3. {5 Days of . . . Blogging Series}

5 days of Homeschooling Mid-Year and Thriving. Day 1 Mind-set Matters

November 20, 2014 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Deciding to homeschool at the first of the year or to renew your love for homeschooling by starting fresh, both require a positive mind-set.

So today, in 5 days of Homeschooling Mid-Year and Thriving. Day 1 Mind-set Matters, I want to share with you how the power of a positive mind-set is about a battle of the wills.

I know you may want to talk shop, as in shop for curriculum. However, from helping others who have succeeded in making homeschool a lifestyle change, I am convinced that the choice of curriculum in the beginning matters very little.

What does matter is a positive mind-set. It probably is a topic very few new homeschoolers or even seasoned homeschoolers may think about. Months or even years into their journey, a family may find the struggle is harder because at the beginning they didn’t simmer over the change.

Understanding what a mind-set is will help you to avoid drudgery along the way or at least minimize it. One of my favorite dictionaries, The New Oxford American Dictionary defines mindset as: “established set of attitudes held by someone.”

So I am asking you: Are you in a homeschool state of mind? Adopting an established set of attitudes does not happen overnight.

Established means . . .

taken time to research the meaning of homeschooling instead of researching only about state laws, standardized testing and field trip groups.

sitting down with your husband to discuss 3 basic goals for your 1st year, 5th and final years of homeschooling instead of sitting down to start school 3 days after you have taken your child out of school.

talking to your child to discuss their homeschooling fears. Voicing either their apprehension or excitement for a fresh start, it is important your child understands that as the teacher now, you are interested in his growth, personal opinions and fear of losing or making new friends.

looking forward and imagining in your mind’s eye what type of husband or wife and Christian you want your child to be.
leaving behind apprehension and fears that you will mess your child up. Fill that time in your mind with books like The Well Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, For the Children’s Sake:Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaefer Macaulay, Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School, by Rebecca Rupp Educating the WholeHearted Child — Third Editionby Clay and Sally Clarkson and A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola.

Jump into homeschooling with all of your heart and your mind-set will follow. Renew your love for homeschooling by taking a risk and changing something at the start of the year.

Hugs and love ya,

Check out these other posts:

3 Homeschooling Myths Debunked

When You Don’t Know Where to Begin in Homeschooling The 3 R’s for New Homeschoolers Part 1

When You Don’t Know Where to Begin in Homeschooling. The 3 R’s for New Homeschoolers. Part 2

When You Don’t Know Where to Begin in Homeschooling. The 3 R’s for New Homeschoolers. Part 3

15 Gift Ideas for the New Homeschool Mom

40 Reasons I Homeschool

The Ultimate Guide for New Homeschoolers

Linking up @ these fabulous places:

The Mommy Club |Thoughtful Spot |

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 5 Things the Teacher Luvs

July 26, 2014 | 5 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschooling is not all about the kids. Okay, well maybe it is. Today though it’s all about you and in 5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for your Homeschool Spaces, Day 5. Things the Teacher Luvs, I rounded up some things to keep the teacher happy.

Whether it’s eye candy, a cute printable or how to make a diy magazine holder (swoon), I have to be excited about the new school year too. Besides creating my 7 Step Homeschool Planner, I try to create a teacher space that I want to be at each day too.

Sometimes it’s a small thing like a new pen or a new chair. One year, I got tired of looking at my lamp shade and knowing that a little coral color loving doesn’t hurt anything, I painted my lampshade. Adding a little chic to your homeschool spaces will keep you excited about the new school year too.

Look at some of these things I rounded up. So swoonworthy! Just click the image to find out how to DIY each project.

15 DIY Hacks | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus — Easy Labeling & Storage Containers

Do you have any favorite things you luv as the teacher?

Hugs and love ya,

Did you miss any days in this series?

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 1 Small Spaces

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 2 Repurpose and Reimagine

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 3 Eazy Peazy Learning Tools

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 4 Just Plain Clever Storage

Look at some of these other creative ideas!

Creative Storage Solutions for Homeschool

Streamlined Record Keeping

Baskets, Bins and Buckets For Homeschool Storage

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 4 Just Plain Clever Storage

July 25, 2014 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Another way to combat clutter in your homeschool spaces is to make diy storage containers. So today, on 5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 4 Just Plain Clever Storage, I rounded up some fun ways to use every day simple things to make a space fabulous.

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 4 Just Plain Clever Storage

You know part of the reason I have wanted to do this series is because I have been itching to do more DIY projects. I don’t know, maybe it’s the move too that has me dreaming of the possibilities of new spaces.

Whether it’s a clothes hanger turned file organizer or a pvc pipe turned cubby hold storage and glammed up with washi tape, it gets me giddy for the possibilities.

The salvaged drawers turned vertical storage is just plain genius too. For me, though I love to save money, clever storage is not always about not having to spend money. It is about making that one specific item that is unique to my space or to the way my children learn.

Part of the reason that organizing turns off a lot of people is because containers are not always unique, flexible or blend into our homes. So instead of making storage containers useful for our home or homeschool spaces, we try to adjust our needs to a rigid container. I know perfect containers do not equal perfect homeschooling, but it feels good when you know that you have one or two pieces that are perfect, special and clever for your crew.

Check out the possibilities.

Shoebox Supply Organizer — Shoebox and Toilet Paper Roll Organizer

Tin Can School Supply Holders — Tin Can Organizers

Supply Divider Drawer — DIY Drawer Dividers

Soda Can Caddy — Soda Can School Supply Caddy

DIY Crate Storage — Dresser and Chalkboard

Rolling Storage Drawers — Rolling Under Bed Drawers

Rolling Storage Organizer — Rolling Storage Cart

Hanging Book Holder — Hanging Book Shelves

DIY File Storage — DIY Hanging File Holders

What about you? Do you have a piece that you love and that is unique to your family?

Hugs and love ya,

Did you miss any days in this series?

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 1 Small Spaces

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 2 Repurpose and Reimagine

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 3 Eazy Peazy Learning Tools

Look at some of these other creative ideas!

Creative Storage Solutions for Homeschool

Streamlined Record Keeping

Baskets, Bins and Buckets For Homeschool Storage

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 3 Eazy Peazy Learning Tools

July 24, 2014 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, on 5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 3 Eazy Peazy Learning Tools, I get excited thinking about all the ways to use our creative spark as the teacher in building learning tools for our kids.

Sometimes store bought just doesn’t beat daddy built tools. I remember when I started homeschooling how excited I was to be able to design our built in bookshelves to the exact height of my books.

On top of that some of that pretty nifty stuff at the store costs a pretty nifty penny and it just doesn’t make sense to pay a high price for something you may need a year or less.

Gathering up a few ideas that sparked my excitement like the ladder turned art board and all the possibilities of using a humble muffin tin or cookie sheet, I hope you can use an idea or two this year.

I am loving the divider too because it’s a great way to separate the kids’ learning spaces.

Have you used any of these ideas?

Hugs and love ya,

Did you miss the first day in this series?

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 1 Small Spaces

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 2 Repurpose and Reimagine

Look at some of these other creative ideas!

Inspired yet?

DIY Homeschool Organizing With Duct Tape

Baskets, Bins and Buckets for Homeschool Storage

17 Creative Book Storage Ideas When You Homeschool

Creative Storage Solutions for Homeschool

7 Favorite Organization Tools

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 2 Repurpose and Reimagine

July 22, 2014 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, on 5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 2 Repurpose and Reimagine, it’s all about being aware of recycling and reusing to create beautiful new storage.

I know my family could be better at recycling. One thing though I have had a good habit of doing through the years is keeping and collecting material that we need for science activities and experiments. But, I needed some inspiration for using some of those same things to create beautiful storage and spaces.

Too, I take my inspiration from practical everyday things I would actually do and not some over the top outlandish and weird project that not everybody could do.

Whether it’s a cereal box, muffin tin or paint can turned into beautiful homeschool storage, I get excited thinking about the possibilities of creating something new just for my space.

Homeschoolers are the ultimate do-it-yourself type of people so hopefully some of these creative ways will nudge you to bring to life the old and make it new.