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Last week, I had a delightful chat with a homeschool mom who joked about buying tunics as her ‘homeschool uniform.’ She even fantasized about leaving her house, hiring someone to haul everything out onto the lawn, and only bring back what truly mattered.
Can you relate? If so, you’ll love today’s episode on the decluttered homeschool with practical tips for creating purposeful lists, systems, and routines.
If you want a decluttered homeschool, you’re welcome here.
Our culture thrives on order and productivity tools, but I think our souls thrive on meaningful activity. So I’d rather you live on purpose, not just tackle another to-do list.
Homeschool mom routines should serve your true sense of purpose. Then choose to tackle the most important list: your to-live list.
3 Types of Clutter to Declutter
Decluttering goes beyond organizing physical spaces.
1. Physical Space Declutter
The visible messes in our homes can be reminders of endless tasks. As homeschoolers living with family and pets (even those surprise “pets” like a goose egg under a pillow!), perfect order is not realistic.
At the end of our days, we won’t be wishing we spent a little more time vacuuming, sweeping, wiping, folding, tidying, rearranging items in our closet, storage room, junk drawer, and vehicle trunk.
With or without the homeschool life, with or without a mom life: there’ll be some clutter, disorganization, and disorder, because you’re human.
Because you own stuff, you do stuff, and you don’t want to spend your life cleaning, tidying, and decluttering.
But if you have stuff, prioritizing small steps can help boost focus and reduce stress, freeing up your mind for what really matters.
2. Mental Declutter
Decluttering your mind means letting go of self-judgment, unnecessary expectations, and pressures. The mental weight of endless tasks can be heavier than any pile of laundry.
An unfolded laundry basket, a counter full of dirty dishes, and an unswept floor could remind us that we haven’t done enough and aren’t enough.
So consider setting aside a few moments each day to journal, breathe, get clear on what’s going on up there, then practice releasing unhelpful mental spaces.
3. Relational Declutter
Our relationships can become cluttered with unspoken expectations, stress from outside opinions, or even our own critical inner voice. Practicing boundaries, releasing guilt, and focusing on genuine connections can declutter the emotional space around you.
Know these 4 things about a decluttered homeschool life…
- It’s okay if this homeschool life feels messy and imperfect. Welcome to the crowd!
- Everything won’t stay clean, because you’re living in it.
- Why are you aspiring to perfect anyway?
- Small steps in decluttering can have a big impact on mental clarity, boost your focus and energy, and reduce stress.
The research on decluttering and how it affects you…
- Why Decluttering Can Lead to Increased Brain Power
- Make Space for Happiness With Decluttering
- Psychology of Clutter: Unraveling the Mental Impact of Disorganized Spaces
For a decluttered homeschool, recognize that all your to-do list tasks are not top-priority To-Live list activities.
I understand the chaos that comes with homeschooling—the constant demands, expectations, and numerous responsibilities can make it feel like there’s never enough time to address disorder.
Creating space to think, plan, declutter, and organize can clarify a homeschool mama’s mind. In fact, house cleaning and organization can be essential parts of your Wellness Plan, serving as self-care for your mental well-being.
But how much cleaning and organizing is truly self-care, and how much is an obsession with achieving the impossible? The answer lies in this meta question: why are you here, and what do you aim to accomplish?
This profound inquiry shapes your daily life, helping you decide how much time to invest in lists, cleaning, and organization. Once you clarify your purpose, you can determine how much time you have for these tasks.
Assuming you’ve completed a time audit to assess how you spend your hours—including time with your kids, sleeping, and eating—you can make informed decisions about organizing your tasks.
When do you want to declutter? There’s no right answer—only what feels right for you. Ultimately, you get to decide how you spend your life!
Here’s how I’ve approached various lists, routines, and systems.
Now I’ll share some of my lists, but you only take what is useful for you, and leave the rest.
Decluttered Homeschool Lists
Why Lists Matter
Lists are like mini roadmaps for your day. They help you prioritize and ensure nothing crucial slips through the cracks. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about crossing things off!
Types of Homeschool Family Lists
Daily To-Do List
Each evening or morning, pick 3-5 tasks from your master list that you need to tackle the next day. Keep it realistic and focused. Learn to Time Block: only invest the amount of time you want to invest, not one minute more.
Errands List
When do your kids do extracurricular activities? Do it then. Or do it on the same day of the week when the kids are at their best. Do it with just one child and tack on a special drink together at the end. Let them choose their choice of cracker, snack, or cereal when they join you.
But above all, do it alone: you’ll get it done so much more quickly. (Hire a homeschooled teen).
Grocery List
To not buy random things at the grocery store, use grocery apps, a fridge list, and a pantry or freezer checklist.
(So when something runs out in the pantry or freezer, write it down immediately.)
Readaloud List
In June or July, determine to add to your Individualized Home Education Wishlist for each child. Check out the curriculum catalogs, plan to attend your favourite influencer’s booklist reveal, and ask others what their favourite readalouds are.
Add your preferences into a Goodreads list.
Goodreads List
While you’re at it, prep for yours too. I typically do this for me in December when I’m planning my upcoming year.
Curriculum List
Also in June or July, you’ll want to create an IHEW (Individualized Home Education Wishlist) notebook and determine what you want to include for the upcoming year.
You can think through this via subjects if that matters to you (it helped me clarify that they really are getting a broad education).
Portfolio
End of each year, grab your stack of written work, drawings, activities, book stacks, list of conversation points, places you visited, volunteer opportunities, extracurriculars, and your daytimer.
Also, you can include extracurricular activities, field trips, travel trips, volunteer experiences, work or mentorship experiences, and anything else they do.
Self-Care Checklist — Boundaries, Big Emotions, Deschool, Overwhelm
If you’re looking to intentionally build upon your personal growth in the areas of relationships, your emotional responses, deconstructing schooled mindsets, or simplifying your life, consider using any of these checklists as part of your morning routine.
These checklists help you unpack your mind by planning for your messy mind.
If you’d like to routinely engage in morning journal prompts that will help you become more self-disciplined and intentional in your life, consider using one of these journals. Or if you’re able to spend just five minutes exploring one journal prompt each morning, or before bed each night, you will iron out life wrinkles as time goes by.
Writer Notes
If you’re a writer, consider three easy recording resources: voice-to-text in your notes, a tiny notebook for your bag, Descript, or Trello lists. Those random thoughts need a storage space; otherwise, you’ll forget them.
And if you’re a writer, join us in the Confident Homeschool Mom Collective).
More Straight Talk…
If something doesn’t get done, don’t stress. Move it to the next day’s list. Life is fluid, and so should your lists be.
Decluttered Homeschool Systems
Why Systems Matter
Systems are the backbone of your family life. They help streamline repetitive tasks, so you spend less time managing chaos and more time being present in your family life.
This is what you don’t want on your tombstone: “Carla washed all the dishes, swept the floor, and put away the Lego before she went to bed each night.”
Morning Routine System
Start the day on a positive, peaceful note. Establish a consistent routine of whatever matters to you:
- Breakfast prepped with the kids? Breakfast left on the counter for the kids?
- Top 5 activities kids need to complete before breakfast — teeth, hair, clothes, bed, and tidy room?
- Assigned chores for each child before studies, after studies, before dinner, or before screen time?
- Free play before diving into lessons?
- This all helps set a productive tone for the day.
Weekly Planning System
Set aside time each week to review upcoming study intentions, gather materials, and adjust plans as needed.
Plan it if you want an idea of what you’re doing the upcoming week. Record at the end of the day.
Chore System
My take: kids should have chores.
Because they get to learn how to do adult-ish things and confidently accomplish adult-ish things. They contribute to the household and learn the value of putting things away the first time, as well as how to organize their stuff, recognize its value, and keep it in good condition.
Finally, they have a ton of time: when they need to do a few things they don’t want to do, they appreciate the free time to do the things they love.
(ps I think this boredom prevention strategy also works for full-grown adults).
You can create a chore chart or use an app to assign and track chores. This seems like too much work to me. You can also assign a particular time of the week you work together, and just clean for one to two hours a week together. Or you can assign specific chores that need to be completed before Saturday at cartoon time.
My experience? It very much depended upon the child, the season, and the size of the home we lived in. The smaller the home, the more frequently we tidied. The larger the home, the more compelled I was to save up for a sweeping robot.
In our home, some chores were paid: ie building a goat barn, fixing the chicken fence, and washing and painting the verandah. And spring clean deep dives.
ps When kids learn to do chores, they’re not doing them like you. If you want them to do it like you, they need to be your age.
Extracurricular Basket
If your kiddo is in soccer, hockey, ballet, gymnastics, or any activities outside the home, keep a basket in the mudroom or the garage. They can drop stuff when they come in from the car, so it doesn’t get lost in their toys or bedroom. They always know where it is before they leave (well, most of the time anyway, let’s be real here).
Menu Plans & Food Prep System
Grocery list, pantries, and freezers (when it runs out, add more to your list).
Make a menu plan. 7 meals. On repeat until you’re bored of those meals. I’ve got ideas here.
Breakfast simple: easy to access. Pre-prep trays of vegetables and hummus, containers of pre-washed fruit, protein, and carbs.
Dentist, Doctor & Vet Appts
When you leave an office, preplan for your next visit. Book that appointment or put it in your calendar.
Laundry, Clothing Needs & Seasonal Shifts
In my part of the world, this is a necessary discussion. If you’re from California, fast forward to the next section.
- Note the seasonal shifts of your calendar– and know that this is when you’ll have a pre-season shift, have a fashion show. Ask: “Do you even wear this? Do you like wearing this?”
- Check out their closet.
- Do they have enough socks? Trick question…at least they didn’t in my home, one sock was always lost.
- Keep it simple: three pairs of pants, five tops, 2 hoodies, and dressier clothes as required. Winter jacket, boots, mittens, scarf, toque. Rain jacket, boots, heavy sweater, or windbreaker. Shorts, swimsuits, and whatever else you think they need.
Keep it simple.
More Straight Talk…
Systems should evolve with your family’s needs. If something isn’t working, tweak it, but know that systems are there to serve you, you’re not there to serve your system.
Decluttered Homeschool Routines
Why Routines Matter
Routines bring a comforting rhythm to your days. They provide structure, so your kids know what to expect, and you can include the activities that matter the most for you.
Building Flexible Routines
Morning Routine
Start with a consistent wake-up time and a sequence of activities (breakfast, getting dressed, morning chores, etc.). A predictable start helps everyone ease into the day.
Learning Blocks
Break your day into learning blocks with breaks in between. For example, have a 9-11 AM block for focused lessons, a break for a snack and play, and then another learning block before lunch.
ps this is only a suggestion. Do what works for you.
Afternoon Routine
Use the afternoons for more flexible activities like art, science experiments, or field trips. This is also a good time for independent reading or outdoor play.
Enjoy a quiet afternoon reading time together. Assume everyone is heading outdoors after that quiet time.
Evening Routine
Wind down with dinner, family game time, and a calming bedtime routine.
Create a check-out time…where you’re no longer available, a partner puts the kids to bed, and you take a consistent evening or two away every week.
More Straight Talk…
If a routine gets interrupted, know that life happens. Kids get sick, unexpected visitors show up, or the washing machine decides today is the perfect day to break down.
Our systems have to be flexible and when we allow them to be, we become more comfortable with imperfection. Pick up where you left off or adjust as needed. If an activity is truly important, it’ll get done. If it’s not, you’ll learn to put it in its place, or let it go. Leaning into flexibility will help you feel sane when life doesn’t go as planned.
Embrace the Unexpected
Despite our best planning, life has a way of throwing curveballs. Here are a few tips to keep your cool:
Buffer Time aka Margins: Include margins in your routine. So when unexpected construction happens, you aren’t late. When a child resists buckling into their seatbelt, you’re not growing anxious.
Emergency Activities: Have a stash of easy, engaging activities (puzzles, educational videos, simple crafts) for those days when you need to attend to something unexpected. Learn to deal with stressful moments.
Grace: Give yourself grace. When you do get anxious and impatient, know that you’re among the masses. We all have those moments. Everyone. Stop, turn to yourself, put your hand on your heart, notice your breath, breathe slowly, and tell yourself you are okay, and your kids are okay, life is unexpected at times, it doesn’t roll as we’d like, but we will make it through.
Some days will be tough, and that’s okay. Remember that tomorrow is a new day.
Final Thoughts
Remember, homeschool mama, what really matters. “She finished the list” or “she kept an immaculate home” isn’t what you hope to see on your gravestone anyway.
In the end, it’s about living with intention and clarity. So, take small, meaningful steps to declutter your space, your mind, and your relationships, so that your homeschool life serves your purpose, not the other way around.
Be here now. Lean into living your To-Live list, not your To-Do List.
Teresa Wiedrick, Homeschool Life Coach
Now, go live your life on purpose in your decluttered!
What do you think? If you incorporate one of these decluttered homeschool tasks, share their experiences with you, find me on the socials.
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Teresa Wiedrick
I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
