (at least for me) is that you end up forced into paring down and reorganizing!

  3. Candice Adams

    Can you share where you bought the animal storage bins.

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The views expressed in this blog are my own and are intended to inspire other speech-language pathologists in their own practice. If you are a parent, teacher or other educator, these ideas are not intended to take the place of treatment by a certified clinician. Read full disclaimer here.