Now that we have cleared out our used curriculum, it’s time to spruce up our homeschool space. Even if you school all through the house, you have storage areas that could use some organizing, don’t you? I know I do! Here are our missions for this week:
#1 Declutter
Sure we moved out the curriculum, but if you’re anything like me, you have a lot of other school stuff to get rid of. I have accumulated enough writing instruments to supply a small country! Declutter items that don’t serve a function right now and just get in the way. Ask your kids to help with this by choosing their favorites to keep.
#2 Deep clean
Once you’ve removed the excess, you can get rid of the cobwebs and do detail dusting and vacuuming. Resist the temptation to do it yourself! This is a great job for kids of all ages.
#3 Discuss problems with the space
At one time, my primary school space in the basement was cold, dark, and depressing. My husband helped me come up with solutions to the problems. We decided to repair the walls (five boys can be rough on drywall), repaint, replace the off-white carpet (what was I thinking when I chose that?), add a space heater and a new light, and buy new furniture. Your children may have some suggestions for you, too.
#4 Plan and shop for changes
The carpet was the most expensive part of our homeschool space redo, but well worth it. We added an existing bookcase to the wall to give it a more uniform look and bought used furniture from Craigslist. You can see more of our space in this post, but check out the great homeschool spaces on the Organized Homeschool Pinterest board for inspiration. Pray about what you can do to make your homeschool space more appealing. It can really make a difference in your mood and productivity.
It’s the time of year to gather up the curriculum you used and loved or didn’t and make space for the new. As I write, I am surrounded by boxes of books and materials that I plan to either sell or give away. I am hiring one of my teen sons to help with the process, hopeful that I can get everything in order for my oldest son’s graduation party. Before you take this week’s challenge, I recommend you read The Best Places to Buy, Borrow, Sell, or Donate Used Curriculum. Then take these steps:
#1 Review dates and curriculum needs
Do you have used book sales in your area? Mark them on your calendar. Signing up to sell your books may be just the motivation you need to get them together if you don’t have a party to prepare for like I do. You should also review your curriculum needs that you identified (hopefully) in April.
#2 Cull unwanted curriculum
This may take you more than 15 minutes. You will want to go through all your curriculum and books that you didn’t declutter earlier this year and separate it from the materials you plan to keep using.
#3 Prepare material for sale or giveaway
This is another step that may take you quite a while. If you are going to sell your books, you will spend time pricing items. This can be time-consuming as you look up comparable prices. Giving away books may take you more or less time depending on where you have chosen to donate them. If your kids are old enough to help you, please let them!
#4 Sell or buy used curriculum
You may not be able to complete this step this week, but now is the perfect time for buying and selling those used books. I believe prayer is important for this step. Pray that you can find what you need at the right price and would be able to help your used books make it to the right owner.
What is your preferred way of handling used curriculum?
Chances are good that you have some outdoor activities planned for your summer bucket list. But chances are bad that you’ll actually check off those activities if you don’t get organized. For example, a group bike trip won’t happen if you have to replace a tire and buy a bike rack big enough for your kids’ and friends’ bikes first. This week, we’ll make sure we’re ready for outdoor fun at a moment’s notice.
#1 Inventory supplies for outdoor activities
Take your summer bucket list and make a list of all the supplies you’ll need to do the activities. Don’t forget things like sunscreen, bug spray, sun glasses, water bottles, and sport chairs. If you’ll be doing some outdoor entertaining this summer, inventory these items as well. You may need chairs, citronella candles, and marshmallow roasting sticks, for example. Then send the kids on a scavenger hunt for these items or look through the garage and storage areas for them together. Have kids try on their swim goggles, ball gloves, and anything else that may be too small this year.
#2 Make a list of needed items
Add whatever you don’t have to a shopping list or make a note to ask a friend to borrow it. Why buy a tent when you only need one for a night or two?
#3 Organize sports and entertaining equipment
Before buying new supplies, get rid of things you no longer need. Ask friends and neighbors if they would like your old bike or picnic table and if not, donate them to charity. Once your space is decluttered, put materials together by function. I love this sports organizer, but there are lots of great ways to organize your garage. Be sure to check the Organized Homeschool Pinterest board for examples.
#4 Purchase needed supplies
Now that you have what you already own in order, you can buy what you need. While you’re at it, you may decide to buy storage containers or organizers.
I need to get organized for entertaining this summer. How about you?
If you’re like most homeschoolers I know, you love summer! You have the freedom to be more relaxed about school, many extra-curricular activities are on break, and you can enjoy the outdoors with your family.
The problem is, we imagine we’ll be able to do so many things with our extra time and then the summer seems to fly by. We can end up disappointed. This week we’ll get organized to make the most of this season.
#1 Discuss last summer’s likes and dislikes
Have a family discussion about what worked and what didn’t last year. What was super fun that you want to repeat and what did you miss out on that you need to plan for?
We do a lot of entertaining in the summer and it can become overwhelming if we don’t pencil in some dates and extend invitations.
It’s also important to schedule plans with the kids’ friends. If you don’t, “sometime” will become never.
#4 Plan summer school
Even if you take the summers off like we do, you’ll want to spend some time planning educational activities. We don’t want our students to allow their skills to get rusty from disuse. I want to make sure my kids do Summer Bridge activities, practice their instruments, read, and write.
I found the perfect tool for this: A Plan in Place Summer Planners. These are part student planner, part memory book, which will ensure that the summer doesn’t disappear unnoticed. I interviewed the two homeschool moms who created the summer planners for The Homeschool Sanity Show. You’ll love their tips for planning the summer AND the school year. I can’t wait to get my hands on a customized teacher and student planner from them for the fall, too. I am not an affiliate for A Plan in Place. I just love that they understand homeschool moms’ planning needs. I think you will, too.
Besides enjoying time with friends and family outside, I am really wanting to finish a first draft of a language arts curriculum I am creating. What are you really wanting to do this summer?
Vacations should be fun and relaxing, but after planning and packing for them last-minute, you can come to dread them. This week we’ll make sure that vacations we take any time this year are less stressful.
#1 Discuss plans with your spouse
What is your idea of a good vacation, whether you’re planning a trip for the family, just the two of you, or individual trips? Share your ideal and then pray about how these fit with your budget, schedule, and commitments. The earlier you plan, the more likely you can save money and avoid disappointments.
#2 Discuss activities with kids
My husband loves to tell about the time his parents took all six of them on vacation to Colorado, only for them to beg to go home to the lake they loved. Kids’ vacation preferences may surprise you.
As well as discussing vacation destinations you can afford, be sure to ask the kids about the activities they are most interested in. If you’re going somewhere that has a website explaining options, check them out together. Need to do a staycation this year? Here are 50 ideas.
#3 Create packing lists
Packing lists have made vacationing with six children so much more manageable for me. I use a simple Word document with a title for each child and a list underneath that I copied and pasted. I have had to update the list every year to remove things like water wings and diapers and add things like phone chargers, but the main work is done.
The best part of my packing lists (I have different lists for weekend and week-long trips that I store on Dropbox) is the kids use them to pack for themselves. They love doing it, actually! Depending on the age of the child, I will check to see what they’ve packed, but it takes very little of my time.
Mentally walk through your whole vacation. See yourself getting into the car and remembering that Sam has motion sickness and will need Bonine (my favorite) before you leave. Do you have any? If not, put it on your list.
A fun way to determine what you need is to ask the kids to help you make a list. As my children get older, I find I need more luggage. Buy anything you need that isn’t perishable now. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about when you’re getting ready to go. I also love having separate travel toiletries stored in hanging bags like this one.
Sorting clothes for six children each season has been one of my biggest organizing challenges over the years. I understand why some mothers of many don’t store clothing to pass down. It takes an enormous amount of time and space!
But like any big job, you’ve just got to dive in and this week is as good as any.
#1 & #2 Sort & Make Shopping List for Kids
Sorting kids’ clothes will likely take you more than 15 minutes. I am allotting two days to do this. You may need more time like I do. If you want to hand clothes down, start this process with your oldest child. Here is the process I use:
Do kids’ laundry
Collect same items (all short-sleeve shirts together, for example)
Put clothing in poor condition in the trash. That includes socks and underwear!
Determine which items are outgrown by eye balling or having your child try them on
Put clothing that is never worn or is too small in hand-me-downs or in a giveaway bag (I use the large leaf bags).
Store clothing that is too large in the closet to sort next season. I use white fabric storage bins and plastic drawers.
Count remaining items (how many casual shorts, etc.).
Decide how many of each item it’s reasonable to keep (I keep ten casual pieces because my kids are hard on their clothes and it gives me a little lag time on laundry. I keep three church outfits).
Have your children help you choose their favorites to keep and put the rest in the giveaway bag. You may want to do this in outfits. Put shorts and shirts together, for example. (I recommend against keeping these items as hand-me-downs. If one child doesn’t like it, the next one probably won’t either). Put keepers away.
Make a shopping list of items each child needs. I like to add this to my iPhone reminders list with the groceries. I often pick up groceries at Target or Walmart and having them on the list keeps me from forgetting to pick them up when I’m there. I also like to shop at home. My 14-year-old needed shorts and I just bought several pair for him from Kohls using Kohls cash and a discount code.
In my city, there are many charities that make pick-ups from your home of these items. We also have regular church sales so they accept donations most of the year. But there’s nothing like having my husband load it all up and take it away to Goodwill!
If you want to put clothes on consignment, select the best items and prepare them according to the directions of your favorite store. Put all items into the back of your vehicle so you’re forced to deliver them soon. You’ll be eager to do this the first time you go to load groceries into the back of a car that is already full of clothes!
Do you have any tips for keeping clothing organized at your house?
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
