When My Homeschool Becomes Disorganized
Whether you just started homeschooling or are decades in, every homeschool has those seasons. There are many seasons in homeschooling (and in life!) that become disorganized. It can be anything from a mess in the schoolroom, to chaos in the curriculum and life in between. However, do not be discouraged. Getting organized starts with just a few steps:
Ask Yourself:
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may just need some organization help! It’s okay.
At Home: Simple Steps to Bring Order to the Disorder
Start with One Room
- Pick a space you need for homeschooling
- Decide its purpose (schooling or just school storage etc.)
- Clean it out and rearrange
- Assess your books and curriculum
Baskets and Shelving
- Use buckets and baskets to sort materials (like these)
- Get some shelving organized or buy shelving (like these)
- Decide what purposes for what parts of the room
- Sort and label as needed
Binders are Beautiful
- Don’t underestimate binders and clear plastic sleeves – they are wonderful
- Gather all the teacher manuals and materials that are needed constantly
- Sort and label binders with original documents (like IEW binder, spelling, cursive)
- Find a section on your shelving for teacher manuals in these binders so you can use them frequently without damage or loss.
At Home: Evaluate the Issues of the Disorder
- Start with main issues such as: curriculum, storage or materials.
- Make a list of your curriculum.
- Ask your child what they like (though asking a middle schooler will get you an answer that they hate everything)
- Consider the necessities of subjects vs. what you want that is extracurricular/specials
At Home: The Day to Day
A Checklist or Planner
Consider using a checklist for subjects, a computer typed list of books read, worksheets, collections of what you’ve done and what curriculum plan is for the next few years per child.
Time Management
How much time and energy is spent on a subject and find the one that is giving the most problem.
Kid-Friendly Systems
Do you have one place for books per child or one location to find textbooks?
A place for papers when they are done or to-do?
A Check-in type system so you know which kid needs help?
Beyond Home: Consider Other Options & External Resources
Does the disorganization extend beyond a room or curriculum? Maybe there’s more to the disorder and you need to rethink and restructure homeschooling for a time.
Many homeschool families utilize external resources including co-ops to help during challenging times or years when children are learning difficult material or stuck in a rut.
Consider a Co-Op
to save time or complication of teaching a set of subjects – maybe your area offers a Classical Conversations
Consider a Local library
Like a library group, group activities during the day (especially read alouds or craft days) or summer reading contests etc.
Support Groups in Community
friends/family or church that has experienced years of homeschooling (I say YEARS or even one who has graduates from homeschooling because they have a wealth of knowledge and seasons under their belt)
Online Extended Learning
While I don’t advocate for online homeschooling necessarily – there are times that it may be useful. Such as higher levels or a subject you are not familiar with at all. Or a time saver to help with multiples. Or filling in the gaps. Sometimes the cost of the program online is worth the time. It may allow for catch up or a time filler to review. Maybe your child learns better that way. Consider researching online schooling.
Whether you are an organizational wizard or always in chaos, organization starts with just a few simple steps. Evaluate and then start with one issue at a time. For us, over time we have changed organization in little ways. Then one year we did a big organizational change. As your children grow and change, there will be changes needed in your homeschooling. From folders to buckets to full room renovations, take one step at a time. Hopefully a few of these solid tips will help you on your journey to becoming more organized and less stressed!