Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Teenage Boys in 2023

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The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to start thinking about the perfect Christmas gifts for teenage boys in your life. Whether they’re into gaming, sports, technology, or fashion, finding the ideal present can be a daunting task. To make your holiday shopping a little easier, here is a curated list of the top 10 Christmas gift ideas for teenage boys in 2023. From the latest tech gadgets to trendy fashion accessories, these gifts are sure to bring a smile to any young man’s face this festive season.

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Gaming Console: With the latest gaming consoles hitting the market, a new PlayStation or Xbox is an excellent choice for the gaming enthusiast. Pair it with popular game titles to keep them entertained for hours. Check out this Xbox bundle

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Wireless Headphones: Upgrade their listening experience with high-quality wireless headphones that offer exceptional sound quality and comfort. Look for popular brands known for their durability and advanced features.

Check out these JBL noise cancelling Wireless Headphones for $49.99

Smartwatch: A smartwatch is not only a stylish accessory but also a useful gadget that allows them to stay connected and track their fitness activities. Choose a model with advanced health monitoring features and compatibility with their smartphone.

Trendy Sneakers: Keep them in style with a pair of trendy sneakers from a popular brand. Opt for a design that suits their taste, whether it’s a classic style or a more futuristic and colorful option.

Portable Bluetooth Speaker: A portable Bluetooth speaker is a great gift for the music lover who wants to enjoy their favorite tunes on the go. Look for a compact and durable model that delivers powerful sound and has a long battery life.

Virtual Reality Headset: Dive into the world of virtual reality with a high-quality VR headset that allows them to explore immersive gaming and entertainment experiences. Choose a model that is compatible with their gaming console or PC.

Sports Equipment: If they’re into sports, consider gifting them high-quality sports equipment for their favorite activity, whether it’s a new basketball, football, or a set of golf clubs. Look for top brands known for their durability and performance.

Stylish Backpack: A trendy and functional backpack is a practical gift for the teenage boy who’s always on the go. Choose a design with multiple compartments and comfortable straps, making it easy for them to carry their essentials in style.

Graphic T-Shirts: Add some flair to their wardrobe with cool graphic T-shirts featuring their favorite bands, TV shows, or video games. Look for designs that reflect their personality and interests, making them stand out in a crowd.

Men’s Bracelets: If your teenage boy is into fashion then getting some men’s bracelets may help accent their appearance they might just be looking for. Get a dozen and half for a great price and they will have plenty to choose from.

Finding the perfect Christmas gift for a teenage boy can be challenging, but with this list of top 10 Christmas gift ideas for teenage boys, you can make this holiday season extra special for the young men in your life. Whether it’s the latest gaming console, trendy fashion accessories, or high-tech gadgets, these gifts are sure to bring joy and excitement to their festive celebrations. Choose a gift that aligns with their interests and hobbies, and you’ll be sure to put a smile on their face this Christmas.

Top Tips to Prep for Classroom Setup

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Here are the top tips to prep for classroom setup

1. Know your room

If at all possible take pictures of your classroom from every possible angle. Believe me you will want to reference these over and over as you prepare to setup your room. Get yourself a notebook and take inventory and be as detailed as possible.

Things to look for:

  • Outlets how many and where they are located
  • Chalkboards/Dry Erase Boards how many and where they are located
  • Promethean Board/TV, where is it located
  • Flag, How is it hung and where is is located
  • Windows, how many and where are they located
  • AC Unit, what kind and where is it located
  • Fire Extinguisher, where is it located
  • Door(s), where is it located and does it have a window, will you need to be able to cover it?
  • Clock, where is it located and is it powered by the school or do you need to add a battery
  • Storage, do you have a storage room, bookshelves, cabinets?
  • Furniture, what furniture is in the room, teacher desk, how many student desks, podium, rolling cart, bookshelves, file cabinets, etc.

Are you seeing a pattern? Make sure you know where everything is located and this is why pictures come in handy because we can’t always remember on our own.

Also take a look at the types of walls. Are they drywall, cinder block, panels? What type of ceiling do you have? Is it a grid, stucco, etc? Personally, go the extra mile and take a measuring tape with you and measure everything, yes everything. So this is the math teacher in me! These measurements come in handy when you are thinking about how you are going to setup and what will fit on your walls.

2. Clean your room.

Yes most schools will have the floors waxed and cleaned during the summer but I also have learned that even just one weeks time of a classroom being cleaned can accumulate dust.

Get yourself a broom and a dust pan and you can pick these up for a few dollars at Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree sells the handle separate from the brush so you will get the complete set for $2.

Make sure to do a complete sweep of your classroom and mop. You can also find a mop sweeper at Dollar Tree as well as the wet and dry pads.

Does your classroom has carpet you will also want to invest in a simple vacuum. Check yard sales or thrift stores. Be sure to test them before you buy. Even if you don’t have carpet you may have a rug in your room you will want to vacuum.

Take some lysol wipes and wipe down all your surfaces, bookshelves, etc. Clean your boards off including your bulletin boards so having a staple remover on hand is a good idea. I have my first day tool kit that includes the following:

  • tape measure
  • broom and dustpan
  • wet and dry mop
  • Lysol wipes
  • disinfectant spray
  • hand sanitizer
  • trash bags
  • hammer
  • staple remover
  • dry erase board cleaner
  • paper towels
  • masking Tape
  • duck tape (I use Black from Dollar Tree)
  • painters tape
  • packaging tape (My favorite is from Dollar Tree)
  • glue gun and glue sticks
  • furniture sliders
  • paint scraper
  • double sided tape
  • exacto knife
  • fishing wire
  • notebook
  • pencil/pen
  • mini fan
  • water
  • light snack
  • air freshener
  • zip ties
  • magnets
  • velcro
  • drop cloth
  • level
  • nail gun and staples
  • Screw driver set
  • Allen wrench
  • sewing kit
  • personal hygiene items (deodorant, feminine items)

Not all these things will be used on the first day but are part of my setup items I need to be prepared to decorate which we all love to do. Many schools turn off the AC during the summer so having a fan of any type will help your sanity and cool you down.

One more thing before we move on. The schools I have taught in have had little critter issues and setting out traps or asking to have the custodial staff spray your room for insects might be a good idea. It is my hope that schools will do this, but to be extra cautious I always ask and put in a request.

Plan to Prep for Classroom Setup

3. Make a plan

Before you start the decorating, make a plan. Having pictures of your classroom you can set-up your classroom visually by loading them into Canva. If you have not already signed up for a free teacher account I highly recommend doing so. This is not sponsored by Canva, I just really like using it for all my images.

Once you have an idea of your walls and floor layout you can then start making your To Do Lists and putting them in order of importance.

You will want to leave the items that are ok to finish during the school year that don’t hinder how your class will run. Save those to the end. Understand some tasks will take you longer than you may think.

Do your best to print, cut, laminate and label before you move into your classroom. These items can be done at home, I know many who prefer to do them at the school during the time they are in the classroom however I prefer to spend my time in the classroom for setup and not the tedious cutting and laminating. *Hint: Label everything! Your items may grow legs and walk off but if you label it then it tends to find its way back to your room. Trust me, label everything no matter how big or how small

Don’t over do your days. Plan out 2-3 major tasks you want to accomplish each day.

My plan is as follows:

Day 1 – Clean my room/move my items from previous room to new room

Day 2 – Put up my wall coverings (I cover 1 wall with brick paper, 2 walls with black fire resistant bedsheets).

Day 3 – Floor layout setup – move furniture

Day 4 – Bulletin boards and wall hangings

Day 5 – Setup my area and minor hanging items

My days are listed as an overall theme but each day does have multiple tasks within them. Lastly, don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t get everything you wanted to accomplish in one day. Remember some tasks may take you longer than you think especially if you are setting up on your own.

Also if you are moving into a classroom that has tons of items left behind this may also be one of your days you want to add to your list. Focus one whole day on going through and organizing items left in your classroom.

4. Be Prepared before you start

So you are ready to get started and to decorate your classroom but I have another tip for you before you start. Make sure you have all your materials you are using to decorate your classroom. The last thing you want to do is have to stop by another store after you leave your classroom for the day to get more material.

Having your measurements of everything you can do some simple math when you are out purchasing items so you don’t over buy. On that note, if you are looking for bins or furniture items check with other teachers that may cleaning out or some schools will have a teacher free area where teachers will place items that are still usable but they are not needed in their classrooms anymore. Also check your local Pay Nothing Groups on Facebook or even the Facebook Marketplace.

Make sure to gather all the tools you may need before you start. I purchased a toolbox from Dollar Tree that I have my screw drivers, allen wrench, level and hammer.

5. Be Flexible

When you start setting up your classroom you will want to take a step back and take a look at many angles of your classroom and consider the following.

When setting up bulletin boards, what is your purpose and what function do they play? Do they need to be readable from all areas of the classroom? This is very important when you are writing on boards as well.

If something is not working right, don’t be afraid to make adjustments. Your room needs to be inviting but also needs to be functional. Your first year you may change things over and over but as you learn what works for your room you will have a better understanding of what is needed for your room.

Topic: Top Tips to Prep for Classroom Setup

10 ways to organize your kids bedroom

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Can’t walk through your children’s room without stepping on something? I feel you, it is a constant struggle with my children to keeping their rooms clean. We even created a summer chore schedule before any electronics can be turned on! It kinda worked, but by afternoon there is no walkway to be seen! Below are ways to organize your kids bedroom for real people like our family. Most of the ideas are creative ways to use products from Dollar Tree that works for us.

10 ways to organize your kids bedroom

1. Closets. Be wise with your closet space.

  • Use the hanging organizers to have more storage.
  • Use shelving units add more areas to use.
  • Use the back of the doors to hangs items.
  • Place the plastic single drawers at the bottom of a closet.
  • If you have room, create a double hanging area for smaller closets.
  • Use Shoe organizers for the sides of closets if they are deep.

2. Toy boxes. If you need an inexpensive way for toy boxes get the plastic storage containers for $5 it beats the $20 plus toy boxes and works just as good.

We have purchased many containers from Dollar Tree in the colors my kids like and those have lasted quite a bit.

3. Need Shelves. We invested in containers from Dollar Tree that fit my children’s chapter books in nicely. We have them lined on the dresser. Great thing is you can stack them on each other.

4. Drawers.  Get section dividers or make your own, but be wise about what belongs in each drawer. In my daughters room her drawer we labeled ‘Bottoms’ contains a bin for her socks, tights and leggings and another for dress shorts and underwear. These work great when she has to put her clothes away. She keeps them organized and has no excuse not knowing which items belongs in its container. They are bins found at Dollar Tree.

5. Hooks. Use hooks behind doors in closets or even from the ceiling to hold coats, scarfs, toys and much more, a great way to de-cluttering the floor and keep organized. We have the kids medals and ribbons hanging from hooks in the kids rooms.

I have become a hook queen! really ask my children. Not only do we have hooks inside most of the closets, we have them in various places of the rooms including my kitchen where I have hung them below my upper cabinet to hang cooking utensils. Hooks can be purchased at Dollar Tree. Go a little crazy with hooks, they are a great invention.

6. Under the bed. You can find many containers that fit perfectly under beds to which you can store winter or summer clothing or even sentimental items. Just be sure you pack neatly and keep organized. Also be sure label to make it easier to find items.

I can’t stress enough, Label, label, label. Save yourself some time by labeling your containers, especially if they are not clear. No need to continually open and rummage through because you thought something might be in there.

7. Behind the door. There are all kinds of different door organizers that are great for kids rooms and to keep smaller items organized. We have a Shoe pocket organizer on the back of my daughters door. She houses her Barbie’s there. Behind my boys door is a card holder that fits their Pokemon Cards. They don’t show up on the floor anymore! The great thing is they are displayed side by side and easier to look at. You can also used the card sleeves for a binder.

You might be interested to see my Pokemon Go Party Ideas if you are planning a party soon!

8. Bookshelves. Bookshelves don’t just have to be for books you can also use to display toys or other important items to have in the kids room, like a piggy bank.

My boys have one bookshelf that has books on it but we got the stack-able shelves from dollar tree and now to the side of the books on the shelf they have a place to put small odds and ends, one of the shelf bin holds their pencils and color pencils.

9. Hampers. There are many theme looking hampers that are not sore to the eye, but are very practical to any kids room? So we have gone through may variations of hampers in the kids rooms but we ultimately decided what works best for our family is to have the kids take their clothes after getting showered and dressed to the laundry room. In there we have laundry bags labeled with their Initial. We know that when a bag is full its enough for a load. This helps us keep dirty clothes out of the kids room and semi-prepped for laundry.

We did try the laundry bags hanging on the backs of the kids doors. It work so well for us, it might for you. Having the plastic hamper didn’t work either, clothes would end up piled on top, plus when it was full that was more than 1 load, it got out of hand and just didn’t work for us.

10. Have a place for everything. Most importantly if you don’t have a place for everything on your child’s room then you need to consider what needs to be gotten rid of or stored elsewhere. Like Nony from A Slob Come Clean she talks about the container rule. It was eye opening for me too. If you have more items than fit in your designated container, Don’t go and buy another container. Organize what you have in level of importance to you. Then one by one place them back into the container and those that are not as important will be last and if you don’t have room consider donating them. Live within the container means. It is hard at first but believe me if you have a place for everything it will help you stay organize and help your kids.

Topic: 10 ways to organize your kids bedroom