Helpful Homeschool Hint: Make Homeschooling As Convenient As Possible

I just adore Angie's weekly Thursday link-up - Helpful Homeschool Hints!  This week, my Helpful Homeschool Hint is to make homeschooling as convenient as possible.  

What do I mean by that?  For me it means that I am continually on the look-out for small changes I can make in my own home to make moving through our school day easier and more convenient for all of my children (and me).  

While I like to keep all of our homeschooling materials in our school room, I have found that keeping some items exactly where they are used is most convenient for my children and me.

• Mason (6th) and Duncan (4th) both have typing practice 3 times a week.  Since they both completed their typing course, they can choose from any typing activities on the typing program.  Their assignment is 15 minutes of typing practice 3 times a week so a timer is very helpful right by the computer.  For over a year, they would set the timer in the kitchen and then run back to type at the computer in my room.  Then, I finally purchased an inexpensive timer to keep by the computer.

• My boys each have a one-on-one reading lesson with me each day.  We always meet at a table in the living room, therefore, I keep all of our reading textbooks in a basket which is very close to the table.

• Mason listens and reads along to books on tape as part of his daily schoolwork.  I keep the headphones and CD player right by the couch in the school room.  In cold weather, I also keep a blanket there to snuggle up in while listening to books!    

• All three of my children use the Institute for Excellence in Writing Spelling Program, The Phonetic Zoo. I keep the CDs and bound copies of the daily testing sheets for each of my children in a basket right next to the CD player.  I made copies of the daily testing sheets for each of my children at the beginning of the school year and had them bound at Staples.  Therefore, they don't need to number a blank sheet of paper each day and write the required information at the top - they just grab their book, headphones, and CD player and they're reading to do their spelling lesson.

• I keep all of our reference books on one small bookcase.  This well-stocked reference shelf allows my children to be more independent in their school work.  

• Lastly, I love workboxes for the structure and organization they add to Duncan and Mason's schoolwork each day.  We've been using workboxes every school day for the past two years and I fully plan to continue using them next school year.  I may even implement a modified workbox system for my high schooler.  

What small (and large) changes have you made in your home to make your homeschooling days more easy and convenient?