I use a workbox type system to keep my kids daily activities organized. It helps keep everyone on task and make sure we don’t skip or forget anything. And trust me, with 4 kids, that’s easy to do!
What type of system do you use to keep everything organized on a daily basis?
We just started using binders a few months ago. We have very limited space since our move, and a binder is easier for us; plus, it travels well. 
I keep their worksheets and assignments in them, and then I check their work afterwards that they are supposed to put back in the binder…sometimes not done, but they try.
We use binders, with a checklist on the whiteboard of what needs to be accomplished that day. I bought containers to use as work boxes, and plan to give those a try with the older kids next year.
I use workboxes. I first learned about them from Erica a few years ago, and I started using them. It has made an enormous difference in our homeschooling. My oldest is a high school senior so he is fine with his schedule. For my youngest, once I switched to workboxes, he loved being able to see exactly what he needed to do each day and he likes to know what is left. I put all of his work in separate numbered boxes and I let him pick which box he wants to do next. He just keeps picking a box until they are all done. It has taught him to understand scheduling. He quickly learned that if he saved all of the writing until the end that it would be to much at once. It has taught him to think about which box he is picking and when.
At the end of each day I just go through each box and replace whatever needs to be replaced. It only takes a few minutes but it has been such a blessing to our homeschool.
I have just one child, a middle schooler. I plan his work for the week on Sunday night, and I give him a list of daily tasks every morning. He can choose what order to work, unless there is an activity that must be scheduled. For instance, he might need my help with a science lesson, so I will write “science lesson 6.08 with Mum at 11”, instead of just “Science # 5.05.”
I write the list on his white board, and then he crosses out the lessons as he finishes. We collect the work into a binder, and we’re done.
Erica, I did work boxes, like you suggested, and they are awesome! I can’t wait until little one is old enough to do them!
Workbox method works great for us, mostly because she can see what she has done and what she has yet to do. It stopped the “How much more?” question and helped her feel more in charge.
I love the idea of work boxes, but I’ve never had the space. When my oldest was in 1st/2nd I use to do “work envelopes” I numbered envelopes 1-9 and had notecards with the different subjects as well as games or movies listed. She liked knowing how much more school she had to do.
Now I have a checklist with subjects and general assignments that we try to make sure each area has at least one check each week and each child has all her school books and supplies in a file box crate by her work space. That makes clean up easy when company comes over since we do school in the front room
We also use workboxes. I have a mobile unit that can be rolled away for when we have company. We also like to roll it outside in nice weather and work in our backyard. We’re waiting for the mounds of snow and cold to go away!
Once my kids get older and have more subjects I am totally gonna use the work on system. But for now I use this spinner organizer from staples. It is awesome!! I have all the book and manipulatives in one place!!
We use workboxes too. We have been using them for several years & it is great for our family.
I love it! Do you know if it’s still available from staples?
Can you give more insight how your binders are set up? 1 binder per subject? 1 binder with all subjects in it? And do you rip out the work sheets from the actual books and put just those in the binder? I’d love to see a pic:)
I make a weekly schedule that the kids follow and check things off, just a sheet of printed paper. Then each night, I set out all the books that the student will need, with their schedule on top. They can do things in any order they want, but they check them off the schedule when they’re done.
As for what the schedule looks like, I had just posted about that in a different thread, so I’ll copy it here:
We do different things each day but we tend to group them by subject. For instance, we do math every day, but we do our regular Singapore textbook/workbook 4 days a week, Life of Fred one day a week, and then we also alternate between the Singapore “Challenging Word Problems” and “Intensive Practice” books each day. So they’re doing two short sessions of math each day but it varies a bit in which they are. We do spelling/reading each day, but we alternate: one day spelling, one day reading (we do just reading until reading is well established, though). We do a session of “logic/critical thinking,” but one day it might be “Critical Thinking Activities” and another day “Building Thinking Skills” and another day “Mind Benders.”
What I did was to create in a spreadsheet program what I wanted my week to look like, as a template. So I made columns for each of the days of the week. Each day has two boxes for math, one for logic, one for handwriting, etc. Then I wrote in each box what the general lesson should be for that time slot, “handwriting,” for instance. That gives me the chance to decide how many weeks I want to do something, whether I want to alternate that program with another program and do each two days a week or whatever, or whether I want to do it every day, etc.
Then, that’s my template. Each week, I make a copy of the template and label it with that week’s date, then I go through the books and write down the specific assignments (“handwriting” becomes "Handwriting: p. 108, “Terah” and “Isaac”). I usually do three weeks at a time for this, for efficiency of my time. I don’t do more than that because plans change and I’m fairly flexible.
Then, I print this out, and the kids use it as their seatwork schedule. It tells them which pages to do in each book, etc. If during the week something comes up and something doesn’t get done, I can fairly easily shift assignments to a later week with a simple copy and paste.
Doing this helps make sure that everything gets covered and no books get entirely forgotten. I reevaluate which books I want to do from time to time. For example, I have a book “Math Detective” that I’ll want to add in at some point, but not quite yet. So every time I make a new 3-week schedule, I look at it, think about whether I’m ready to add it in, and eventually I will. When I do, I can either alternate something else with it, or make a new session of schoolwork.
One binder, the larger 2 inch, 3 ring, with pockets. Things we go over daily, like calendar, weather, etc are hole punched in the middle. Workbooks or printer computer worksheets go in the pockets, core on the left, elective stuff on the right.
I make a checklist each week and he does them in whatever order he chooses. I do tell him what to do before and after lunch - I put the subjects he will need my help with in the afternoon. I keep all of his worksheets and books in a drawer so he knows where they are and doesn’t have to search foe them. It works well for us!
I used a small cart (with 10 drawers) that I purchased online through JoAnn’s Fabrics. I had a 40% off coupon and free shipping. It doesn’t take up much space at all. I then used Velcro and buttons on each side of the drawer pull to show what was done (button on right side) and what was yet to do (button on left). It really works well for us. Brooke likes the visual reminder of what she has done and I don’t have to get the “Are we done yet?” question as much. LOL
Workbooks have changed our school life. They know what to do next because it’s in teh next book. And they can see themselves working towards the end. It also has allowed me to add fun things to the day. We have a fun box somewhere in the middle giving teh a break and making school enjoyable. Things like playdough, games or crafts. I used the 10 drawer cart with black drawers. I hope one day I will have a school room and be able to have a set up similar to Erica’s. I recommend workbooks to everyone!
Erica you and I have a similar way of organizing so I too use the workbox system and I use your letter of the week curriculum too and tailer it for a 2 yr old. She loves the workboxes it’s like a new present in each drawer and I love filling them 
We use Homeschool Planet. It’s on online planner. I have homeschooled for 9 yrs and I have used many different planners. This is my favorite way to do it. Once you have filled out all your info you print out a weekly list for each student. It’s does take some time initially but after that it’s super easy. I would totally recommend it.