10 Easy Steps to Get Your Homeschool Ready for Back to School

You’re gearing up to begin a new homeschool year and you’ve got some jitters. ⚙️ 

That’s SO normal. 

✔️Maybe it’s your very first year homeschooling

✔️Or maybe you’re a “returning subscriber” to this lifestyle

Either way, it’s common to feel at a loss for where to begin your prep for an enriching and calm homeschool year.

If you’ve just started your homeschool year or you’re getting ready to start, this article is for you. I’m sharing 10 steps to get you started on your homeschool back to school prep. 👣

A more calm prep, that is. 😉 

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Whether you’re starting back up after a summer long siesta or you’re returning to year-round schooling after a break, there’s something magical about a fresh start. 🪄 

🎃 Images of hayrides, pumpkin patches, and apple picking add to the fairy dust in the air. And now you’ve got a recipe for a truly cozy transition back to homeschooling your kiddos.

Inevitably, there’s something else that creeps in too — I call it starter’s anxiety. But, it’s more commonly referred to as Back-to-School Anxiety. Or Homeschool Anxiety for the homeschooling parent.

Homeschool anxiety is a common occurrence. It’s normal to feel both excited and anxious about changes and transitions. Schooling your child is no different.

So, if you’re feeling back to school angst, you’re in good company. Many parents have some level of concern or nerves about restarting school.

I hope the fact that most of us experience these feelings, relieves some of your tension. We’re in this together. So, close your eyes and take a deep breath. 

You’ve GOT this!

I’m Lakia, a writer and homeschooling mama of three elementary aged students. I’m sharing your stress right now, as my own school year is restarting. I thought I might also share a solution with you.

I use this “power tool,” whenever I’m managing or avoiding overwhelm — it’s the power of a written plan.

Or a to do list, if you’re cheeky. 😏

Here are my top 10 tips for preparing for your calm, cozy, and connected school year.

“Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.” Walter Anderson

10 Steps to Planning for a Successful Homeschool Year

This list is perfect to jumpstart your homeschool planning. AND, it’s relevant to any parent of a school-aged child.

Grab your mug of caramel apple coffee or harvest blend tea and let’s get into this list, shall we? ☕️

1. Choose a word, theme, or mood for your year (or for one term)

• Choosing a word that captures the essence of what you want your homeschool to embody and embrace this year, has the power to guide your goals and decisions as you plan for your day, week, or month.

• This word will center you by infusing your daily activities with focus and purpose.

Check out the list below for ideas. 👇🏾 

💭 Wonder

🎒 Adventure

🧶 Creativity 

🕵🏽‍♀️ Curiosity

🌱 Growth

🦫 Discipline

🐢 Perseverance

🍁 Nature

🌍 Culture

👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Identity

Fun tip: Let your kids, partner, or other teachers involved in your child’s learning be a part of inspiring or helping to choose this word.

2. Set your homeschool intentions

• What are your personal goals for the term? Or school year?

• What goals do you have for each of your kiddos?

*Here’s where the word you chose releases its power in your planning. 

Your priorities come into focus, and you’ll make more value-aligned goals for yourself, your students, and your homeschool.

You may be asking, “How do I practically do this?” I’ve got you covered. 😉 

Option #1: 

⏰ Set a timer for 2 minutes.

🧘🏽‍♀️ Close your eyes and envision what you want your ideal school days to look like.

✍🏾 Now, write down the feelings, mood, and thoughts describing what you envisioned.

From this brainstorm, create 1-3 intentions or goals for yourself, your homeschool and for each of your students. Done. ✅ 

Option #2: 

Jeff Olsen encourages a powerful activity in his book, The Slight Edge. I call it the floor to ceiling paradigm shift. 

In this exercise, you:

👇🏾 Look at the floor for 5 minutes and think about what your homeschool has been.

⬆️ Next, you look up at the ceiling for 5 minutes and think about what you want your homeschool to be.

✍🏾 Then, write out 1-3 goals or focuses for yourself, your homeschool, and each of your students.

You may be surprised at the growth goals you create, after taking time to mindfully consider yourself and each of your students. You’ll notice your goals become richer — more person-focused.

3. Close out stuff from the previous term

• Document anything from the previous term that’s outstanding.

• Clear your teacher binder of old stuff.

• Send any records required by your state. For example – my state requires Proof of Progress and Intent to Homeschool documents each year.

4. Declutter, clean, and organize

• Declutter: While you’re closing stuff out, go ahead and THROW stuff out too. Please, throw stuff out. 

Seriously, choose only a few pieces (think 4-10 per year) you want to keep that represent what your student has done over the year. That includes art pieces, writing samples, and a couple other projects. Your brain will thank you. 🙂

*Pro Tip: Set a timer for 15 minutes each day and declutter 27 items during that time. The Fly Lady calls this a 27 Fling Boogie in her book, Sink Reflections. Set up “throw away,” “give away,” and “put away” piles and fling away! Do this for a week and you’ll have decluttered almost 200 items.

• Clean: After you’ve decluttered papers, binders, projects, and books you don’t need, (or anything else in your homeschool space), it’s time to dust and clean.

• Set your timer to do this. 10 minutes for dusting, 15 minutes for cleaning. You’ll surprise yourself at just how much you’ll get done in 25 minutes. Trust me on this.

• Organize: Now, the fun part – organize and add any cute decor or finishing touches. Organization doesn’t need to be scary or overwhelming. An easy definition for organization is to put “like with like.” No Pinterest baskets, bins, or containers necessary, unless you’ve got some lying around or have some extra time and inspiration to run out and get some.

  5. Choose your homeschool curriculum or what you plan to study 

• This should be pretty simple now that you’ve chosen a word for the year and you’ve chosen intentions and goals for your family and your school.

• There are SO many options. Go with what your family naturally already values. My family values and LOVES to read, so we opt for a literature-based curriculum. 

Story time: I’m literally a mama who can be cranky, sad, or tired at the end of the day (who can relate? 🙋🏾‍♀️). Sit me down with a book and within the first page or two, I’m noticeably relaxed, calm, and SMILING. My kids notice every time. Yes, I’m talking about baby board books too! 😅

So, choose a curriculum, plan, guide, or style of teaching that lights you up.

6. Outline your first couple of weeks and/or a weekly skeleton of a schedule

• What are you studying?

• What field trips are you taking?

• Who’s teaching what subjects/topics?

7. Shop for needed items for your kiddos

What do they actually NEED for the school year? This will also be pretty simple, because you’ve done your mindset planning. And, you’ve decluttered, cleaned, and organized. So you can easily see what they need.

• Make a list of items your kids need for the first few weeks or months. Avoid skipping this step, or you may end up overspending or missing items.

• Go shopping in person or online, whichever is easier for you and fits your personality/personal life season

8. Shop for needed items for the teachers

Consider yourself, your partner, or other teachers involved in your homeschool. What do you need to make your days easier?

This year, I got an electric pencil sharpener, a tape dispenser, ergonomic scissors, and a flex binder (JUST FOR MY USE). My kids eyed each item with longing, but no, uh-uh. Not today. 🙅🏽‍♀️

9. Plan for a fun and relaxing first few weeks

• Choose a start date (preaching to myself here 😅)

• Choose a first day tradition (special breakfast, ice cream after the school day, or first day pictures)

• Plan to do one week of homeschool over a span of two weeks (so, slow the pace down to help everyone adjust)

• Plan a fun field trip, if that won’t be too stressful for you

What other ideas can you think of? 

What relaxes you and your family? 

A huge benefit of homeschooling is freedom.

So don’t limit yourself to a traditional school framework.

10. Write down a simple routine that includes self care for you, your partner, or your homeschool team.

This routine may include:

• Your bedtime. Sleep is paramount.

• Your weekly meal plan themes

• Your cleaning & dishes routine

• Your exercise routine

• Your shopping, errands, and bill-paying routine

• Pre-scheduled parent dates with a baby-sitter in place

These are my top ten things to do. That doesn’t mean the list is limited. Find your sweet spot.

Get Ready for Back to School Without the Anxiety

You’re doing fabulous! I just know it. Your heart is in the right place and you’re here because you love your kiddos and your family. 

There’s no need to beat yourself up. Celebrate yourself and take one baby step at a time, as you walk confidently into this school term.

You’ve got inspiration, intentions, and implementation. ✨ You’ve got this. ✨

Let’s seize this year together with calm, gusto, and purpose.

Cheers. 🥂 

From one homeschooling parent to another.

Sources:

1. Three Steps to Tame the Beast of Homeschool Anxiety

2. Five Tips to Manage Back-to-School Anxiety (Parents’ that is!)

3. Jeff Olson, The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success & Happiness. (2013). Dallas, Texas: SUCCESS. pp 149-151

4. Marla Cilley, The FlyLady. (2002). Sink Reflections. New York, New York: Bantam Dell, A Division of Random House, Inc. pp 28-29.