15 Organizing Tools for the Homeschooling Mom

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When I think about my day, my week, and what helps keep me somewhat on top of homeschooling a large and busy family, these are the items I go to again and again. Nothing terribly fancy. For me, I find that keeping it simple is always best.

The more organized I am, the smoother the week goes, the more we get accomplished, and generally everyone is a bit happier. Having the supplies we need, readily accessible just makes life easier.

Homeschooling Tools

1. 3 Hole Punch – I just own a plain old cheapy version. It has lasted forever and I have never felt the need to upgrade to a heavy duty one. Yet. It gets used virtually every day.

2. Laminator – Again, inexpensive and mine has lasted me for many years. I don’t use it every day, but I use it enough that I’m thankful to have one.

3. Notebooks – I like to use notebooks to keep track of brainstorming sessions, jot down notes for the family, homeschooling, and blogging. My kids like notebooks to write stories, practice spelling, and math work. There  is something about a fresh new notebook.

4. Pencils – Hands down these are our favorite pencils! Worth the bit of extra cost because they sharpen great and are long lasting. This particular item is an “add on” and is a fantastic price!

5. Sticky Notes – I like to use the bigger, lined ones to make notes and stick on my planner, the kids planners, curriculum pages.

6. Binders – We use binders for everything! If you do any kind of notebooking in your school you know how valuable notebooks are. My big kids have a binder for their Paths of Progress work, my younger kids have a binder for their Five in a Row work, I use them for recipes, housekeeping, homeschooling, Advent. You name it, I’ve probably had a notebook for it!

7. Planner – I use this particular planner to keep track of all of our family and extracurricular things to do. I use a separate planner for our curriculum, and still another for blogging. **Update** I now use an Erin Condren Life Planner – It’s working out beautifully for me. Read more about using my planner here.

8. Sticky Tack for Walls – I’m not sure if it’s possible for a homeschool mom is function without this stuff! Indispensible for hanging items on the walls without leaving a mark. Perfect if you use any kind of learning wall in your house.

9. Divider Notes – My newest love. I have been finding all sorts of ways to use these little gems. Organizing sections in notebooks, organizing sections in the kids books, the list goes on.

10. Wall Calendar – This is a life saver for keeping everyone organized. My husband and big kids can all look for themselves to see what is going on for the day/week/month. I will share more on how we specifically use this tool when I share about our homeschool command center. Don’t forget the dry erase markers.

11. Page Protectors – all kinds of uses from keeping papers secure in a notebook, to keep them neat and tidy in a notebook, to using them as write on/wipe off pages (with dry erase markers) for younger kids. Would be good for chores or other reminders used daily. I keep my unused ones in a binder 🙂

12. Clip Boards – These are great for school on the go, and school on the couch. My kids will take them in the car to use for drawing. I will often use them for a specific project I’m working on, keeping to do lists together, recipes for a holiday. The list is endless.

13. Post it Flags – I use these to mark our spot in our curriculum books, my planner pages, the kids planner pages, and  bookmarks in other books.

14. Washi Tape – While I don’t use this a ton, I do like to liven up my planners with some fun washi tape.

15. Colored Pens – I like to use colored pens in my planners. I know some moms color code their kids, I have never been successful with that 🙂

I’m not a coffee drinker, or a tea drinker, but my unofficial homeschooling tool? Is this. Hey, whatever works right?

What is your favorite organizational tool?