I consider myself a fairly organized person. It’s somewhat of a necessity with a large and active family. And I usually do OK working the system. Things don’t often get done ahead of schedule but on an as-needed basis and just in time.

There are several areas in which staying organized seems to be essential for life to go smoothly for us as a homeschooling family.

Meals  When the whole family is home for three meals a day, having a plan makes a difference. I haven’t tried the “once a month cooking route,” but I do try to come up with a weekly menu and make sure items are on hand. This minimizes time wasted through repeated trips to the grocery store. I cook ahead and freeze ground meat and chicken breasts so they are ready to thaw and use immediately in various recipes. And I try to keep the pantry stocked with staples for hearty soups and one-dish meals. The crockpot is also my friend! The school day goes much better if I can put lunch in motion immediately after breakfast and then forget about it until serving time arrives. Ditto with supper as the school day winds down.

Materials  One of the most frustrating time-wasters is trying to locate a needed item—be it textbook, notebook, pencil or ruler—so schoolwork can continue. Experience has taught us the necessity of “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Each child’s books in their assigned shelf or desk; teacher books in file drawers; library books in a designated cabinet; extra school supplies in a central location. It makes everyone’s day more pleasant.

Laundry This chore has actually gotten more manageable with two of our number off at college! I avoid doing laundry on the days I teach Latin all afternoon; with eighteen students present, we don’t need the extra chaos of clothing to fold. If I throw in three loads each of the other days, I never get buried under Mount Laundry. And the “off” days feel like a mini-vacation!

Ministry As children’s minister at our church, I have a whole ‘nother set of “stuff” to keep track of—children’s choir, Bible quizzing, children’s church materials, etc. This week I’ve been reminded what a blessing it can be when I do manage to follow the plan and file things away in a usable format.  In children’s church, we’ve just resumed cycling through a three-year Bible survey curriculum I began writing over six years ago.  I haven’t used it in three years but to my delight discovered that I had somehow had the foresight to tuck each lesson, craft, and activity page into page protectors in large binders. The first time around, every week I was madly creating visual aids, coming up with crafts, and writing lessons. Now all I have to do is pull out the lesson, review and make copies. No need to reinvent the wheel. What a blessing!

Every family has its own unique personality, and my system may not fit your needs. Find one that works for you and yours—and feel free to share tips with the rest of us!