Minimalist Homeschooling: Is it Possible?
When you first imagined your homeschool life, it probably didn’t extend into every nook and cranny of your home. The reality is that homeschooling can overtake your home with a surplus of supplies and resources. But, if you’re like me, you recognize the benefits that a lot less stuff could bring to your home learning and, thus, desire to transition to a more minimalist homeschooling approach.
These 5 tips can help you transition and learn how to become a minimalist homeschooler.
How to Take a Minimalist Homeschooling Approach
1) Limit your space
It can be tempting to keep stocking up on supplies when they go on sale. You may tell yourself that you’ll save it for future lesson plans or unit studies, but (experience talking here) the reality is that if you do this too often you end up with more than you can reasonably use. Set a hard limit on how much you will allow yourself to keep and you’ll find that you keep a lot less. Dedicate one bin to school curriculum, one box to crafting supplies, and so on. Just plan to reorder when you run out.
RELATED POST: 11 Ways to Organize Homeschool Supplies in Baskets
2) Let go of the old curriculum, resources, and books
One of the hardest parts of homeschooling is letting go of old materials. If you have younger children, you may save some of these supplies for their lesson plans or reuse or repurpose them later. While this is a great way to save money on supplies, it can also cost you a lot in space. Allow yourself to let go of old curriculum, resources, and books that you are no longer using, and give them to another homeschool mom who might need them.
3) Borrow when you can
You don’t have to always buy the resources you need for your homeschooling. If you are able to, try to borrow before you buy. If you know other minimalist homeschooling moms, swap supplies and curriculum with them. Use your library for books, movies, and other educational materials. You may not always be able to borrow what you need, but this will save you a lot of space in your classroom.
4) Use digital learning resources
If you are looking to reduce the textbooks and other supplies in your classroom, there are a ton of great online learning resources that you can use. Instead of buying books or videos, you can use online courses, ebooks, audiobooks, or stream videos instead. Not only are these way cheaper than buying them, but they take up less space too. This will help reduce the amount of paper clutter in your home and give you access to a wider variety of resources.
5) Simplify your classroom
Last but certainly not least, if you are looking for a way to minimize your classroom start by simplifying your classroom. Determine what you really, really need for homeschooling and get rid of the rest. The things you actually need to teach your child your lesson plans make up a very small list. Embrace more of a lifestyle of learning vs. the school model of education. Use more real-life learning experiences, like cooking, home maintenance and nature study, and use things that you already have around.
Minimalism in your homeschool classroom not only frees up space for learning but even helps you save money. Understanding how to become a minimalist will help you reduce your homeschool supplies without sacrificing your child’s education. And give you a sense of freedom that you didn’t know you could have.
