It's All Too Much in the Homeschool

I wasn't planning on purging and reorganizing the school room until the summer, but if I'm inspired to do it now, why not?

Last night I took a hot bath and skimmed some books.  In bed, alone (Bobby's still away) I picked up It's All Too Much again and stayed up way too late reading and writing.  Using the questions in the book regarding what I want my life to be like, I applied them to just homeschooling.  I took loads of notes.  I came up with what I see as my ideal homeschool.  It starts with the days flowing at a relaxed pace, no rushing.  I feel peaceful and helpful in this vision.  Then I listed how we spend our time in this "ideal" setting.

• reading and discussing living books
• enjoying fine art
• listening to classical music, folk songs, hymns and children's songs
• creating - using paper, pencils, crayons, paints, clay, scissors, glue  (using quality art supplies, not junk, and not making crafts that I will wonder what to do with 2 days later)
• writing in journals and notebooks - stories and narrations
• taking nature walks, playing outside
• doing short math lessons
• celebrating the liturgical year memorably
• keeping up routines and simple traditions
• (the kids) reading on their own
• singing and dancing and snuggling
• having tea times

What would my ideal homeschool space look like?

It looks tidy.  It has places for everything, but since I have a huge school room and storage closet, I will not stop at that.  Just because it has a place, doesn't mean it gets to stay.  I don't want to store any stuff that I may use someday, just the stuff that we use or will use at a specific time.  Peter Walsh says to practice a new way of looking at your stuff and your space.  The gulf between what you have and what you want can be enormous.

Here's a list of things that I thought of when I asked myself, do I need________?

• flash cards
• schooly idea books
• atrium supplies
• loads of craft supplies
• puzzles
• manipulatives
• the pocket calendar
• the timeline
• maps, globe
• computer software (notice the computer will not even be considered)
• all the books we have
• posters
• preschool toys
• extra curricula
• binders
• scrapping supplies
• caddies
• trays
• catalogs
• baskets
• seasonal books

When I eventually go through the stuff, I will ask the question Peter Walsh (sort of) poses:

Does this item enhance the vision I have for our homeschool or does it impede that vision?

And one more note on books:  I want to keep the books that I look at often and not the ones that I don't read but feel like I can't get rid of because________.

To be continued....

Comments

[Erin]

You are so brave, I find this the HARDEST thing to do, even harder I think in a big room, I HAD to address this problem when we moved to a small house. I'm interested in your book solution, I just keep, blush.

[Jamie]

I can't wait to find out what you keep and don't keep from that list!!

[Maryan]

I'm at the "considering" doing this stage. I'm hesitant because once I purge I'm not sure what to do with it?!?!? So I'm doing it on a much slower basis. But I love the questions to determine whether or not to keep it.

[Kim]

You go girl. I would give my eye teeth to spend a week in my schoolroom doing just this. Doesn't take long to get snowed under. I too need to purge things saved for "someday" that never comes. And replace worn things, incomplete sets of things. Sigh. Wanna come over and help?

[Molly]

Bravo! I just took on our books and learning supplies. I dumped tons, boy does it feel great.