Organized homeschooling with your heart in mind

Meant to inspire mamas to get where 

they need to be and let go of the rest.

What does being organized mean to you? I ask this because so many homeschooling moms are in a quandary regarding organization. Sub-topics can include, but are not limited to: scheduling, managing a household while teaching, meal planning, coordinating materials and supplies, and so on and so forth.

I used to feel very overwhelmed when thinking about everything I had to do in a day, let alone the things I thought I ought to be doing, and let's just throw in there the things I thought I couldn't do. I would wake up in the morning feeling like I was behind and then forced my depleted self to bed feeling like I didn't accomplish nearly enough.

I had set myself up for defeat, but how?

Surely, organizing a home and school can be recognized as a type of physical discipline. Well let's back up a step, although the practical applications are there - consider the attitude of such an undertaking. Have you ever tried new organizational methods or products to find that they only worked for a while, before you ventured right back to your old ways? It reminds me of a diet of sorts, the Organizing Diet would go something like this, for 3 easy installments of $19.95 "Get yourself in order, stay in order, & never fear clutter again!"

Organizing may not come easy to you for several reasons, like you are needing 36 hours in a day rather than a mere 24, you are wrangling wild animals and kids as a side job, you are stressing and eating Nutella from a jar, you are planning curriculum and cool field trips, or just too busy being social with other homeschoolers. Whatever the case, you want it done, but would rather not, or don't know how.  

Perhaps you just need a push in the right direction! Our homeschooling universe is quite unique and savvy. We are not separating learning from our lives, but embracing it as a way of life. Home educators in general are very giving and forthcoming when it comes to sharing information and even valuable time with each other.

If you have tried organizing yourself before and failed, then I encourage you to drop your current attitude. Yup, perspective is everything! Let go of your fears, be positive by not uttering the negative, pray, and breathe in and out. Do whatever is necessary to release any tension that may be lingering in your life. Surround yourself with other homeschool parents outside of your home that are positive and upbeat. Get out of your house and attend a homeschool activity, even if only once a month, but preferably more. You will find that support comes in many forms and can be extremely motivating. You may even discover that your idea of organizing changes or evolves over time.

Okay, so what about some practical ways to get your house and school in order? Big or small, there's always someone in our amazing community that has clever ideas to share. I'm excited to join forces with some local HS mamas to see just how they structure their family and school lives.

Join me in welcoming veteran homeschooler, Jennifer Jones, in our next weekly post. She will be guest blogging and sharing some of her favorite organizational tips that she uses with her sizable and charismatic family.