Having homeschooled for over seven years now, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of my very favorite items to make homeschooling easier on me. I’ve compiled them all together for you so that you can have all of my must haves in one place. Here are my top 10 supplies every homeschool mom needs in her life.
1. An awesome planner to organize your homeschool and your life
Having a planner is essential as a homeschool mom! Whether you like to plan ahead or record keep, having a great planner is so helpful. It can help keep you oragnized and keep all of the info you need in one place. My very favorite planner is The Best Homeschool Life Planner. This is where bullet journals meet traditional homeschool planners. Guys, there’s a spot for everything!! Monthly a weekly planning pages, morning basket planning pages, meal planning pages, a homeschool vision page, and more. There’s blank pages where you can customize it to fit your needs to keep records, transcripts, lists, or whatever else you need. And it’s SO pretty!!
2. Erasable pens
So, I’ll be honest. I buy pens for myself that my kids are not allowed to touch. Pens that are pretty, write well, and that don’t have slobber on them from the kids putting them in their mouths. I found these erasable pens and they are a must have!! They truly erase! I use them in my planner, to jot notes down, to fill out birthday cards…you name it. I love them and they are a keeper for me to have on hand.
3. A Laminator
You know you’ve reached homeschool mom status when your supply list includes a laminator! Laminators make life so much easier. Have some paper flashcards that you need to keep from being ripped? Laminate them. Do you have a worksheet your kids need to do more than once? Laminate that and useba dry erase pen. Want to keep that amazing piece of art your kiddo made forever? You get the idea! This laminator is a great price, too.
4. A good printer
We use our printer a LOT. I feel like we use it at least weekly, if not multiple days a week. So, having a great printer is very important for a homeschool family! We may print additional resources for a lesson, a unit study, a free printable we have found along the way, maps, and the list goes on. I’ve found that we’ve had a lot of luck with Brother printers. They aren’t over the top expensive, but they have all the features I need. Double sided printing, amazing color printing (we’ve printed many photos with our printer!), and a scanner and copier to make life easier.
5. Good pencils
Okay, pencils may technically be labeled under a student item in our homeschool, but having good pencils is a sanity saver for mom, too! Nothing is more frustrating than having pencils break multiple times in the middle of a lesson. Skip those cute, cheap pencils and get yourself some Ticonderoga pencils! These are like the Cadillac of pencils. Seriously, just do yourself a favor and get them and you’ll understand what all the type is about.
6. A good pencil sharpener
A good pencil sharpener is just as important as a good pencil! I found this electric pencil sharpener years ago and I instantly fell in love. It can sharpen multiple size pencils and it stops automatically when the pencil is sharp! No wasting precious pencils by having your kids over sharpening them. I’ve seen this pencil sharpener at a few libraries since having it, so you know it holds up to industrial sharpening jobs!
7. Encouraging books
Having some great, encouraging books for the homeschool mom are definitely something to have on hand. Let’s face it, homeschooling is hard. It is so worth it and so rewarding, but there are those days that you just need a pick me up. Having books like Homeschool Bravely on hand is perfect for those days where you may question yourself and wonder why you’re homeschooling in the first place. I have more books for the homeschool mom listed in my shop. Buy them. Keep them on your nightstand and re-read them often!
8. Binding machine
Okay, y’all. I have been looking into buying one of these for years and finally added one to my cart! Having a binding machine can make that curriculum or planner you printed out look absolutely top notch! You can have those important files bound perfectly so pages don’t rip out like they do in a 3 ring binder. It also helps your pages to lay flat when you’re working on them. There are lots of option to choose from that range from super reasonable to top of the line, so I chose one on the lower side since I just need it for personal use. I’m so excited to put this machine to work!
9. Coffee
Come on, this one is obvious, right? I go to bed at night looking forward to that warm cup of coffee in the morning. I love sipping on my coffee while we’re waking up in the morning, while we’re cuddled up on the couch reading together, and in my travel mug while we’re on the go to an activity or park day. It makes me happy! This is my one vise and I mark it down as self care. It counts in my book as a must have supply for all homeschool moms!
10. The most important supply in your homeschool… Your presence
The most important supply in your homeschool isn’t a material thing at all. It is your presence. When you go through a a supply list wondering what your must have items are, it’s you. The homeschool mom most important supply in your homeschool. You’ve taken it upon yourself to homeschool your kids. You’re sacrificing your time and energy to give your kids the very best! You’re amazing, friend. So if doubt ever creeps in, know that you can homeschool with nothing but the love in your heart and the time and attention that you give your kids. If you buy nothing on this list, you still are fully and well equipped to homeschool your kids.
What are some of your must have supplies for the homeschool mom that I haven’t listed here? Let me know in the comments or in my online homeschool community!
You can find more encouragement for a successful homeschool by clicking the image below!
