Quick and simple homeschool organization methods that work well for the large family household (and small spaces) without a lot of time, effort, and money.
I love the concept of cutesy color-coordinated and labeled homeschool organizing, but putting it into practice confounds me and feels rather time consuming. I want quick and simple homeschool organizational methods that will work for the large family household.
So, in this post you will find a smattering of simple ideas based on what we do to keep our homeschooling materials organized.
Nothing cutesy.
Nothing complicated.
Looking for simple homeschool curriculum storage ideas?
READ >> Simple Homeschool Organizing (that works!)
You can also listen to my podcast on Organizing Your Large Family Homeschool –
Table of contents
Organizing Homeschool Books
I have yet to meet a homeschool mom who doesn’t like bookshelves. Most of us have a literal library, with books crammed in nearly every corner of the house, and we are ALWAYS on the lookout for more bookshelves!
In a large family homeschool, this becomes exponentially true! In our current home, I can count a hodgepodge of a dozen bookshelves strewn about my home. And I’m always on the lookout for more!
For over a decade now, I have organized my bookshelves into 2-3 sections.
1. The Main Bookshelves
- Organized chronologically because our homeschool curriculum is history-based.
- Has a section for Theology and a section for books that don’t fit into a chronology.
This bookshelf is where our personal home library is housed, along with the living books and other books we need for our homeschool. In our current set-up, there is a section for Theology, and then it moves into history from Creation to current day. The section after that is fiction that doesn’t have a home, children’s books that aren’t currently upstairs, and science/nature/how-to books.
For more on how to organize large family homeschool bookshelves read this Related Post:
How to Simplify and Organize Your Homeschool Bookshelves
2. Books of the Year
- Books we will be using throughout the school year – mostly based on our homeschool curriculum.
This bookshelf sits in our dining room and houses all the books that will be used during a particular school year. I also put any books I plan to read in this shelf as well. This keeps everything for the year in one place so I don’t spend precious time hunting down that one book we need to finish our Ancient Egypt study. This has been a huge time saver and probably ranks right up there as one of my favorite homeschool organizational tips.
3. Homeschool Curriculum Shelves
- Where old curricula goes to die…or be used again another day!
I actually have what we call a “homeschool bookshelf” that is easily accessible near our regular bookshelves that houses curricula and supplies that will be used sooner rather than later.
All of the other older curricula that may never see the light of day again, but I just can’t bring myself to let go of it will be addressed in the next section…
Organizing Homeschool Curriculum and Supplies in a Closet
For most of my homeschool years, I have had some type of homeschool closet. In a couple of our homes, it was literally a shelved closet in the hallway. Prior to that, it was a cheapie stand-alone storage closet with doors.
I consider this to be one of the essentials of homeschool organization. Homeschool books are not used every year, even when you have back to back to back children. You have to have a way to store all the unused curriculum. If you do not have a bookshelf capable of housing all the curriculum, a closet is a very good option.
This is also a good place to put those items you use only occasionally that would be in the way if left out. If your closet has enough space, this is also a great place to put supplies like paper, crayons, etc that you do not want the kids to have access to all the time. Keep them in tubs, but still easily accessible to you so you don’t have to stand on your head to open boxes every time you need something.
And if you find the kids are getting into this closet and rummaging through things, I’d highly recommend a simple hook lock beyond their reach. Major sanity saver!
Organizing Homeschool Mom Supplies
Mom ends up with just about as much stuff as the kiddos, and she needs a place to put it all!
Organizing homeschool mom supplies with baskets
The photo above is my Homeschool Mom Basket circa 2012. The things in that basket were used nearly every day. It sat beside the rocker I most often taught from while nursing babies and rocking toddlers. It was a handy place to put everything so that all I had to do was reach down and grab the next thing.
I started doing this when I was pregnant with #6 and our school room was downstairs. I was too worn out to make the trek down to that dingy, dark basement, so I hauled everything I needed upstairs and put it in a basket by my chair. Since then, it has become a staple of our homeschool organization!
Several years ago, when I was no longer nursing babies during school hours, the basket morphed into what you see below. It sits atop my Books of the Year Bookshelf, and has become my homeschool “brain.” The video below shows me decluttering the basket and gives you peek into what I keep in there!
Related post: The Homeschool Basket Lady
Organizing Homeschool Mom Stuff with Binders & Notebooks
Many moons ago, I shared my household binder method. My school binder was one of those binders. Before things became so digitized, this is where I kept lesson plans, notebook paper, pens, any extra things I wanted to use in our homeschool. I still use binders for our Holiday Homeschool Plans and my Family Recipes, but I have abandoned the binders in favor of a notebook for homeschool planning.
You can learn about this method of planning in my book:
-
Flexible Homeschool Planning
$10.00
Organizing Library Books
I often utilize our local library for our homeschool. I order tons of books through the holds system and then simply pick them up as they come in.
I used to use a Library Box, but it wasn’t very portable. When my friend, Stacy, started selling Thirty-One Gifts, I got this large utility tote from her and it has been great! Aldi sells their own version that is also a winner!
We keep all the library books in here and then just grab the whole thing and go! It’s tough and holds up to the massive amount of books we bring home from the library. It’s also a gauge as to when to stop the children from bringing us more books while at the library. If the bag is full, we leave!
Organizing homeschool supplies and extras
Plastic tubs and totes – They make a size of plastic tote for everything!
Each child has their own pencil box that they bought during one of our Back to Homeschool excursions. I also have large “community” boxes that hold crayons, pencils, colored pencils, and markers for all the kids.
For many years, we had a “Craft Tub” that housed all the crafty items separated into plastic bags and random boxes. There were feathers, googly eyes, jute, a box of paint and paintbrushes, and so much more. I’ll be honest – it was a mess, but it was easy. About a year ago, I paid my 11 year old daughter to separate everything into craft organizers we found for cheap, and while it is much neater, I have to admit I kinda miss that old green tub.
Related post: Organizing Your Homeschool with Backpacks & Tubs
Metal containers – I don’t use a lot of these, but I do like them for pencils and paintbrushes (see the photo above). We used to keep our mail and our cloth napkins in a couple of square metal containers, but have since started using a basket on the table the napkins and a matching homeschool mom basket for the mail.
Baskets – Oh, how I love baskets! They make the ugliest of things look lovely. Baskets are great for setting out books you want your kids to read in their spare time. (We do this all throughout the year and especially at Christmas!) And the great thing is how easily you can find baskets of all shapes and sizes for cheap at thrift stores.
Laminator – For a large family, it is imperative you take as many measures as you can to make things last. A laminator helps with that. Amazon runs specials on Scotch laminators a couple of times a year or you can buy one at WalMart for a better price than Amazon’s every day price.
I laminate schedules, kids’ artwork, curriculum supplements that need to be less flimsy, etc. And if you are using a Morning Menu (a fun little sheet that your kids can document the weather, time, their feelings, etc on), laminating them can make them able to be used and reused with wet erase markers.
Binders & Page protectors – I love the versatility of binders and page protectors. Everything from ebooks to nature notebooks can be put in binders. I even know some homeschool moms who use page protectors as a way to reuse workbook pages (use those wet erase markers!). I actually keep a stash of page protectors and notebook tabs on hand because you just never know when you are going to need them!
Other organizing ideas we have used over the years:
Perfect Workbox System for Small Spaces or a Large Family
Assignment Binders
Organizing Art Supplies for Large Families & Small Spaces
Need more ideas to keep your large family homeschool {and home!} organized and running smoothly? Check out my book Large Family Homeschooling! This 170 page ebook contains much more content than the posts you find here. It also includes a ton of resources and freebies from other websites. It was a true labor of love, and I know you will love it!
Rebecca says
Amy, I love baskets and keep those around for some of our ‘various’ topics…that are extras, as well… And..I have to say, I fought page protectors…until this year….and found the beauty in that little investment!
Amy says
🙂
Jillian says
wow Amy! I wish my floors looked like that! : ) I better get mopping!
Great tips too. : )
Amy says
LOL – I had to go back and look at the photos to see what you were talking about…wow! They do look nice! Must be the lighting! lol
Darlene says
Thanks for the e-book, I look forward to reading it!
Amber says
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
kelly @ In Everything says
Thanks Amy!! We are moving this summer and I am trying to glean as many ideas as possible to set-up our schooling space(s). It seems like you can’t go wrong with book shelves and storage areas:)
I also like the bookshelf organized with just the books you use in the year (or semester)… that sounds very practical and helpful in keeping everyone’s materials in the right spots;)
alice says
This is a very practical, helpful post. My favorite idea is the smaller bookshelf for your current curriculum. I can’t wait to implement that, thanks!
Jacki M. says
Thanks for sharing! I love organizational posts because for us, when we have everything generally organized I get to spend so much more time with our kids (and my husband). Blessings upon you, your family and the work you are doing with your blog.
Melissa says
I’ve taken to using over the door pocket organizers to sort some school items such as glue, scissors, pencils, etc. If it were up to me, each door in our home would have one of those suckers to tuck all kinds of stuff into. But alas, the hubby is not so fond of them, lol!
I do also have a designated book shelf holding school books. What is it about books that makes collecting them SO addictive??? :- )
Thanks for the tips in this post!
Amy says
I don’t know if it is the books that I’m addicted to or the information I can glean from them. Oh, how I love books! lol
Kristine says
I am completely obsessed with hoarding bookshelves and plastic tubs!!!!:) The plastic sheet protectors are one of my new favorite things this year. One thing I find so helpful in organizing my homeschool and to make my days go smoother is a good copy machine. This year my husband finally convinced me to invest in a good copy machine and I LOVE it!!! If I realize I need something or one of my little ones are begging to do the same thing as one of their older siblings I just run down and make a quick copy and then our day can continue. Best Valentines gift ever!!!!:) My husband knows that any tool to make my days easier is far more romantic than flowers or candy.:)
Amy says
I’ve been wondering about a copy machine or ink jet printer lately too. 😉
Kyndra says
I finally got a three in one copier/fax/inkjet printer last year. I use it all the time with just three in school (1st, 2nd, and preschool). Art, science and history plus any extras…my weekly planning stuff, ebooks I want to read etc.
I do print ebooks as I can then three hole punch and mark them up to my heart’s content.
We use a lot of report covers and pocket folders with prongs so after the copier/printer my three hole punch is my next best friend :-)…
I run the printer (HP Officejet 4500) on the economy setting and by my ink at FedEx office which seems to be the cheapest place. Seems like an ink cartridge lasts about 4 months and a pack of paper about 2.5 months…K
Kathleen K says
I have to smile–we use every one of these tips! One additional thing that I began last year with our family–each child is given a magazine file to store his current spiral notebook(s) and individual workbooks. Then when they announce, “Mom, I can’t find my ___ book,” I can tell them it is in their file. If it isn’t there, it isn’t my problem and they need to find it!
Amy says
I just love organizing in a way that puts the burden of responsibility in the right place. Thanks for the tip!
hsmominmo says
The saying at the opening of your post makes me grin ear to ear – thank you!
We do have mutual friends, don’t we? That includes bookshelves!
And thank you for the reminder this week about Discount School Supply. I’m working up my shopping list as I plan for next school year.
Enjoying this series!
Amy says
🙂 (and Discount School Supply is one of those fun homeschool mom places!)
Heather Anderson says
Just looking at bookshelves filled with books makes me smile. We have lots of bookshelves and still need more. I do need to upgrade my organization of school supplies though. That seems to be the thing that ends up all over the place around here.
Carol says
+JMJ+
I recently subscribed to your blog and love it! What an encouragement. I am wondering if you could post a link to which bag it is that you got from Thirty-One. I’ve been looking for a similar bag to take along to church (for books, tissues, etc.) and this might be just what I’m looking for, but I’m having a hard time navigating their site.
Thanks!
Carol
Amy says
I can’t find a way to link directly to the product, but here is my friend Stacy’s page and you can go to the catalog and look for any of the products that are labeled Large Utility Tote. 🙂
Carol says
+JMJ+
Thanks! I think I found it. 🙂
Carol
Jennifer says
I love the idea for bringing a large bookbag to the library! That is a great way to gauge when the library trip should be over! 😉
SueEllen says
I have that same rocking chair! Exactly the same. My parents gave it to me when I was eleven years old (I am now 48) and I am sitting in it this very moment. I have never seen another one like mine before now.
Amy says
Oh wow! That was my mom’s and I’ve had it now for about 5 years. I grew up with it, so I don’t even know where she got it. How neat. 🙂
Inga says
Hi Amy,
I have a similar system for organizing my supplies. My problem is that our school area is also used for other purposes in our home. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. My 2 younger children both have special needs, and I am constantly frustrated that the organized school supplies get moved or disappear altogether in between sessions. I look for tape, scissors, glue,etc and there they are- GONE! I have tried various discipline strategies for this, but the issue remains. Any ideas? The kids are 10 and 6 but both struggle with impulsivity and an inability to understand cause and effect due to neurological damage in utero.
Amy says
Persevere! My children drag stuff out too. We all drag it back. 😉
Kathleen K says
One of my pet peeves is that purchased bookcases aren’t tall enough or wide enough. They are on average, 6 ft tall. But our ceilings are 8 ft, leaving 2 ft of “wasted” space. And if the width isn’t right, I am missing several inches per shelf of storage. Now I build them to fit the space. Lumber and screws don’t cost much more than the packaged unit. Building it to fit the space and fastening it into the wall studs means much sturdier bookshelves that aren’t going to topple under the loads we put on them! There are plenty of instructions available on the internet for how-to build if you don’t already know.
Amy says
You are my hero! 🙂
Cassie D says
I organized my crafting stuff for the kids several years ago when we live in a small home w no basement. Now we live in a bigger home with a basement and I still use the same system. My favorite tool has to be a medium sized 3 drawer unit from Walmart. In one of those units I store crayons, markers and colored pencils each in their own drawer which can be pulled out of the base and taken to wherever they may need it. I then have another one with our cutting/paper tools (scissors, fancy scissors, paper punches) and our stamp pads and stamps too. They work great we know right where to find them and right where they go back. I even have one of those in the bathroom to store our stuff in there.
Lauren Holmes says
Hello! I am new reading your blog and I have really enjoyed your wisdom and encouragement about home-schooling. I have one specific question too! May I ask why you chose to switch to Phonics Museum from 100 Lessons? And do you like it? Do you think it fits a certain type of child better than another? My first born (in 1st grade) has done incredible well with 100 Lessons but I am not sure how well it will work for my 2nd child.
Amy says
Hi Lauren and welcome! I did a post specifically on Phonics Museum here: https://raisingarrows.net/2012/08/teaching-your-child-to-read-with-phonics-museum-a-review/ but to answer why I switched, it was simply a matter my children not liking it and my not following through with it. My children found Phonics Museum much more engaging and I am much better at actually teaching the material. I love 100 Lessons for teaching fluidity in reading, but I’m not as fond of their approach otherwise, so I think that showed itself. Hope that helps!
Sumer says
Hi Amy! I realize it has been several years since you wrote this post, but I just wanted to say thank you. It was exactly what I was looking for to give me some ideas of what to do with all that unused curriculum! Thanks again!
Sumer
Reggie says
If we ever meet in person, you can finally say you’ve met a homeschooling mom who isn’t a fan of bookshelves! The idea of all those books IN MY HOUSE about makes me break out in hives.
Amy says
Ha! You are a rare breed!