No More Computer Disasters.....

Don't know about your classroom but I have an issue with kiddos forgetting to plug their computers in after using them. If by chance they do remember to plug them in the cords are so tangled that they have the wrong cord so it doesn't reach the correct computer.  Then you have to go through and untangle the huge Christmas light ball of cords. Ugh! Always a mess.  So a neighbor teacher came up with this FABULOUS idea.  So simple its one of those things that you hit yourself over the head and think, "Why didn't I think of that......"  Any who, I followed her example (Thanks Mrs. Brown!) bought two dish racks and color coordinated all of the cords and computers.  Follow the steps below if you are interested in trying this out for yourself:

1. Purchase dish racks.  (I got mine at Walmart for 4.77 a piece.)

2. Begin to wrap the cords from the back up and around the white metal dish holders on the racks.  Be sure to leave enough cord hanging out the front for the kiddos to be able to plug in the computers.

3.  Use permanent marker (don't worry it does come off with a Magic Eraser) and draw a shape in a certain color on the cord plug and the computer itself.  (I used a purple circle on this one. I happened to have enough different sharpie colors to make them all circles.  However if you do not have enough different colors, you can always do different shapes and colors.)

4.  Finally set them all in the dish rack and explain to the kiddos that when they bring a computer back they need to match the cord with the correct computer.

And viola!!! NO more messy cords!

Do you have any quick and easy ideas to keep your computer area in order?? I would love to hear about them!