Applying minimalism to your homeschool




As a homeschooling mother of 5 children, I am a collector of the "stuff". You know, flashcards, workbooks, books, craft kits, books, notepads, books (did I mention books?). Alot of this stemmed from my planning too much...too many good ideas for the time I had.  Since I started homeschooling three years ago,  I have learned a few tricks to help keep my "stuff" for my homeschool at bay...

• Prioritize time and materials for core subjects first, extras second. Your "stuff" for core materials should be more than your materials for extras. i.e.  you should have more level 1 reading books for your kindergartener/1st grader than you do craft activities in your homeschool closet.

• Use up books in their entirety before buying another book that works on the same thing.
• keep a recycle bin or bag by your homeschool desk/area. If a worksheet is done but not being kept for an end of the year portfolio or project then release it to the recycle bin. Yes, it is your child's good work but it is okay to not keep every single paper they complete.

• Same goes for their pictures and artwork. Save the favorites. We save the favorites and they hang on the fridge for one month. After that they are sorted into keep for the portfolio or recycle. If you must, you can lay out 4 together, take a picture and then put that smaller picture into the portfolio. This is a brilliant spacesaver if you are someone who can't bear to throw away little Johnny's artwork.





photo: ksullivan  'These hands make alot of art work".

• Go through one area of your homeschool every week. Organize. Clean. Purge. This may mean a bookshelf one week, or the the crayon box the following week. The point is not how big the project is but that you are picking at least one thing each week....(p.s. the broken crayons are great to sort out and keep in a separate container to have little ones with fine motor issues color with as part of their OT program, or put them in muffin tins and bake for a great painting project)...

 

• If you are someone who has a hard time limiting yourself when you find yourself at a craft store or teaching store, then limit your trips. And when you do go, take either a list or a budget and stick to it. If never ebcomes clutter if it never comes into your home!


• Organization is your friend. You will find all kinds of time in your homeschool day if you are organized. Group like things/subjects together (another great way to see exactly how many books on Early Egypt that you have), and organize either by subject or grade level; whichever works the best for you!

What ways do you keep from getting overran with homeschool supplies? Share them with me in a comment below!

Blessings,

Katie



The Mitten Giveaway Winners...

Thank you everyone who entered this giveaway both here and at my old blog that is closing (Wonderland Homeschool). Remember that Wonderland Homeschool is officially closed as of tomorrow but all of its posts have already been imported over here to Brighton Park.  Now for the winners, who were picked by the free online random number generator...

1. comment number 8 janetfaye

2. comment number 11 beckeesdeals

3. comment number 5 beau

if you have not already left me your email, please do so. I will be needing you to send me your mailing address. Please allow two weeks to receive your prizes! and I hope whomever you give or read your copy of "The Mitten" too, loves it as much as my TImothy does!

There is a new giveaway for March starting tomorrow! So please stop back by soon.

Love,

Katie

Pride and Prejudice and Homeschool...

The Power of a Smile

I love this scene. Mr. Darcy is smiling.Though handsome throughout, he is stern and serious looking the entire movie and then this scene he is smiling and....it changes the look of his whole face. It also makes his character be seen in a whole new way.  I think it is the same with a positive attitude. A smile can change your whole day. Your smile can change your child's whole day. It can change people's perception of you.

 So get out of the bitter barn and go play in the hay...share your smile with your spouse, and your kids, and even that grumpy neighbor who rings your doorbell at 4:30 am to complain about where your child's therapist parked the day before (true story).  The power of a positive attitude changes lives. Let it change yours. Your family and your homeschool will thank you.

Homeschool Mother's Journal

 

Homeschool Mothers Journal...

In my life this week...

I have been so busy that I don't know if I found a rope or lost my horse. My husband is a CPA and it is tax season so I am, in a way, single parenting from Jan 15 to Apr 18 this year. Also, in my life this week, a close friend shared with me that their son had been diagnosed with autism. Since I am a speech language pathologist, she had alot of questions. It is so important to share our talents and our TIME and support each other!


In our homeschool this week...

Wrapping up our February units, which included Cookies and St. Valentine. The cookie unit also coincided with Girl Scout cookie time so that worked out nicely.


Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Helper

Minimalist Monday: The 10 items a day challenge.

When 2011 started, I decided I wanted to really get serious about my stuff: how much I had versus how much I needed. This journey actually started in Spring 2011 when we moved to the new house (moving is such a great time to go through and purge things!), unfortunately I was 9 months pregnant during that move so I didn't really have the energy to go through and organize things as I went as much as I would have liked...

Last month, I took the challenge to take a week and purge 10 things a day, for a total of 70 items that would have to be recycled, given away, donated to charity, or thrown out (if no other way to repurpose).  Here is how I did (and yes, my house is 70 items lighter!)...

Sunday: (boys room):  Ten things included 2 pairs of shorts and 2 shirts to take to consignment shop, 2 belts (donated), sponge bob bingo game (donated), game with missing pieces (thrown out--box recycled), two stuffed animals (donated).

Monday (girls room):  6 clothing articles to donation, 1 puzzle missing pieces (thrown out), 2 stuffed animals (donate), 1 pair shoes (consignment shop)

Tuesday:  (My room):  4 clothing articles--mine (to be sold on Ebay), 1 purse (donate), 1 pair shoes (to ebay), 2 books (given to friend), 2 shirts --husband's (donate)

Wednesday:  (Craft/sewing room):  3 old craft catalogs (recycle), 7 stamp sets (ebay)

Thursday:( living room):  4 cookbooks (take to second hand bookshop), 3 knick knacks (donate), old magazines (count as one item--recycle), 2 jackets (in closet off living room--donate)

Friday:  (my room--again):  10 more clothing articles: (3 ebay and 7 donate)

Saturday: (Kitchen/Dining Room):  3 coffee cups (donate), 1 odd saucer type plates (donate), 4 Christmas wine stoppers (donate), tupperware pitcher (donate), really ugly platter--was a gift received years ago (donate)

I am 70 items lighter and I have not missed one of these items.  Since that week, I have went back and done this a second time for a total of 140 items that are no longer in my home. The extra money made from ebaying clothes I really didn't wear, paid  $50 into our savings account PLUS paid for my three girls new Easter/picture dresses for this year.

I am finding that my personal minimalism journey is a series of very small steps. This works for me, mainly because my time to focus on it is limited secondary to it now being tax season (our busy time since Mr. Darcy is a CPA). But with each day comes a drawer or a shelf or a closet that is cleaned out, organized and no longer cluttered with unneeded items and I love that. 

Here are a few benefits that I have reaped so far since starting this journey:

• areas of the house I have already done are easier to maintain; I am spending less time picking up
• Time I use to constantly spend picking up those areas is now available for actual, more thorough, cleaning. I am no longer feeling "behind" all the time.
• Closets, especially the kids, are organized. Outfits are easy to find.
• Once I cleaned out closets and donated many unwanted/unworn items a funny thing happened: less money was being spent on clothes. I can only attribute this to I am more aware of what everyone owns and everything is easier to find.
• saved $: through less purchases, consignment shop sales of outgrown children's clothing, and ebay sales of other clothing items.

I have a long way to go and would not call myself a minimalist by any means, but I am seeing positive benefits to my physical and mental space with each step of this journey. I am excited to see how far I will get in 2011.

If you want a great resource about how to organize your home via a minimalism approach check out this post for the best book I have read on minimalism and decluttering.

Have you started a new journey in 2011? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

Feature Friday: Lent is coming!

Feature Friday is still reserved for recipes and/or guest bloggers! If you are interested in doing a guest blog here at Brighton Park, let me know!

Today's feature friday is to let you know that every Friday during Lent I will be posting a new meat-free/lent- friendly recipe(s). Enjoy! In our house, Lent is a great time to eat healthier: less meat, more pasta, more salads, more raw foods, fruits and vegetables!  Here are a few quick ideas for you to help plan your upcoming Lenten meals...

Pride and Prejudice and Homeschool...

One more person asks me "so are your kids socialized?" and I'm gonna jump...

Growing Pains...and a thank you

I started blogging a year ago. A family blog grew to a homeschool blog and a family blog and a kitchen blog. With my new journey to simplify, three separate blogs was not going to do, and Brighton Park Blog was born.

 Thank you everyone stopping by for coming over to my new writing spot.  I am excited about

Happy St. Valentine's Day

Happy St. Valentine's Day to you from me! Yesterday, my super sweet 6 yr old daughter and I made these heart shaped Valentine's Day sugar cookies. She loves helping me in the kitchen and will pretend she is hosting a cooking show while she cooks.  I hope this time we spend together in the kitchen will be a source of for wonderful memories for her.  What are some of your favorite memories of helping in the kitchen? 

Love,

Katie

Catching Up: Meet the new Puppies at Brighton Park!

I apologize. I am having PC problems, oh the fun, and so I have been sharing my husband's PC for blogging. Oddly, my PC is doing everything else just fine, just not blogspot. (of course!)...

I guess our biggest news here at Brighton Park is (da da ta da....) The Puppies are here!

Duke and Duchess had puppies. Five were born on January 26th; sadly the two smallest ones did not make it. But, these three (two girls and a boy) are thriving. They are fat, so cute, and now have their eyes open. We have one sold already and plan for the other two to also find good homes in due time.  Here's a few more pictures of the newest residents of Brighton Park:

I'm really not sure they could be any cuter...

Tax season is upon us here at Brighton Park as well. As I told my husband, "I'm so busy that I don't know if I found a rope or lost my horse".  We are thankful that business is good and this year is actually going very smoothly. We make a great team.  I was bummed to find out that tax day was moved from 4/15 this year to 4/18, since we have a daughter with a birthday on 4/17. So, be that as it may, we have scheduled Audrey's party for 4/23 this year.  The only weekend we can sneak it in between tax season which ends on the 18th and our trip to England which starts on the 26th.

I am so excited about the trip and excited to report that we have house, animal and childcare for the time we will be gone and so thankful to the two wonderful ladies who will be staying at our home taking care of the wee ones not making the trip.  We are so blessed.

As Mr. Darcy and I do our best to survive tax season, keep these kids educated, and the laundry done! I will plan to post once a week until tax season ends. I hope this finds you all staying warm and enjoying a beloved February. Happy St. Valentine's Day from Brighton Park!

Love,

Katie

Valentine's Day Craft Ideas for your Homeschool

Grandma would love getting this bouqet of paper flowers...

I love St. Valentine's Day and the countdown to the 14th  is on! This week is the time to get those valentines made and crafts done in time for the big day. Here are some links to free color pages, great craft ideas and more.

Have holiday themed coloring sheets on hand and ready to go to keep little ones busy when waiting.

For free Valentines Day coloring sheets, click here.

It should be an unwritten rule: Do not throw away empty toilet paper rolls...

For Valentine's Day craft ideas, click here.

Another great example of toilet paper roll crafts. So creative!

I think this cupid is my favorite... here is how to make your own here.

construction paper, scissors, glue, stickers, glitter and voila!

Don't forget to make those valentines. Kids love making handmade ones and those are the ones that Grandparents like getting the best!

Which Valentine craft ideas are your favorite?

Katie

From the Bookshelf: Groundhog's Day

Groundhog Day just gets a couple of days here at our homeschool.  We read a few books that go with this day and utilize the internet as a good reference for free color pages (http://www.crayola.com/) and simple crafts. Here are the books we got this year to help the kids learn about this day.  If you are looking for a few groundhog day crafts, here are a few I found online that may fit the bill for your homeschool:  here and here . At both links, just scroll down and there are so many cute crafts with color photos that are great for the preschool and elementary age student.  Happy Groundhog Day!