The Organized Homeschool

I love to organize. I love to organize books the most. I have been collecting homeschool materials for the past twelve years, and I have always wished to have nice bookcases. My dream has come true this past spring.

We have a fairly large homeschool library with literature, curriculum, and material that covers pre-school through grade ten+. We also have a few children homeschooling at different levels. Here are some things I do to make the books more organized.

I group most books according to subject in my bookcases. For example, I have shelves for science, history, Bible, Canadian history, writing, grammar, art, Latin, Greek, French, health, poetry, music, etc. Each of those areas is generally arranged in order of difficulty.

1st column Science / 2nd History / 3rd Bible / poster storage

1st bookcase
Logic, Omnibus, Law, Physics
Saxon Math
ABeka Math

2nd bookcase
Geography, Art, Poetry, Health
Writing, Creative Writing
Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar/Language
(Behind doors - French, Greek, Latin)

3rd bookcase
Canadian History
Conservative Studies
Music
Large Children’s Books

I also have some bookcases full of “just reading books” which are arranged in order from beginners through grade ten+. This is where several of the shelves are layered with a second row in behind. There are also shelves for Tolkien books, all the J.K. Rowling books (which include two raggedy sets of all the HP books), and many other series that can be read in a variety of grades. 

Literature - Pre-School through Grade Ten+

The smaller bookcase below is for beginner reader books like Bobbsey Twins, Boxcar Children, Magic Treehouse, and Great Illustrated Classics.

Beginner Reader Books

At the beginning of each school year, I prepare a bookcase for each child that holds the material for every subject that is expected to be covered during that grade.

B’s books (last year, grade four)

N’s books (last year, grade nine)

When I purchase a new book, I try to put a small little sticker on the binding that shows the grade(s) in which it is likely to be read. When this is begun with the oldest child, it makes things more efficient when I collect the books for the other children. It may seem time-consuming, but it prevents me from feeling overwhelmed by looking at tons of books and not having a clue what grade might be appropriate.

Each of the children is pleased to let me know when he or she finishes reading a book. We then write his or her first initial and grade on the inside of the back cover of that book. (That task is not always done that very minute, but we set them aside so we won’t forget.) For example, this past year, my nine-year-old would write B-4 because his names starts with B, and he was in grade four. (All our children’s names begin with a different letter.)

We write the inital and grade for a few reasons. It tells us if the child read the book (it is possible to forget) and the grade(s) in which it was read. It is helpful when collecting books for the next child. For good or bad reasons, it also creates a competitiveness for the younger children which may not be common in many homeschools. C6 began reading chapter books younger than her older brothers (math is another story), so when she looked at the back of a book and saw a B-2 or an N-3, she was pretty pleased to write C-1. (Meaning her brothers read it in grade two and three, and she read it in grade one.)

N read this book in both grade two and three.
(He has always tended to read books over and over.)
B read it in grade two.
C read it in grade one.

N read this in both grades four and nine.
B read it in grade four.

We usually stack the “just finished” books next to the computer. Each time a book is read, (in addition to the initial/grade in the back), I add the title to a list showing books that particular child read in that particular grade. (I usually have a little stack before I do this.) It serves as a helpful portfolio and a guide for the next children.

Since I am talking organization, here are the insides of four storage cabinets in the same room.

Little Kids Books (has doors with childproof lock)
Toys for Girls
My Little Ponies, Polly Pockets, dolls, stuffed animals
(More toys in behind)

I got rid of a lot of our little kid books and bought a big wicker rectangular basket that we keep in the living room for library books. We borrow at least 50 picture/story books every few weeks or so and store them in the basket. Since our home books are generally kept upstairs, they are less likely to get mixed up with the library books that are in the living room.

Toys for Boys (has doors with childproof lock)
Small Army Guys, Big Army Guys, Assorted
(More toys in behind)
(There is an identical cabinet for Lego and K’Nex in B9’s room.)

Little Kids Toy Cabinet (has doors with childproof lock)
Blocks, big Lego, play animals
Medium Lego, Little Tikes Toys, Fisher-Price Toys
(more toys in behind)

Craft Cupboard (has doors with childproof lock)
Balls and marbles, rock collection, tiny toys (pieces), shells, paints
Puzzles, base ten blocks, magic kit
Art bin, math bin, marble game, clay, play-dough, crafts
(more in behind)

Anyway, there are tons of things I am lousy at, but I won’t list them today. Organizing is not one of them. *grin*