Confession time: I’ve struggled off and on with homeschool hoarding for YEARS.
I didn’t get a lot of support when I was a homeschooled student and I swore that my children would have all the books, resources, and materials they’d ever need. As a result, our bookshelves and closets are stacked to the gills with homeschooling supplies.
Here’s the problem: I will never in my life ever use all of those things. In fact, I’ve had things put away for years that I have found after my children are too old to use them. For example: I have a book full of toddler activities that I haven’t opened in nearly nine years (since Tigger was a toddler). Guess what? I no longer have any toddlers.
As my kids get older and my confidence in homeschooling grows, I’m finding that I don’t need nearly as much things as I thought to give them a quality education. So I’m stepping into the world of minimalist homeschooling.
What is minimalist homeschooling? And can a confirmed homeschool hoarder really embrace minimalism?
What is Minimalist Homeschooling?
Here’s where it gets a little dicey: what minimalist homeschooling actually is looks different in each family. For me, minimalism refers to a lifestyle that challenges people to make the most of what they have without buying more things. In short, it’s simplifying your life by getting rid of unnecessary possessions.
This lifestyle is well supported by the Bible. 1 Timothy 6:7, 8 encourages us to be content with “sustenance and covering”. Well, when it comes to homeschooling, I’ve got plenty to be content with. Too much, in fact.
So, it’s time to get rid of my unnecessary homeschooling things, no matter how much they may mean to me personally or how much money they may have cost me.
Can a Homeschooling Hoarder Become a Minimalist?
Since I’m a hoarder (when it comes to homeschool stuff), I know that embracing minimalist homeschooling is going to be tough. The challenge for me is letting go of my fear that I won’t have something my kids need when they need it. Which brings me to the most important reason why I’m venturing into this lifestyle.
I do not want to homeschool out of fear.
I’ve never been one to homeschool out of fear of the public school system. Nor do I homeschool out of fear that my children will do “something wrong” if they’re out of my sight. But I have been hoarding homeschooling materials out of fear that I won’t be a good enough teacher. And that fear has been draining the joy out of the homeschooling experience.
My hope is that homeschooling with the bare necessities will help me see that I am teacher enough for my kids, even without a closet full of supplies.
I’m looking forward to sharing more of my journey with you all in the next few days! Do any of you homeschool with a minimalist perspective? I’d love to hear how it’s going for you!
Need to homeschool on a budget? Grab my ebook How to Afford Homeschooling for just 99 cents!
Get more ideas for planning your upcoming homeschool year on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!
This post is part of the 10 Days of Minimalist Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 2: Books, Books, Books!
I have definitely been a homeschool horder to some extent. I look forward to your series for ideas on how to be less of one!!
So incredibly true, Selena! I love your raw and honest point about homeschooling out of FEAR! Yes, even though I call it “being prepared” I know deep down it is pure freak-out insecurity taking over (and p.s. I’m a minimalist in every other aspect of my life, clutter phobia keeps me that way, lol). Thanks for sharing! – Carlen | http://www.realmomswingingit.com
I know! It’s almost like prepping for a homeschool catastrophe…lol. When you realize you have more educational resources than a typical classroom, you know you’re in trouble. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Oh the books! I know exactly what you are talking about. I have been trying to get rid of some of my unused books, because they just take up so much room! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series!
It’s such a hard thing to do, too. I absolutely adore books. But they are truly taking over my life!
Selena, you are so right! I bought so much curricula in the early years that I never used! Now that my kids are graduated, I think we could accomplished almost everything we a daily read-aloud (even in high school), a good math text, and a library card. 😛
It’s so easy to do, isn’t it? I have high school books that I’ve had for the past seven years or so. My oldest is just now going into sixth grade. I’m almost positive by the time she actually reaches ninth, the books will be out-of-date…lol.