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I was really inspired this summer when I read about the file crate system that Dawn is using. I thought, “Wow — I like that idea!” While she uses hers for school and just about every aspect of their daily life (menu planning, etc.), I was just interested in getting our school stuff organized.
Because of this, and because we are using Winter Promise as a good chunk of our curriculum for this year (social studies, science, and reading), I actually didn’t date our folders, but made 36 “week” folders. I realized that we might not finish a folder in exactly a week from time to time, but I think this will make me feel less stressed out if I am “behind” than if there were dates assigned.
But, just in case there are some things that are time sensitive, I have also made twelve folders in the back for each month of the year. That way, I can throw things in there ahead of time (like, for instance, if there is a Christmas activity that I know we want to do) even if I don’t know exactly which week we will be on at that point.
(I just used an $8 file box from Target and put five folders inside each hanging folder.)
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Inside each folder, I currently have our papers and assignments for all of our Winter Promise things. In addition to this, I have already cut out all of the Timeline Figures that we need to put in our timeline book for that week.
Each week will also have our weekly schedule (I’ll only do these no more than two weeks ahead at a time), which I am using from Donna Young’s website. I will also check our monthly folders to see if anything needs to go in them before that week, as well as putting in any needed copies or various other papers that we need that week.
My planning was so crazy and disorganized last year. But, this year — I already feel so much more relief that it is all organized and ready to go!
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Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home says
Wow! This sounds like it could really help me. Thanks!
Laura O says
Angie,
Are you still doing this method for schooling? I was trying to do workboxes in a file folder format, but still stuffing each folder each day. I’ve yet to get back to that method since we moved last January to Alaska.
Eddie says
I posted a link to your article; I hope that’s ok. If not please let me know and I’ll remove it. 🙂
http://theusualmayhem.blogspot.com/2011/08/shamelessly-copying-really-really-great.html
Sammy says
Again I love your web site, thanks for the great advice
Shana says
I found your site from a link at pinterest. I have been battling with the organization part of homeschooling this whole school year. The idea of using a week by week folder system if fabulous! I have been killing myself trying to stick to the dates that I had scheduled for back in August- and of course things happen and then the whole schedule goes kapooie. I may be a simpleton, but that idea of just labeling the weeks by number, not date, is what I have been needing. Thank you so much. I will be exploring your site more 🙂
Darci the STEM mom says
Thanks so much for this post. I’m just now starting homeschooling and am overwhelmed with everything I’m supposed to keep straight. Organization is important to me, so finding something that works is important! I’ve pinned this and will be looking at it in more detail this summer! Thanks again! 🙂