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Spring Cleaning Your Homeschool

There’s just something about spring that makes us want to throw open the windows and let the sun shine through. Many of us will perform the obligatory “spring cleaning” around the home right about now, but have you ever considered spring cleaning for your homeschool? After a long winter, I am usually ready to get back into the groove of schooling, give the kids more outside time, and focus on the educational essentials as we march towards summer break. Here are a few tips to help you think about spring cleaning your homeschool:

  1. Organize It

It’s time to take a good hard look at the piles of homeschool materials you’ve got scattered around the house. What can you do to better organize them? Do you need to tidy up all the bookcases? It’s a good time to file any important homeschool papers and organize the kid’s art projects you want to save or keep. Go through the art supplies and pitch the dried-up bottles of glue and broken crayons once and for all. Do a major organizational overhaul and you’ll feel fresh and ready to tackle the rest of the school year!

  1. Love It Or Leave It

While you are organizing the stacks of books, curricula, and other homeschooling materials, ask yourself a few key questions: Do we use this item? If so, how often? Is it a useful educational tool or is it just taking up space? (We call that stuff educational clutter.) Do we love it, or are we just holding onto it for no real reason?

As you go, make a pile of things to keep, things to throw away, and things to sell or donate. Fortunately, many homeschool groups and co-ops host book sales and used curriculum sales during the spring. It might be a good idea for you to participate in one or two and clear out some of the educational clutter once and for all. It’s a great way to clean out your house while making a little cash for future homeschool purchases. Consider donating a few items to a homeschool lending library or a new homeschooling family in your area.

  1. Resolve To Purchase More Carefully

When you do a thorough job cleaning and organizing your homeschool materials, you’ll notice some patterns about your purchase habits. Paying attention to this will give you better idea of what materials your family really likes to use and what items were just impulse buys. As you declutter, make a pact with yourself to be a careful consumer going forward.

One tip that really works for me is to focus on building our family library of books, audio dramas, games, and other valuable materials that can be used over and over again. I like to buy resources that the entire family can enjoy together and materials that can be used with multiple children over the course of many years. A well-stocked family library is really all the curriculum you will ever need! It can take time to accomplish, but it is well worth the effort. Your grandchildren and future generations will thank you for it!

  1. Take A Hard Look At Your Schedule

Books and clutter aren’t the only things that we need to spring clean. Sometimes we need to take a good hard look at how we use our time. Now’s the time to evaluate the family schedule. Just how busy are we? Is our “busyness” actually effective… or are we just wasting time?

Take some time to evaluate every activity that your children and family participate in on a regular basis. Perhaps it is time to say “no” to a few things, in order to really devote time to those things you love to do, or want to try. Don’t forget to look at field trips – are there any you want to accomplish before summer break arrives? If so, make plans to see it happen, so you won’t regret not doing them later on.

  1. Stop Comparing

Finally, take a good hard look at yourself. It’s time to declutter your attitude! So what if the year has been a bit of a flop thus far… spring is here and you have plenty of time to make changes and end the school year on a positive note. Let go of the things that are holding you back and most of all, let go of the judgements you put on yourself regarding your homeschool.

Remind yourself that you are doing a great job! Remember, no one knows or loves your children as much as you do. The path of home education isn’t an easy one, but it is highly rewarding. Finish the year strong with confidence that you are right where you are supposed to be… at home, together… living, learning, and having fun.

About Lindsey Cox

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