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Writer's pictureminimalmindfulmama
Aug 17, 20205 min read

How to homeschool and be a minimalist by guest blogger Kelly Briggs

In the midst of uncertainty, many people are considering, or curious about homeschooling. I was a former homeschooler myself who then went on to earn a degree in education and teach in a traditional school setting, however, I was certainly not a minimalist at that time. Now that I’m pursuing LESS in my life (less stuff, less stress, more memories) I thought it might be helpful to get the perspective of my friend Kelly who is BOTH a seasoned homeschooler and on a minimalism journey. My oldest is going into preK, so whether you’re a newbie like me, or you’ve been homeschooling a while and are new to minimalism, I hope you find this as helpful and encouraging as I did!

 

What did you start first homeschooling or minimalism? I started homeschooling from the get-go and my oldest is nine now. I didn't really consider myself a minimalist until a few years ago. I've never been one to have a lot of extra stuff or supplies or things around though. I grew up that way with those values. Of having what we need, not necessarily all that we wanted. However, I was an elementary teacher, so I ended up decluttering a lot when we first started homeschooling that just would not work with homeschooling. I did have a nice collection of good literature though, which was helpful! How did one affect the other? Minimalism really, really helped me to find the current free curriculum we use. I was in a minimalist homeschooling group on Facebook. I was stressed about what to pick, what to do as my kids were getting older. I wanted something open and go, with little thought. A direction for us going forward that was in line with my thoughts and values towards education. And I found a perfect fit for us! Has your minimalist lifestyle made it easier or more difficult for you to teach your own children and why? It's made it easier in that I don't compare to other families and do what works for us. I'm very low key, slow, and not very fancy with my children's education. And that works for me. Don't you need a dedicated "homeschool room" with a huge chalkboard wall and shelves full of supplies to homeschool? Homeschooling can be done with as little or as much supplies or space (whether big or small). It's not a one size or style fits all for homeschooling. It's whatever you want it to be essentially. What would you consider "essential items" that as a minimalist and a homeschooler you are happy to keep on hand/stock up on? This will vary per person, but for me, that's books firstly. Good, solid books for my children to read on hand. Our curriculum is very literature based too.

And for regular supplies:

We use traveler’s notebooks and inserts that are lined or blank for nature journals, little drawing books, and writing activities. As well as basic composition notebooks as catchall books. Menu folders: we use these during our morning time. It holds recitation poetry, prayers, song lyrics, math facts, homeschooling motto. These change up every month or so. These menus withstand a lot of abuse, which was one of the reasons why I chose them. Plus I think they’re too sweet. My binder is what I use for all homeschool planning and notes for myself. I take it out during school time or planning time. It’s super duper durable and it flips backwards like a notebook, which I love. I bought a pack of 25 recyclable duotangs/ folders from Amazon that I use for things that I mostly touch like poetry reading and drawing programs. I leave the plastic duotangs to the kids.

Art supplies.. This is not all encompassing, but it’s the majority of what we use: Pastel pack Water color colored pencils Washable crayons Paint pucks (No spilling will happen. A win in my books) Charcoal pencils MP3 player for audiobooks

Portable keyboard for typing practice with a tablet (or I use it for work time with my phone)

Pencil sharpeners that we use and love

What are some things you don't have that other homeschoolers might be surprised by? We don't have a globe, although I'd like one eventually. Homeschooling requires a certain level of on hand supplies, so I just make sure that what I do have serves a purpose for our homeschooling. How has owning less as a minimalist enriched your homeschool experience? It makes tidying up our homeschooling space a lot quicker. And maintenance decluttering anything that doesn't work for us often just makes it less stressful for me in managing various ages that I homeschool. What advice do you have for others who may be just starting out or considering homeschooling? Start small. I made the huge mistake of overthinking it way too much in the beginning. Buying the things. Buying the curriculum. Reading way too many reviews. I should have used what I had on hand or found free and found my footing slowly that way instead of the other way around. Also go slow. Education need not be a race, which only in turn leads to burnout (for both students and the homeschooling parent). We tend to go really slow here and leave a lot of space for breathing and playing.

Other resources:

**PS links above are Kelly’s affiliate links, which means she’d make a small % of the sale if you decided to purchase through her links, with no cost difference to you. About Kelly Briggs:


I’m a mother of four children - three boys, one toddler girl - and our family lives on the beautiful east coast of Canada. I’m a past elementary teacher, turned stay at home, work at home mom seven years ago after I had my second child. I’ve found that the busier I’ve become and as my children age, that it’s become even more important to figure out what is most important to me and us as a family. Living a minimalist lifestyle has helped me to reduce stress, increased our finances, made more meaningful memories, stronger connections with my people. It has been through my children that I have been inspired to learn how to effectively manage my time and to simplify in all areas of my home and life. I enjoy helping busy moms simplify home life by learning flexible planning methods + skills. Seeking less stuff, less to do. And. Always learning and growing.

Other ways to connect with me:

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