How to Successfully Declutter Your Homeschool

It’s the beginning of a new year and I am looking forward to do another homeschool declutter. I’m also sharing a few printables to help get the job done.

I’ve shared before that we are a small space homeschool family and how we organize in the dining room and the other areas to keep it from taking over the house.  One way we’ve learned to maintain this minimal homeschooling is by regularly decluttering.

 

Benefits of Doing a Homeschool Declutter

• Creates an inspiring learning space.
• Allows for a relaxing space once the school day is over.
• Helps the homeschool daily rhythm to flow without distraction and needless searching.
• Keeps the homeschool supplies easy to find.
• Makes homeschool record keeping much more attainable.

How to Declutter your Homeschool

Depending on the size of you homeschool and how much stuff you have, you may be able to do this in an entire day or it might take a month. Keeping in mind,  that once you have done the initial declutter, maintaining it should take a lot less time. 

1. Plan what you want the finished product to look and feel like. 
2. Pick a category to begin with and start there.  The KonMari decluttering method suggests that it’s better to work in categories rather than locations. Not only does this make the process more manageable, it makes it much more feasible for busy moms.
3. Pull it all out. By doing this, we are able to really see what we have and to clearly think about the items in front of us.
4. Throw away the trash. 
5. Assess each item. Is it being used regularly or is it just taking up space?

 

Homeschool Declutter Categories

Now for some practical Homeschool declutter ideas to help you get started! Let’s get started.

1. Declutter Office Supplies

First, office supplies. This includes things like pencils, pens, glue, tape…you get the point. These items are typically used daily, and can make their way all over the house.  Decluttering looks like throwing the seventeen white colored pencils out, and facing the fact that you don’t really need five staplers.

2. Go through Books

This is where is gets a little dicey, because we homeschool families, love our books. But the reality is, if is not being read, we don’t need to store it. A simple rule could be, keep what is loved and pass along the rest to others who will use them.

 

3. Declutter Homeschool Technology

This includes things like extra cords, unused printers, binding machines, laminators and other glories devices that we use to make our homeschool lives easier. The only problem is, over time, this area needs a true purging.  

4. Purge Homeschool Supplies

I used this general term for loose items like manipulatives, old science kits, and miscellaneous craft supplies. Don’t hold onto leftover supplies from used curriculum or kits. 

5. Clean Out Homeschool Curriculum

It’s ok to store curriculum that you won’t need this year but will in the future. That’s not what we are talking about. If the curriculum is unused or has no plans of being used,  it should be sold or donated.

6. Reorganize Paper Stash

Go through the paper stash. Loose papers, completed papers, printer, cardstock, contruction…you name it. Decide what you truly use and chuck the rest. It feels good, trust me.

7. Declutter Homeschool Storage Containers

Lastly, storage containers. It seems paradoxical to declutter something used for organizing, but alas, we needlessly hold on to homeschool organization supplies too. Storage containers can include things like homeschool furniture, shelves, caddy’s, and bins. The goal is, to keep the practical homeschool storage solutions that are helping and donate the rest.

 

 

7 Things You Can Do With Decluttered Homeschool Books and Supplies

What do I do with my old homeschool curriculum? or how do I get rid of homeschool books? Inevitably, these are questions that always come up when we declutter. The good news is, there are options!

1. Give it Away

My mom had a basement full of old homeschool curriculum and books. At one point, she let all of her daughters come and take whatever they wanted. Can anyone say Christmas? It was great.  Finding people that you can bless with your resources, in my opinion, is the best route to go. 

2. Sell on Ebay

If you have some higher priced resources, eBay is a nice route to go. Basically, you list the item then ship it to the buyer and you’re done.  Additionally, you can group together series of books or just a handful of random books and sell it as one listing. Some of the possibilities you can do are picture books, unit books, and grade level books.

3. Sell on Marketplace

There are specific Facebook groups that are focused on sharing, exchanging and selling homeschool resources. Furthermore, Facebook marketplace might also be an option if you live in a homeschool dense area.

4. Exchange at Co-ops

Set up an exchange party with all the moms in your homeschool co-op. Similarly, let everyone take what they need and then donate the rest! 

5. Consign at Local Used Book Stores

Depending on where you live in the country and what stores in your area, some may take trade-ins for store credit, or do some type of consignment arrangement with you. Furthermore, you could simply ask local book stores and see what they offer. 

6. Sell on Online Book Sites

You can sell your homeschool books on sites like Homeschool Classifieds, abehbooks, BookScouter, The Christian Curriculum Connection,  and Bookbyte.

7. Donate

If I had my choice of what to do with old homeschool books, it would be to either give them away or donate. Some of these places include, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or my neighbors garage sale.

 

FREE Homeschool Declutter Checklist

Here are two printables to motivate you to finish the task of decluttering your homeschool. The first is a homeschool declutter checklist and the other is a calendar for those who do better with a scheduled plan.

Homeschool Declutter Printables Download

 

Keep Reading

• How to organize Homeschool In Small Spaces 
• Caddy Options for Organizing Kid’s Art Supplies
• Free Homeschool Teacher Planner

What are your favorite homeschool declutter tips?