Okay, how about art supplies, science kits, and manipulatives? Plastic containers are good for these. Sort everything out and store in an appropriately sized labeled container. If you have a spare closet you can buy freestanding plastic shelves to fit inside. Then just fill up the shelves with your labeled containers. If this doesn’t work you can purchase those plastic rolling carts with drawers. They come in various sizes. You can sort your materials into the drawers that you have already labeled. These can be stored up against a free wall.

Now, how about the things you use every day?

Ideally each child will have a desk with drawers. Next best is a table with a freestanding, plastic set of drawers near by. If neither of these is feasible give each child his or her own plastic crate. Books, notebooks, and a fully packed pencil case can be stored in these, then carried to where needed and easily stored away when finished for the day.

All right, what’s next? Record keeping!

You’ll need to find a place to keep all of those important papers. But first, you’ll want to decide what those important papers are? What are you going to keep? Possibly lesson plans, attendance records, work samples, report cards, standardized test scores, and high school transcripts. A filing cabinet is a great place for these; a two drawer one will probably do the trick. If that is not possible, how about an accordion file folder? Or maybe a large three ring binder with dividers. It all depends on how much space you have and how much money you want to spend.

Well, I think that about covers it. Organization is important for home schoolers. Clutter must be gotten rid of because too much of anything is NOT a good thing. Plus it’s important to find what works for your life when deciding what to keep, what not to keep, and where and how to keep it. Follow this advice and your days will glide by with new ease.