"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."

~ Eleanor Roosevelt 

Dear THSC Friend,

We're slowly emerging from our sun-soaked summer schedule and wading back into the wonderful world of daily homeschooling. 📚✨

But guess what? It's not just any season – it's the season of FALL CLEANING! 🍂🍁

I don't know about you, but instead of spring cleaning, I always catch the "Fall Cleaning Bug" when the leaves start to change. (Or in Texas, when we pretend that leaves are changing...)

It's time to embark on an exciting mission: sorting through all that curriculum and bidding farewell to the dried-up markers, paints that have gone rogue, and those oh-so-stubby crayons. 🖍️🎨

Also, I've reached that point where I've realized that the 4th-grade geography and 6th-grade art history curriculum I bought years ago (and once thought would be pure gold) might not be our cup of tea anymore.

My kids are officially in "The Teens" now, and it's time to declutter our homeschool space of things we are never, ever going to use or that is way too easy.

Passing it along to a friend with smaller students or donating it to a local homeschool group is like setting those textbooks free to explore new horizons, even if we feel a teensy bit guilty for not using them. 🌎📖

Now, let's sprinkle a little motivation glitter dust on this organizational journey with some hints and hacks to get into the groove...

🤗Invite a Friend to Share in the Adventure!

Let's get real here - as Melissa Michaels has taught me in her books, there's nothing more motivational than inviting friends over to get your creative organizational/cleaning juices flowing!

Be brave, pick a date, and ask a friend to come see your homeschool space when it's tidied.

🎼The Motivational Magic of Music

Bring out your inner Giselle of 🏰Andalasia with this lilting classical music playlist!

Classical not your thing?

Try one of these instead:

🎶Steven Curtis Chapman Hits

🎻Live at Red Rocks by John Tesh

🎸The Beatles Hits Playlist

🎧Acoustic Concentration Playlist

✨Gain Some Sparkle and Motivation

"If you’ve felt a bit overwhelmed about how to decorate your homeschool room, that’s totally normal!

Perhaps you homeschool in an area also put to use for other purposes (like our family – our main homeschool space is our dining room)?

Or maybe you’re a lucky one and have a room dedicated just to homeschooling? BUT, you’re not quite sure what to include (and exclude) from this special learning space?"

Read on...

🏡Journey Into Homeschool Rooms

Not that I want to get stuck comparing myself to others, but reading ideas from other homeschoolers really helps get me motivated. 

I think, "Hey! I have a basket like that I can put here!" or, "This cubby would be great to make a library book area!"

Their organized, beautiful spaces get me off the couch and into the Cleaning Zone Mindset!

Pam Barnhill is one of my favorite pretend invisible friends I love to follow. Read on...

So, fellow adventurers, let's dive into this homeschooling season with enthusiasm, creativity, and the excitement of making space for fresh discoveries. 🌄

You can do it, and I'm right here cheering you on!

I hope these ideas help you create an environment of joy in your home and in your homeschool overall.

Thank you for reading,

Jessica Lovett

Lead Writer & Editor

THSC.org & HomeEducator.com

P.S. Is there anything you'd like to see in upcoming Home Educator Express newsletters? Any homeschooling questions you'd like answered? Feel free to reply and let me know!

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Did you know that we have newsletters especially designed

for elementary school, middle school, and high school students? 

We know that your students have different levels, learning styles, and needs.

Sign up today and get fun ideas delivered to your inbox to keep homeschooling fresh! 

You can sign up for one or all of them, depending on the ages of your students.

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Keep your homeschooling fresh and inspired. New ideas every month!