I recently gave a talk to our homeschool mom's group on "Organizing Your Time and Space." I'm not sure if it was helpful to anyone else, but it helped me feel more organized just writing my speaking outline. Thankful I learned from the true master, Honey a.k.a. Mom!
I. Time
A. Every family is different. You will have different strengths and weaknesses, different learning styles, different needs.
B. Start with spending time with the Lord. Kids can join in.
C. My hourly schedule – may look overwhelming at first, but it shows me where my margins are. Combines my calendar and to-do list.
a. Leave room for margin (quiet time—first 30 minutes, reheat coffee and Instagram)
b. Leave room for your hobbies/interests (read, piano, out with a friend)
c. Date your husband and your kids (babysitting swap with a friend)
D. If your resources allow, get help.
a. Housekeeper
b. Grocery delivery
c. Babysitter one afternoon a week
E. Schooling
a. You really can’t do it all, I have tried so hard!
b. Play to your strengths (I’m not a nature girl, I hate history projects, love to read).
c. No school is perfect—private, public, home—they’ll all have gaps.
d. Day in, day out learning adds up to a whole lot by the year’s end.
e. Structure: morning time, then tutorials, after lunch is together time subjects.
f. In previous years I’ve done different things—all grades handwriting, all grades math, etc. Rotation Stations.
g. Trust in what the Lord has called you to do.
h. Pray for wisdom.
F. Take inventory
a. What’s working, what’s not? Possible solutions.
b. Write out a family mission statement—if you want—how do those priorities fit in your life?
II. Space
A. Two mantras:
a. Everything has a place and everything in its place.
b. Don’t put it down, put it away.
B. Teach kids to help
a. Laundry basket idea—gather up all you can find, a quarter to get anything back
b. Transfer responsibility to your child—help them develop their own plan, resort to the Mom plan when needed
c. 15 minute pick-up time/cleaning time
C. Get rid of clutter. Give away things you haven’t used in the past year. Simplify.
D. Cleaning routine
a. I have daily tasks—dust Monday, clean kitchen and baths Tuesday, floors Wednesday, wash sheets and towels Thursday.
b. It is easier to clean a clean house. It doesn’t take very long.
c. A weekly wipe-up keeps the house clean enough.
d. Deep cleaning—some seasons I’ve had a schedule, some seasons I just wait till something starts bothering me or I have time to scrub.
E. Meals routine
a. Let kids help in kitchen—teaching and serving opportunity! Sometimes seems more trouble than it’s worth, but say yes when you can.
b. Dinner short-cuts—make double batches and freeze half, use that crock pot!
c. Make a master grocery list.
III. Conclusion: Grace
A. We all need more grace. “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16
B. Ann Voskamp: Life is not an emergency, it’s a gift.
C. Enjoy your children. Soak up each phase. It won’t last.
