Home School Moms...how Do You Organize Your Materials?

Hi C.,

My name is R., and I live in Wylie. I don't home school. I have two sons 10 years old and 12 years, they go to public school, but I am really good at organizing.

I have helped some of my family, friends and church friends get their homes, offices etc. organized. It kinda hard to explain thru email how to help you, I need to see the room layout. I would be more than happy to come over and help you organize, and figure out what types of storage containers, baskets etc. you have. Also how to utilize your space properly. I organized my churches preschool rooms, kitchen pantry, and closets to help in use and storage.

It helps to have someone elses visions, sometimes when we see something for a long time we lose sight of the possibilities.

Please give me a call if you would like my help. Cel phone is ###-###-####

After homeschooling for 6 years, I have found the best way to stay organized is to purge out as much of the extras from you house.
Bookshelves will become your best-friends.
We mainly use the dining room table to work; messy projects in the kitchen. Because I have 2 boys: 12 and 9 years old depending on the season, they can annoy each other with comments when studying so one might be at the table doing math while the other reads in the living room.
visit: www.sonlight.com (great literature for kids)

I don't save everything. You can take pictures of their projects.
I use plastic 3 drawers and put them inside my nicer furniture to keep supplies.
I focus on basic supplies and only buy books that will serve as resources I know all my children will need or read.

Hi C.,

Most of the homeschooling at our house takes place in the dining room. During the week is our "classroom" and then during the weekend it transforms into a dining room again. I bought a board at Walmart that you can use the erase markers on, which has been great for teaching new things. I have a box where the least used items are. And the most frequently used items are in a shelf, which is easily accessed by them. I keep their daily work on a filing drawer for my records. Once a week we go to the library to pick out books. Most libraries have story telling for kids your age during the weekday. We're really not too concerned about the mess because we figure that once the kids move out we will get all new furniture, but I know where you are coming from and you can always buy table covers, or just put sheets around to protect the carpet. It's really what works for you, it drove me crazy at first, but in time you ease into it and you find what works best for your family.

C.

I have rubbermaid drawers (3 or 4 drawer pieces that have wheels). You can see inside without opening them so you know what is inside. I also have used a child-sized table and chair set or even just the kitchen table. Get a bookshelf where you can put the books you allow them to touch by themselves on the bottom shelves and the "teacher books" and/or "need assistance books" up higher (can put a stop sign on these shelves or enclose them with cabinets).

Also, get "connected". Find some other homeschool moms in your area or join a co-op of moms to do field trips together and to socialize regularly.

I hope this helps.

P. <><