Happy New Year! And Happy New Decade! (Is that a thing?) Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions for 2020? What is it about seeing “January 1st” on a calendar that inspires us to try something new or beckons us to approach life differently than we did last year? And why does it feel harder to start a new habit in the middle of a year? I (Sharon) don’t claim to know the answers to these questions but I do know that I like beginnings: a new year, a new school term, a new blank calendar or notebook. Beginnings are full of possibilities and void of mistakes. However, before launching into the unknown of a new year, there is immense value in reflecting on the previous year.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. –Seneca
Before we get to some “New Year’s Organization” I wanted to share with you a simple idea that encourages reflection and connection. And the new year is the perfect time to begin!
A few years ago I started a habit that I call “The Memory Jar”. It is a tall mason jar with an erasable chalk label with the year on it. (Any sort of container will do, but I like the clear jar so that we see it filling up over the year.) Near the jar, I keep a stack of post-it notes and a writing utensil. Any time during the year when something occurs that I want to be sure our family remembers, I write it down on a post-it note with the date on it, fold it up, and tuck it in the jar. (As my kids get older I hope they will choose to add events as well.) At the end of the year, our family sits together and we take turns reading the notes in the jar. They vary from things like, “Took a family trip to the snow” to “Spent Thanksgiving with Nana and Papa” to “Saw the ballet Swan Lake“. It is such a precious time of reflecting and reminiscing. Our memories are sparked by events we may have forgotten and we talk about others that we really want to do again next year. Later I copy the memories into a journal where I have recorded previous years. This journal currently only has about 5 years’ worth of memories in it, but I am hoping to continue the tradition and one day we will have a mini-memoir of our family’s life.
Want to give it a try? Even if you only add one memory per month, I promise it will be worth the effort.
And now for some organization…
By this time of the school year you probably already have your homeschool area set up and a system down, but perhaps with the start of the new year, you are looking to be more organized or better utilize the space you have.
Some of you may have a dedicated homeschool space and some of you may find yourselves saying things like, “Don’t drip peanut butter on your IEW!” while you try to use your dining room table for more than just dining. No matter where your homeschooling takes place, chances are your home days will go more smoothly if your materials are organized and accessible. When you and your kids can find what you need you don’t lose time or attention looking for materials.
So today as we jump into a brand new year we wanted to offer you some suggestions for keeping your materials organized. There is no one way, best method, or a single product that will fix all your organizational needs. This is simply a sampling. Different families, homes, grade levels, etc. mean that no one homeschool area is going to look like another. And remember that being organized does not mean that you have to go out and buy a bunch of tubs and boxes etc. (Although, we will point you to a few handy options today). You can use items around your house or things you might find in your recycle bin.
Let’s get organized!
Where to find containers etc…
- In the spirit of Less. But Better, start by looking around your house to see what you already have that may simply be repurposed. Take a closer look at what you are tossing in the recycle; that empty jelly jar could be your new pencil cup.
- Fred and Betty’s is always a good place to find treasures. You never know what you may find there.
- Stores like Target and Walmart have a variety of options for clear tubs, baskets, and more.
- Never underestimate what you might discover at a dollar store.
- Amazon has almost everything. Don’t forget to use the SLOCA Amazon Smile link to earn money for our school while you shop.
- Ikea (Not a quick drive, but they do have quite a selection for organizing. And they specialize in small spaces.) The Alex set of drawers in a personal favorite for keeping our homeschool materials all in one place.
- And don’t forget our SLOCA community. If you are looking for something, ask around. Our community is generous and helpful and even if they don’t have what you need I guarantee they will have more suggestions on where you can find it.
Many SLOCA families use an organizational/homeschool method called Workboxes. Each subject has its own drawer or box and everything the student will need to complete that subject’s assignment for the day is in the box. Check out this post for more information about this method along with more pictures for organizational options.
5 Ways to use the Workbox System in Your Homeschool
A HUGE thank you to all the SLOCA home educators who contributed photos and ideas for this post!!!
Do you have a fantastic way to organize? Don’t keep it to yourself, share it with us in the comments.
We hope you enjoy the rest of your break. Down Home will be back to our regular posting schedule starting Monday.
Happy New Year!!!
1 thought on “New Year’s Organization”
I absolutely LOVE the idea of a Memory Jar. I’m going to do that NOW! Oh, thank you so much for this wonderful idea!!