Back to the Filing Crate

I've been invited to talk about my file folder system next week, so I'm spending some time tweaking the details and sprucing up the whole kit-and-caboodle. It's gotten pretty dusty since I last had it "out on the road!" ;) I'll be talking at my homeschool support group's meeting; the theme this month - a popular topic among homeschoolers, and mothers in general - is organization.

Over the weekend I filed away last week's folder before I pulled out the one for this week. I tossed anything I didn't really need to save and set aside anything still pending for the new folder. Once I had last week's folder pared down, I placed it at the back of the September-October hanging file, which now finished, was moved to the back of the crate. The November-December hanging file was brought forward and a new folder was pulled out.

(Clear as mud, lol? I'm hoping the visuals will help!)

I thought I'd share what you'd find in both folders (old and new) in case that gives you a better picture of how I use the folder system. (Note: most things I keep inside are photocopies or print outs.)

Last week's folder (October 29 - November 4)

• an article about "tricks or treats" for birds
• the October Feingold newsletter (mail order candies)
• instructions for the candy corn pots
• a receipt for a Living Crafts subscription
• a Bee Movie review
• my notes from leading Book Group last week
• an email re our Aquarium School reading assignment
• an email with details for our homeschool Halloween potluck party
• a receipt for a Mexican Sugar Skull kit (for All Souls Day)
• a recipe for Soul Cakes

This week's folder (November 5 - November 11)

• this Sunday's Magnifikid
• a November grace to learn
• blog comments to answer
• a page from Mrs. Sharp's Traditions re: Martinmas
• pages from The Kids' Nature Almanac re: terrariums
• instructions from Earthways re: Indian corn crafts
• a late autumn scavenger hunt list
• terrarium instructions from National Geographic Kids
• an article from Cookie magazine re: terrariums
• information on lichens
• library books to request:
  • A Turkey for Thanksgiving (sound recording)
  • Mousekin's Thanksgiving
  • Snowsong Whistling
• a pretzel recipe from Mittenstrings for God
• a receipt from LL Bean for the boys new pajamas and slippers (I ordered as Martinmas gifts)
• a recipe for horseshoe cookies for our Martinmas tea
• instructions for a construction paper Indian corn craft
• a recipe for an Election Day cake
• an email re: my homeschool Crafting Circle this week
• information re: upcoming Susan Branch book signing
• some November poems to consider
• branch weaving instructions
• A Good Thing from MS re: using up Halloween candy
• a soccer registration form
• a flyer for a sale at a local bookstore

Now, I also have an in-basket on our learning room table - remember the one my cat likes to sleep in? - into which we put completed lessons each day (like today's mapwork and history narrations.) I don't usually file these things into the folders at week's end, but rather let them pile up in the in-basket and then store them in an office supply box. I'm not sure what the rhyme and reason is to this (or if there is any, lol), but I generally know where I want things to go.

For instance, last Friday we went to The Bee Movie. I taped a ticket stub into my journal. I saved a clipped review in the folder. When the boys write their own movie reviews out this week, they'll go in the in-box. (When the inbox is full, its contents go in an office supply box - and when that is full, it's dated and stored. At the end of the year I look through the folders, the boxes, my calendar and journal (not to mention my blog!) to recall all we did.)

Well, that's all on the file crate for now - I'll post, I hope, again before the meeting next week. Right now bedtime is upon us and we're making it an early night. (Daylight savings time - or the end thereof - has not been kind to us around here. What's all this talk about an extra hour of sleep? Ha!) See you all again sometime tomorrow!