How to Homeschool || Organizing the WHOLE Homeschool Year

We're getting back into the swing of homeschool over here, which means a lot of planning and prepping for a successful 38 weeks of educating at home. Let's get to it.
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I am a mother of three; just doing my best to raise Godly children and find joy doing it. I am a busy wife as I strive to make intentional parenting my goal while making my relationship with my husband my priority. My passion is teaching and I find myself hoarding most teaching/office supplies in my closets. I love to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my kiddos, and History. All my other interests can fit nicely into one word: Pinterest. I love baking, decorating, dreaming, making, free fun printables, motivational quotes, tips, tricks, and ideas by the millions. Lastly, I have an unwavering testimony of Jesus Christ and base my entire life around His Gospel; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This channel is dedicated first to my husband who is my better half and to my mother who inspired it all.
Thanks for Watching!

[@stephanieyoungbar4875]

You can buy single colored file folders in "extreme right" or "extreme left" online from staples. I used to use them for patient's charts in my office, each letter was a different color, but all tabs were "extreme left" . Also, you could flip some of the folders inside out to make the tabs on the same sides. But, we buy a box of one color. Just a thought! 😊

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Yes I have seen those. Thanks for the tip!

[@TheCoulterCoop]

I’ve never done my planning like this before but I’m going to try it this year! Part of my burnout is having to think of what we’re doing next!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

This system saves my brain every time. And I still love it to this day!

[@Sup3RGiRLiVy]

Love this. So many homeschool mom's don't plan they just go day by day. I'm a plannerholic so I love this. Such a helpful video.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Oh man girl. I am a PLANNER too. Glad you found some gems.

[@bluesouthpaw6326]

What state do you live in? Here in NY we need 900 hrs. So that's like 3 hrs, 5 days a week. Without taking a single day off throughout the entire yr. How the heck are you able to take off 8 weeks in the summer and all these other days off??!! Tell me your secrets pleeeeeeease!💙

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

@@bluesouthpaw6326 Oh man. All those hours sound ROUGH! We live in Utah and there are no requirements on hours or days for the school year. So I am free to adjust our schedule to flow with our life.

[@ninilovenana]

I was a planner mom but my personality is that I become very harsh on myself if I don’t follow and then something happens someone gets sick and it’s falls apart or we have to spend more time on something they didn’t understand and everything falls apart and I fall apart right along with it. So I go week by week so that I can make changes if my children need it.

[@robzzzzzz1]

The reason this is a game changer for me is that by the end of the year all i have to do is take the papers out and choose the samples I want to file and file it in a yearly box and then re use the box ! So I’m def doing it 🎉

[@abigailwalker5249]

I am also a public school educator turned homeschooling mama, I have to have a lesson plan book. I have torn apart "most" of my curriculum and on Sunday nights I'll write lesson plans and figure out what needs to be done in a week.

[@1991ncr]

Omg!! Thank you so much for this video. Last year was my 1st year homeschooling ever after having 4 kids in public school. I was so lost as to how to get organized. Thank you so much for sharing this system. It’s getting overwhelming in keeping all of the assignments for the next few weeks in a binder. I can’t wait to get started on this new system.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You got this!

[@doraacosta4583]

Thank you! As a first-year homeschool mom, this has been very helpful!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You are so welcome!

[@jessicajohnson4648]

Thank you! We will be starting our first year homeschooling my 2 preschoolers and this is SOOOO helpful!

[@laceygoodson9339]

Thank you for sharing! I decided to choose one color folder for each child which makes it easy. The whole line up the folder with all the tabs on one side.... well I don’t know how they do it! 🤣🤣

[@EjKep]

Thank you so much! This was really helpful! I'm a former teacher who is starting to homeschool my oldest for the 2021 year. I really appreciate your ideas!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You are so welcome!

[@charmingchana20]

Thanks for sharing!! I’m new to homeschooling and I’m definitely going to be using this system☺️

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You are so welcome! It's still my favorite set up for beginners.

[@pfamilychannel8880]

New friend to your channel! Thanks for sharing how you organize your school year! I am a fellow homeschooling momma!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Welcome along!!! Always good to have new friends.

[@HomeEducationJourneyUK]

Great video, Thanks for sharing!

[@catherinebazuin5782]

Jesus bless you. I've been trying to figure this out... First year of homeschool 5 boys! You explain this beautifully. Thank you so much. It's also encouraging that you struggle with the tabs too, I'm not the only one and I can let it go. Lol. You are so down to earth. I really enjoyed watching your video! Thank you so much.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Oh I'm so glad it helped you! :). I did end up going the manila envelope route and it does help clean up the look a bit. Happy Homeschooling.

[@JANDK2004]

I really like your channel. Every video I’ve watched, I’ve thought, “I just know she used to be a teacher.” You confirmed it! Thanks. Lol (That’s compliment ☺️)

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You’re so kind!! Thanks so much. ❤️

[@joannaserrano1783]

EXTREMELT HELPFULLLL THANK U

[@april__marie]

Thank you for this video, so helpful! 💕

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Just found your channel. I'm excited to follow along! 🙂Thanks for sharing!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Yay!! Welcome along. Hopefully you’ll find some good ideas and encouragement!

[@mattjackiemoeller7579]

Thank you so much! This was one of the best videos I have watched on homeschooling so far.

[@ashleyaeby7144]

Thank you! This video is very helpful.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I'm so glad! You're welcome

[@carlabales5187]

I bought multiple packs of the file folders so I could have enough of one color for the same side tab. We use tons of folders and I shared them with another homeschooling momma who was also organizing using the crate system. My oldest is Blue and younger is Red and I have yellow stashed for the next one🥰 they also have coordinating binders. And once the color interest changes I'm positive I'll need new folders and binders by then. LOL!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Awesome! Such a good idea to share with other families!

[@youandme9516]

You are awesome

[@TheMixingBowlHomestead]

For the crate to have the folders by color all the way back, you have to buy the box of color file folders. If you buy individual color packs will not work. At least that’s how I was able to get mine set up

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

It’s true. You’ve got to be super committed to the colored look to make it happen. I just can’t seem to make that investment. 😂

[@dominique61]

Thanks so much for sharing this was super helpful! I like that you only pull the pages for half the year at a time that seems much less daunting than doing the whole year. Also, didn’t realize you had another smaller child. How do you juggle teaching the older two with the youngest?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

It’s not easy. He does sit and listen for the start of our day. Lots of time I just let him pull everything out of some drawer or bag or whatever. At table time he gets a scrap piece of paper and a box of crayons and that distracts him for a while too. Just gotta be creative.

[@ciararodriguez6232]

Very helpful info! Thx!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

You’re welcome!

[@Spiriri]

Thanks for sharing! I've been debating doing homeschooling for a while, but the current situation has forced my hand so we will be homeschooling for the next few years. Thanks!

[@kaylinnmorrell3635]

YOu're welcome! I'm so glad it'll help you get your start.

[@subscribee9792]

@@kaylinnmorrell3635 umm.. I'm sorry, but who are you?

[@aangel310]

I believe kristi clover has a KZbin channel who started the crate system. I've been using it with my multiple child for a few years. You need to buy the colored pack of 100 and then an additional pack of 30 or so. I have a lot of left over folders for making them all in a row for each child. But it is visually appealing. It is a but costly when starting out having to buy so many packs of file folders for 3 or more children. If you have 2 you can turn a folder inside out and use just the left or right side and the table will be on the left or right. And I think there is enough folders in a pack of 100 to do that. Thanks for tour video.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Yes. It is Kristi. I just couldn’t remember her name when I filmed this! Well done figuring out how to get all the colors to be the same. It does look nice.

[@amywilliams4345]

Inside out! Genius! You just saved my bacon, thank you!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

@@amywilliams4345 Woo-Hoo! Bacon is always worth saving. :)

[@marthason7962]

To save money I bought all the same color folders. Then I attached stickers to each tab, chose a color for each child and then colored each child's stickers with their personal color. It takes time but is more affordable and I can have the nice organized rows.

[@rachel0130]

Hugely helpful, thank you! I'm wondering for the end of the school year do you just put the crate into storage or do you take everything out and put it in binders? How do you store it all when you're finished with it?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Great question. Each week, I clean out the kids binders and stack it in my closet. Not sorting it at all. One week on top of the next. At the end of the year, I take that stack and roughly thumb through it and keep tests, a random lesson here and there, writing samples, projects, and the like and stick those in a separate tote that stays in my attic storage space. The rest of that enormous pile, I recycle. Hope that helps some.

[@kimberlyluciano6279]

Hi.... I learned about the crate system from Kristi Clover and she is one who has all the pretty colors. She has a “Homeschool Organization” vídeo on KZbin and explains about the folders! 😊

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Thanks Kimberly! It was Kristi Clover who taught me this too!! I totally had forgotten who it was it was so many years ago! Thanks for the reminder. ❤️❤️

[@kimberlyluciano6279]

Full Purpose And Heart Yes... I watch her video from time to time to refresh myself on the organization and to see what style/styles will work best for me each year! She also just wrote a book: M.O.M. (Master Organizers of Mayhem) 😁

[@Lovely-wy4fo]

I was thinking the same, she is a homeschool Guru. Well known for the crate system.

[@JessicaRJones24]

Thank you for sharing. I adopted this method our first year and all of our curriculum fit perfectly. Now that we switched it no longer does. What do you do for current printed double sided and one page of week 2 has to be placed in week 1 because it's on the other side of the page? This drives my type A personality crazy!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Oh friend. I hear ya. I'm in the same boat and it drives me crazy. I've tried to tear them out and then carry them over when needed but it just isn't as clean as I like. So, for those particular books, I end up keeping them intact and using them as we go along. This system, though my favorite ever, doesn't work as well for me today as it did a few years ago.

[@lornafajardo2384]

Hello, thanks for your video. May I ask how do you rip the curriculums/worksheets quickly and neatly? Thanks.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

The pages that I rip out always have been perforated. So its real easy to tear them out. Pages that are not perforated but that I want to use I usually copy it with my machine and keep the book intact.

[@maribelhughley3451]

This was so helpful! Do you use this same system for preschoolers? Wasn't sure if you use curriculum for them too.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I didn’t use this for my preschoolers because I had so many, although I’m sure I could have if I was just using my student. Just thinking briefly about it now, with some planning it would most likely be the same concept. Preschool is so fun and free that I just kinda fly by the seat of my pants. 😂

[@CakeBossMom]

do you only.use worksheets or do you do other activities too? crafts, art, music, dance, science, etc. also do you plan holiday themed lessons, etc. if so. how do u plan those out for the year?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Yes. I do lots of other “elective” work. This method just holds my seat work pages. I plan the crafts and projects in my “centers” time and family school time. It’s kinda hard to explain in writing so I’ll plan a video to talk about it better.

[@kmj1025]

How do you organize for your state law in you hours or days. And also record keeping?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Great question. My state doesn’t have any requirements for hours and days. With my “year at a glance” page I know how many days. But I do t track much else. Sorry I can’t be much help there.

[@thecraftingnewb]

I use file folders. I have them set per child. However I bought I believe 3 packs of the manilla file folders. Then I created labels. So all the far left tabs are my oldest and I label for him in red. Middle is my middle daughter. Youngest will be far right tabs but he is not homeschool age yet. Avery sells file folder labels. So it was not that hard to color coordinate. The folders all line up per child but only my labels are certain colors. I hope this makes sense!!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Natalia Jarvis sooooo smart!!!! I always am drawn to the color file folders but this really would solve it. Okay. I’m sold. I’ll do it next year!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

[@thecraftingnewb]

@@FullPurposeAndHeart I sent you an email with some more information on how I did it!

[@kkgreer8908]

I know you filmed this forever ago lol but I’m starting my first official year of homeschooling my kindergartener and preschooler. I did some preschool with my oldest last year but basically just winged it lol… anyways this crate is gonna save my butt! Thank you for sharing! I was wondering if you ever save your curriculum for the next student that would be coming up? Or do you just buy all new curriculum for that grade again?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Forever ago or not, this system is amazing and I still love it! so glad you found it. As for curriculum, I save what I can. Consumable books (workbooks and such) I use up. I DO NOT make copies so I can reuse them. I don't have time for that. LOL. But curriculum books (lesson books or textbooks or stuff I get on TPT) I do save and repeat.

[@kkgreer8908]

Thank you!

[@FourLittleMeidas]

Do you have a link to your calendar? It is exactly what I need!

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I didn't make them. You can find them here: homeschool101.wordpress.com/printables/

[@valleyhavenfamilyschool8951]

Great video! Did you design your cute binder cover sheets?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I did!

[@valleyhavenfamilyschool8951]

Full Purpose And Heart I ❤️ them! I need a lesson on how to do it! Where did you get the graphics?

[@sharhondareynolds8548]

Can you link how to do the binder cover

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I made the binder cover on my computer. I'm not sure how to link it.

[@Itnot_layla]

You may have answered this already…. Did the workbook pages in 3rd grad Horizons come with holes punched or perforated?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

They are perforated.

[@stephiestamper5945]

Not sure if anyone's answered you're file folder question. They buy many many packs to have them line up perfectly.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

🤣 it’s true. I ended up switching to the Manila colored ones so as to just save myself from the whole effort!

[@stephiestamper5945]

@@FullPurposeAndHeart thats what I did to. It's can get pricey buying like that. I am on my third year homeschooling and still feel like a newbie. I think its due to the fact I cannot afford the pricy curriculum. Lol. Were winging it with old text books. And I don't have any friends that homeschool.

[@cheyennewright6481]

Do you have that same year at a glance printable?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I do not have the "Year at a Glance" digitally available but I did just put mine together for this next school year. If you want one, you can send me an email and I'll respond with an attachment of it. :). full purpose and heart at gmail.

[@amywilliams4345]

Your Year at a Glance is perfect! Did you use a specific template to make it?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Yep. It's linked in the description box. Megan Phillips system: homeschool101.wordpress.com/printables/

[@amywilliams4345]

@@FullPurposeAndHeart I'm sorry, I must have used the wrong term. I meant the very first calendar you showed. I thought you said you made it yourself.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

@@amywilliams4345 Oh yea. The Year at a Glance. Sorry. My mistake. Yes, that is just a page that I made on my computer. Several "tables" lined up next together to make months.

[@abigailwalker5249]

They cheat, they purchase the whole case of files and only use the ones that are in that position. That hurts my heart, because it seems so wasteful. What are they doing with the rest of the folders?

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

Right??? It’s too much waste for my supply obsessed heart!

[@MLisaDenning]

Abigail Walker you can buy a box of just one color. So I bought three boxes (each a different color for my three kids) and then took out the folders with the tab in same position. I do have some left over, but we use those for lapbooks and other projects. I do not want waste either and I am happy to have the extras to use for those extra projects.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

@@MLisaDenning You're so smart! I HAVE seen those color specific boxes. I was just too picky for the color choices that they gave me. LOL! The struggle is real. hahaha.

[@MLisaDenning]

Full Purpose And Heart I think I ordered mine online for that exact reason! Ha! Thank you for this video! I bought my crate two years ago, got the folders organized, and then never used it! I am doing it this year!! I loved your in depth video and I am excited to see how it goes now that my kids are a little older. I think it will be great motivation for them to get their school work done before Friday.

[@aninnymousemouskewitz9026]

I did that for my children, but I kept the extras and we use them for lapbooks and craft projects. They aren't wasted.

[@daniellecovel2726]

How do you sit and teach without distraction when you have a young child in the home? I have a two year old that does not believe in cooperation.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

I don’t! 😂 It’s mostly just a game of throwing different pages and crayons at the youngest child for 2 hours. I haven’t figured it out.

[@daniellecovel2726]

@@FullPurposeAndHeart Thank you for replying! I am doing some informal homeschooling before my 5yo starts school. They are pushing for online classes and I'm worried he won't thrive in an online environment. I hope you have a wonderful 20-21 school year.

[@FullPurposeAndHeart]

@@daniellecovel2726 best of luck in your new homeschooling life. Just remember it's a journey. An entirely online class would be difficult so I applaud you to trying out something informally now!