Have you ever wondered what the most necessary tools are for homeschooling? Step into The Organized Homeschool Mom’s schoolroom and find out. Here are her top ten must-have tools to get and stay organized for the school year. Remember, not all of these supplies have to be bought brand new at a fancy office supply store. You’ll find you already have many of these items in your house, or that you have the materials to make your own tools. Shoeboxes make good math manipulative storage boxes, for example, and soup cans can be decorated to make pencil holders. Be creative, get your children involved in the process. Above all, get started, it may take awhile.

1. Bookshelves

• Sort books into general categories.
• Label shelves with category names.
• Approximate number of books per single shelf: 12-13 binders, 47 juvenile fiction, or 30 reference (tall 5-shelf Sauder brand bookshelves—each shelf is 28” long)
• Eventually, sort each shelf and/or category alphabetically by title or author, or by book size, or order in series.

2. Binders

• Binders should be single subject each—labeled!
• Fun-type binders for kids’ everyday use, make one tab divider for each subject (pocket dividers for worksheets—one side “to do,” the other side “done”).
• Administrative (Mom) binder—include all necessary state paperwork, separate tab for each child, testing results, immunization records, attendance records, official communication from state, and anything else you need at your fingertips.
• Extra resources binder, divided by subject area (articles, workshop notes, maps, coloring pages, craft projects, and other additional resources).
• Portfolio binder for each child for each year—every few weeks, clean out desk binders and file a small sampling into the portfolio.

3. Three Hole Punch because not every piece of paper comes ready to file.

4. Baskets and/or shoe boxes (cardboard or Rubbermaid-type)—one each for different types of craft supplies, math maniptulatives, extra pens and pencils, markers, scissors, larger items, and anything else that will fit into a basket or box.

5. Various small containers for paper clips, tacks, small manipulatives, erasers, and staples. Include pencil cups—one for each child, plus the teacher.

6. Letter stacking trays—one for each type of paper, one for each child and the teacher (to be used for an in bin for work to be graded or filed)

7. Calendars—don’t overbook yourself or your kids. Teach them to plan now.

8. Lesson planners—not to be restrictive, but to give a framework and freedom to change if necessary.

9. Timers—teach your kids to manage their time.

10. Keep it organized! If you get it out, put it away right away and train you children to do the same thing.

Bethany S. LeBedz has been married for over fifteen years and is the homeschooling mother to two delightful girls, ages thirteen and eleven. She lives in North Carolina. In addition to homeschooling, she is also a freelance editor and writer. She posts homeschool organization tips and educational reviews to her blog momishome2. In her (very limited) free time, she enjoys reading, participating in Daughters of the American Revolution and Children of the American Revolution, and performing in musical events.