The end of 2019 is here! I’ve been seeing/reading a lot of “My Top 10 items of 2019” lists. I’m sure a lot of you have seen them, too. Some lists I’ve read have been for the home, some lists have been for wardrobes, and some have been for the classroom. I don’t know why but I love reading other people’s lists – haha. I almost love them as much as I love a good “what’s in my bag” vlog.
Reading all these lists really got me thinking about items I’ve used the most this year – specifically as a teacher. Once I started making a mental list of items, I decided my list didn’t look like most teacher lists I’ve seen. Sure, I love a good laminator and laminating pouches as much as the next teacher (and let’s not forget those plastic photo storage containers), but my list consisted of items I REALLY needed to make it through teaching on a daily basis. What I am about to share with you is by no means a “typical” teacher must have list. I decided to choose the top 10 items from my list and share them in no particular order.
There are a few reasons why this made my teacher must have list. Some of those reasons being: I talk a lot. I love drinking water – seriously, it’s all I drink by choice. I hated how many plastic water bottles I was using a day. I also hated how many times I set my plastic water bottle down and then lost it or forgot about it. Now, I’ve used off brand bottles, but this is honestly the bottle that has kept my water the coldest all day. Another perk is that I co-teach throughout the day, so carrying it around with me is super easy because of its handle. I did buy a different lid because I didn’t want to risk spilling water all down my shirt. Because of this lidded handle I can also attach my lanyard with keys to it – making it easy for me to NOT forget my bottle where ever I am in the building. I think the two times I did forget it I quickly remembered it when I went to unlock my classroom door and couldn’t. I used to set my water down and then panic because there were two other bottles of water in close proximity to where I left mine. I don’t want to drink a student’s water and I doubt any student wants to drink mine. I have enough to worry about in a day, if a water bottle is mine or not shouldn’t be one of them.
I used to be team Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer, but after using it 1000 times a day – a rough estimate – my hands were getting INCREDIBLY dry. I switched to this one probably two years ago. This is MY hand sanitizer. We teachers all have those certain items that don’t get shared and this is one of mine – this and a good box of Kleenex. This doesn’t necessarily smell as good as the fancy Bath and Body Works scents, but that doesn’t matter to me. I just need the germs killed. I also use the The Honest Company brand of hand sanitizer spray. They have different scent options. Grapefruit and lavender are my favorite.
#3: Pencil Pouch
Ok, I know I said this wasn’t your typical list, but hear me out… a pencil pouch is a game changer and something I rarely see mentioned on teacher lists. We all have our favorite pens and pencils we love to use. I realize I could buy two sets of my favorites to keep in my classroom and to keep at my house, BUT with a pencil pouch I don’t need two sets AND can transport my favorites from home to work easily. I can also transport them from my classroom to the classroom I’m co-teaching in. I keep the pouch in my teacher bag, for the home to work commute. This particular pencil pouch I purchased from the Target Dollar spot. I’m not really a pink glitter kind of gal, but it was $1 and does the job. I also keep a bottle of hand sanitizer spray in it. I’ve linked similar canvas ones from Amazon without the glitter. I can only find them in a pack though… but a pack of pencil pouches would be great shared with your teacher friends.
#4: Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses
These need no explanation. At the end of the day I can rate how my day went based on how many wrappers are laying on my desk. 1 wrapper = it was a good day. 5+ wrappers = I might need to take a personal day tomorrow. Dove dark chocolate is also kept for back up. I suggest the party size bag.
#5: Lush Sleepy Hand and Body Lotion
I have more nights than I’d like to admit when I can’t fall asleep because I’m worried/stressing/thinking about all I need to do in the next couple of days. It could just be all in my head, but this lotion is magic. It helps me fall asleep like nothing else – while also providing the extra moisture I need on my overly sanitized hands. A large bottle lasts me an entire year.
#6: Tula Glow and Get It Eye Balm
Some days by period three I look like something out of a horror film. I know this is true because teenagers aren’t afraid to tell me I look tired or ask why I have dark circles. I’m by no means a beauty expert – blush and mascara is about all I know how to apply, but this eye balm is AMAZING. I’ve tested a lot of balms to help with my mid-morning tired eyes look. Some flat out didn’t work… I think some made my eyes look worse… and some really made my eyes dry. This goes on like lip balm, is very cooling, and makes it look like I didn’t have to lather myself in Lush Sleepy Lotion to fall asleep – even though we all know I did. Let’s not forget that it’s a perfect pick-me-up for those afternoon IEP meetings! – AND you can even keep it in your pencil pouch. I told you a pencil pouch was a game changer.
#7: Oil Diffuser
I only have one window in my classroom and I have to stand on my desk to open it. It provides enough light when I need it, but it does not provide enough fresh air when I need it. I teach high school students. Let me add to that – I teach high school students after their outdoor gym class on humid, 80+ degree days. Whatever deodorizing spray they use in the locker room does not always make everything better – most times it makes it even worse. I don’t use wall plug-ins or spray any air fresheners in my room, but I do turn on my desk diffuser when I’m alone in my room. I have found a few subtle deodorizing scents I like – I shared a photo of these instead of my diffuser because I’m writing this over my winter break and my diffuser is sitting on my desk. I’m incredibly understanding of allergy and headache triggers to certain scents – I’m a sufferer myself. During the 2018 school year, I did have a student who couldn’t be around scents – perfumes, oils, sprays, etc. I didn’t use my diffuser last year at all. Climbing up and down on my desk to open my window turned into my cardio.
#8: Rain Coat
There have been way too many days I’ve walked into school soaking wet because I didn’t have enough hands to hold my umbrella. Three years ago, Santa-mom put an end to this and bought me an actual raincoat. It’s not a light weight rain coat where if the rain is pouring down it’s going to blow my hood off. This rain coat is heavy. If I were a teenager I’d call this the “OG of raincoats.” Now, when my hands are full I still know I’m safe to walk in without an umbrella. My feet/shoes are the only things at risk to get wet, but even when I am using an umbrella I take that risk.
I’m a terrible allergy sufferer. I carry an epi-pen. I get weekly allergy shots. I used to get a ton of sore throats. A nurse at my allergist suggested I try elderberry vitamins. I have not had an allergy related sore throat since taking these – knock on wood. I wish I would have known about them sooner. All those days teaching when my throat was on fire was sheer torture. I’ve added these to my list because they are needed daily, but I always talk to my doctors before I start taking anything – including vitamins.
#10: Mini Backpack
Alright. It’s my last item. I wouldn’t call this something I need to survive daily as a teacher, but I would call this something I need to survive as a teacher on a field trip. For the past two years I have been using the larger version of this backpack as my teacher bag. I love it. I loved it so much I decided to splurge on the mini backpack. This mini backpack is large enough to hold my Yeti water bottle, my iPad (for those long bus rides), snacks (also for those long bus rides) my pencil pouch full of my favorites, my phone, and any school/nurse related forms I need to have with me as a chaperone on the trip – BUT it’s small enough to not feel like I’m wearing a bulky backpack. Also, because of the price, I needed to tell myself it would be the perfect bag for hands free Target runs and grocery shopping. Thankfully, I was correct.
I decided to add all of my of my top items to my Amazon store front, in case you wanted to make some of these your most used teacher items. The links I provided to most of the items above are my Amazon affiliate links. I purchase Doterra products through their site as a Wellness Customer. The Tula link is my referral link that will let you save 20%. With all of that being said, I wrote this blog post to share my not so typical must haves, as well as to have some fun. I always remind myself to not make unnecessary purchases. I’m also a teacher with a budget!
Now I’m curious, what are your “not so typical” items that you use the most in your classroom?
Feel free to share them in the comments below!
