Everyone loves a good list of things to get rid of… oh just me? Well, I love a good list of things to simplify and remove in order to have some breathing room in my spaces. I’ve done this in our home, becoming somewhat of a minimalist. That may or may not be your thing, but I would venture to guess that most of our homeschool days, rooms, and schedules could use a little purge, too. Let’s dive in!
Curriculum catalogs
You know you have a few lying around. Whether it’s the latest curriculum we’ve used, companies we ordered catalogs from out of interest, or the ones that show up randomly in the mail…they can pile up as clutter. But what’s more, they can become a source of discontentment. When our curriculum is not working for us, our kids are struggling in a subject, or we are simply looking for some retail therapy, these catalogs can tempt us to buy when it’s unnecessary. Consider decluttering them.
Traditional crayons and colored pencils
They break, need to be sharpened, and your kids pull the paper off, making a mess. I know we are supposed to be decluttering, but hear me out. Crayola makes a twistable version of both crayons and colored pencils, and they are fantastic! I’ve rarely had to replace them, but I can’t say the same about traditional crayons/pencils. Twistable versions have been a money (and mess)- -saving swap for our family.
Books you won’t read again.
I love to read, and my children love books, too. But if there’s a book we didn’t love or won’t read again, we move it out and give our bookshelves some breathing room. I usually pass it on if it’s not part of a curriculum set I’d like to resell. It can always be acquired at the library later if you need it. Kindle, ThriftBooks.com, and the “Friends of the Library” used bookstores are easy ways to read books for cheap. And it’s not as painful to let them go when we’re done with them.
Artwork
Our children make many beautiful and creative art projects and drawings, but we can’t keep them all. Maybe you could take a picture of a unique creation, or a drawing could sit on the fridge or bulletin board for a few days before letting it go. My children rarely notice if I haven’t kept their artwork. If it’s remarkable or you have a sentimental kiddo, have a box or portfolio to store their art. It creates a boundary, and they have to be selective. Let the boundary be the bad guy.
Distracting decor
I know how easy it is to see the decor in someone’s “Homeschool Room Tour” on a YouTube video and feel the need to run to Hobby Lobby to make our spaces feel the same. But it can be stressful to learn —and teach—in a cluttered environment. Keep things beautiful but also simple. Valuable items that can be pretty as decor pieces (think maps, globes, an aesthetically pleasing poster, cute school supply organizers) can make your room feel pulled together and intentional—without distracting.
And now for rapid fire…
- Completed workbooks/coloring books
- Manipulatives your kids have outgrown
- Curriculum that you didn’t end up using
- Puzzles
- Easy readers nobody is using anymore
- Excessive office/school supplied. (Does anyone actually need 500 thumbtacks?)s
- Cords and chargers you can’t identify
- Broken electronics
- Excessive storage containers (usually, we will fill them if we have them)
- Dry pens or markers
- Eraser-less pencils (what’s the point?! Ha!)
- Old paint
- Craft kits nobody is using
- Dull scissors
- Dried-out glue sticks
I could go on, and maybe one day I will, but for now, I will remind you that every item in your home is inventory YOU must manage. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. After decluttering thousands of items, I can count on one hand the items I wish I hadn’t. The lightness and freedom are worth it, and you couldn’t pay me to return all that clutter!
We want our time, effort, and energy to be spent on the eternal—like the hearts and minds of the children God has entrusted us to love and educate. Why spend more time managing STUFF than is necessary?
Decluttering differs from the magic pill many online content creators have tried to make it out to be. It is one tool in the toolkit of things we mamas do that make homemaking easier. Sure, it can lower our stress and free up our time to enjoy other things. But ultimately, we must put our minds on Jesus, who, Himself, is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Because if our homes are clutter-free and tidy, but our hearts are full of anger or bitterness, we are laboring to make that tidy house in vain (Psalm 127:1). This is a work in progress for me too.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21