Homeschool Organization

How can I keep my homeschool organized? Or how can I get my family into a good homeschool routine? These are a couple of the most common questions I see everyday from homeschool moms. I’ll share some tips and ideas that have worked well, especially in our homeschool co-op, but they could definitely be applied to homeschools at home too!

mom on phone and computer with kid on her lap coloring

  1. Have a home for everything and it’s even better if your storage is portable so it can be moved out of sight or out of the way when it’s not being used. We like these Sterilite Crates for storing textbooks. They are super sturdy, can hold a lot, and they are cheap. You can find them in cute colors too. There are smaller versions for storing art supplies, office supplies, small notebooks, and things like that.

  2. Every student has his or her own storage basket where they keep their own notebooks, pencils and pens, independent reading books, and workbooks. We laminate name tags and secure them to the bins with zip ties. These baskets from Target are only $6 bucks and we’ve used them year after year and they have held up great!

  3. Look ahead to each new week and make a list of all supplies you’ll need - for science experiments, art projects, extra books from the library, etc. Have a storage crate just for collecting those items. Then you won’t be scrambling when it’s time for the lesson. You’ll feel like one super-organized homeschool mama when you can pull out everything you need just at the right time!

  4. Use curriculum that works for your family and for your homeschool routine. If you or your kids are struggling through a curriculum, you won’t feel organized or able to get into a routine because you are constantly stumbling. It’s ok to try new things if something isn’t working. Our homeschool co-op tried Gather Round for a couple years. We were really excited about it because the units were so fun and interesting and we wanted to be able to teach everyone all at once since we are a K-12 co-op. Some of it was great and I’m glad we tried it. We ended up moving on to other things because it just didn’t quite feel right. We’ve tried A LOT of different homeschool curriculum. Email me if you have questions or would like a recommendation.

  5. Start with the same thing at the same time. For us, we go outside to the flag pole and say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at 8:30, rain, sun, blizzard, or storm. It’s a signal to everyone that our day is beginning.

6. Keep phones put away and the TV off. Just focus on the moment and the love of learning. Keep it fun and exciting, the way learning should be.

7. Find an amazing planner that you love. We looked at the homeschool planners from Not Consumed and thought they were SO overwhelming. My favorite currently is the Passionate Penny Pincher Planner. It’s not a homeschool planner, but it’s a great life planner. It comes with cute stickers, a pretty, hard outer cover that keeps it in great shape, and has sections for organizing your home, finances, and schedule.

I’m excited to share with you some big news about a project I’ve been working on. Because I’ve struggled myself to stay organized and I know this is a big issue for other homeschool moms, I decided to create a homeschool planner just for us!

Here it is! Let me introduce to you “The One Room Schoolhouse Calm & Confident Homeschool Planning Kit!” It has a simple and elegant design, meant to instill peaceful and calm feelings when you are using it.

This planner is Homeschool Organization at the highest, but simplest level! I’m including everything we need, organized into sections. You can print it out or you can type and edit directly on it and save it in your Google Docs. You can reuse it year after year.

Here is a sneak peek at just some of the things you’ll find in this planner to help you stay calm and confident as you homeschool!

  • Year-at-a-Glance Calendar

  • Monthly planning pages

  • Weekly planning pages

  • Daily schedule trackers

  • Reading logs

  • Reading lists for all ages

  • Chore Charts

  • Extra-curricular trackers

  • Meal Planning

  • Grocery Lists

  • Curriculum Pros & Cons

  • Contact List

  • Attendance Record

  • Vision & Mission page

  • Prayer & Scripture pages

  • Copywork

  • Inspiration

  • Password Tracker

  • Goal Setting

  • + MUCH MORE!

These are some of my section covers. I love how everything is turning out and can’t wait to share it with you!