Homeschool Organization Inspiration

I love looking at and stealing getting ideas from other homeschoolers' homeschool spaces.  Here are just a few ideas I've beeen looking at lately:

This scissor display from Spell Outloud is practical and fun!  She made it using a magnetic knife holder from Ikea.  I love the label at top - adds an element of literacy for the kiddos, and really what kid does not love to play with magnets?

I am all about color coding - with 6 boys it is one of the things that helps keep me sane - each boy has their own color and I try to get everything for them in that color from cups to hangers to notebooks and folders.  That is why I love this idea from Mama to 4 Blessings.

She has divided each week of work for her homeschooler into folders by color.

But the most ingenious part of her system (in my humble opinion) are the matching color coded tags for when she needs to make copies.  Love That!

Be sure to visit her blog to see how she makes the whole system work.  She will be sharing her workbox organization soon.

I also am going to be adding the idea of keeping a library bag like the one used by Amber at A Classic Housewife in a Modern World.  Usually each of my boys keeps their own library books, but then it is a scramble to find them or we have to re-check them out because we don't know where they all are.  I think this year I will make them keep them in one bag, they can take them out to read, but must return them to the bag.

You will also want to visit her blog to see how she organizes her calendar!

Also, I am seriously jealous of Amber because she has one of these - it has been on my Amazon wish list for awhile now :)  Do you have one? Do you love it? Hate it? Pros/Cons?

Stay tuned for some more inspiration - including shots from my own home!  Aren't you excited? LOL!  If you would like to share some of your own tips leave them in the comments below or email me and I will link up to you and share some link love!

Homeschool Planning - Setting up Your Homeschool Calendar

If you are anything like me, you want to do everything, and you want to do it now!  But, really, wouldn't it be easier, and so much calmer if you took things one step at a time? That's what I am trying to do, we'll see if that happens!

So, for today's organization/planning task, set up your homeschool calendar.  You can use a regular calendar, you can print this calendar template out, or you can try a calendar like Stephanie O'Dea' Totally Together which also includes sections to keeping your house clean and organized. (You can win a copy here!) Whatever you choose, just make sure it is something that you will use, and that won't add to your workload.

Now that you have picked out your calendar, it is time to start filling it in. Decide how many days you want to homeschool during the calendar year. Some families choose to Homeschool 4 days a week leaving one day as a fun day or co-op day.  Other families keep a traditional school year Monday - Friday approach.

Next, figure out what days you are NOT going to homeschool - for holidays, vacations, breaks, etc. Put those in your calendar now.

Look over the curriculm you have chosen (or your standards, themes, or whatever else you have planned). How many lessons are there? Tentatively divide them out among the days you plan on schooling.  I say tentatively, because things always happen. Maybe your child picks up a concept much quicker than you thought, or maybe they need a few extra days of review.

Don't forget to pencil in some planning days or hours for you!  It is much easier to spend a day planning when you don't have to spend that day teaching and grading as well.

Your last step - Relax and enjoy the rest of your day - I will have a new task for you tomorrow!