What do you do with curriculum that isn't being used, but will in coming years?

[Sue G in PA]

What I mean is this: I have purchased curriculum ahead of time for some of my dc...the ones whom I KNOW are "fitting" with a certain program/curriculum. I also have bookshelves full of History resources "to be used" in a different year/rotation. I just realized :001_huh: that the books are just sitting there...taking up space b/c we don't use them for whatever time period we are studying. Can anyone say, "duh"? So, to free up some space...I'm moving them out. It's painful b/c I just LOVE to see bookshelves FULL of books just eager to be read by some curious dc or myself. BUT, we don't have the space for such a mega-library at this point, nor the money to create one. So, my question again: What do YOU do with books that will be used at some point in the future...just not now? Box them up? How? Clear boxes or cardboard boxes? Do you keep a running list of what's in the boxes? Seems like such an easy thing, but I'm overwhelmed. Do you separate by era? American in one box, Ancients in another, etc.?

Okay, now what about misc. curriculum like spelling, math, grammar, etc. that you've pre-purchased? Box that up and keep a list as well? Can you tell this really pains me? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having books all around. It is such a shame to box up all those precious, information filled books, but I have to in order to find some semblance of organization in my home right now. TIA for any suggestions.

[Jennifer in MI]

Quite honestly, I don't buy very far in advance. I used to, but I decided that it stressed me out way too much.

Now, I have three bookshelves in the guest room. They have all our books separated by topic: history, science, church, parenting, etc.

I keep any books that I plan to use with future children in the closet in the guest room. Really, there aren't that many: R&S Manuals, Saxon math texts, etc. I sell all my Sonlight Cores as soon as we're done. Same with science.

I guess if I were you, I'd separate them by subject (and time) and label them well! Do you have book moving boxes you could use?

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I box stuff up in general categories according to when it will be used. So I have a box of ancients and a box of early chapter books right now. I write on the outside of the box what the contents are (ex. Greece, Rome, Egypt or Littles, Horrible Harry, Magic Tree House).

I might have another one with misc stuff that I don't need for a couple years like math.

These are in the cardboard shipping cartons that are sized small.

[Mrs Mungo]

Any reading type books we have out on the shelf but we have plenty of shelves for it (in theory...we're starting to need some more). On the other hand curriculum books that nobody is using (like Horizons Math 2 or whatever) in a particular year I store in clear plastic tubs in the garage.

[Pencil Pusher]

If it's a book for history or science, for example, that the dc could come across, be interested in, & read, I keep it on the shelf if there's space. I have my shelves divided according to the hist cycle & the books on them are labeled w/ matching colored dots. So when ds gets a book off the shelf that matches SOTW 2 or earth/space science, the book will have a blue dot on it, to remind him to put it back on that shelf.

(Fwiw, I also pull the books I want him to read, keep them in a basket by the sofa, & when he reads one, he adds its title to a list & puts it back, so I know what he's read for this yr & what he hasn't.)

For curriculum, though, I've had to pack it up to save space. I've got a huge, overflowing box of that stuff in the closet (on dh's side;)). I don't usually buy very far ahead intentionally, but sometimes I see something great, get it home, & realize it's a few yrs ahead of ds7. Or I have something that he finishes/doesn't jive w/, & I want to save it for dd4. That stuff goes in the box in the closet.

Personally, I'd prefer to sell *some* of it (like Saxon math!), but dh is convinced that once I sell it I'll want to buy it again, so we keep it packed up as a kind of compromise. But whenever I look at the box, I despise it. Well, except for the stuff in it that I want back.:D

[mcconnellboys]

If I were boxing them up, I think I would separate by category (whatever feels right to you) and label the boxes as such, so that a few years down the road it would be easier for me to find what I want.

Regena

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

First, I clear out what I never want to see again and donate to thrift stores, friends who homeschool or sell at curric. swaps. I have boxed up old math sets to save for the little one. But for the other books...fiction sits on the kids shelves in their rooms until I am sure no one will ever read it again and the little one isn't ready for it. All other subjects are currently housed in our spare linen closet. We have one long linen with double doors and wire shelves. We have laid thin "boards" on each shelf and I store office supplies, computer disks, educational multi-media, board games and books for subjects past and future (and a few scrapbooking supplies). The kids know that they can head here for extra crayons, a game to play or to visit the books. Just put back what you remove. If I could design my own house I think I would need a walk in closet or another large linen closet like this for such supplies.

Forgot to add: I keep a database of all our books on the computer to reference quickly when purchasing more matierials. I can also dowload it to the PDA for transport or print a report.

[melissel]

What I mean is this: I have purchased curriculum ahead of time for some of my dc...the ones whom I KNOW are "fitting" with a certain program/curriculum. I also have bookshelves full of History resources "to be used" in a different year/rotation. I just realized :001_huh: that the books are just sitting there...taking up space b/c we don't use them for whatever time period we are studying. Can anyone say, "duh"? So, to free up some space...I'm moving them out. It's painful b/c I just LOVE to see bookshelves FULL of books just eager to be read by some curious dc or myself. BUT, we don't have the space for such a mega-library at this point, nor the money to create one. So, my question again: What do YOU do with books that will be used at some point in the future...just not now? Box them up? How? Clear boxes or cardboard boxes? Do you keep a running list of what's in the boxes? Seems like such an easy thing, but I'm overwhelmed. Do you separate by era? American in one box, Ancients in another, etc.?

Okay, now what about misc. curriculum like spelling, math, grammar, etc. that you've pre-purchased? Box that up and keep a list as well? Can you tell this really pains me? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having books all around. It is such a shame to box up all those precious, information filled books, but I have to in order to find some semblance of organization in my home right now. TIA for any suggestions.

In my house? Big box, everything in at once. I'll revisit each time I need to tweak anything. In fact, I'm in the process of doing that very thing. I bought ahead accidentally--when I saw good deals and I was fantasizing about HSing (for example, I've SOTW 1 and 2 since DD5 was...um...two years old). :blushing: But I have lots of notebooks and other resources that are also going into the box for now.

I totally hear you on loving seeing the bookshelves full though! The only reason I'm culling now is because DH won't consent to adding another (unmatching) bookshelf, and we've run out of room for stuff that is useful currently!

[WTMindy]

materials that we are not currently using (organized by categories), but if I didn't have that space I would probably buy clear plastic bins and label them all. (Have I mentioned I LOVE bins and I LOVE labeling things with my label-maker?)

[Musical Belle]

I have to clear out books every year because we just don't have space in the house for all of them, but I know younger siblings will need them later. I put mine in milk crates by grade, so when ds started Kindergarten I could just grab the crate. I had to rethink storage, though, because ds would go through the boxes and pull out his favorite reference books when I wasn't looking! :001_smile: I finally just made space on the shelves for some of those books he loves, and I'm glad I did. It's very gratifying to see him pull out an atlas or science encyclopedia and just enjoy it. :001_wub:

[Beth in Central TX]

If I'm absolutely, positively sure I will use it, then I will store it in our schoolroom. If I'm not sure or think I might use it, then I generally sell the program because I'm running out of storage options.

[Kelli in TN]

If it's a book for history or science, for example, that the dc could come across, be interested in, & read, I keep it on the shelf if there's space. I have my shelves divided according to the hist cycle & the books on them are labeled w/ matching colored dots. So when ds gets a book off the shelf that matches SOTW 2 or earth/space science, the book will have a blue dot on it, to remind him to put it back on that shelf.

D


Okay, I am impressed. I do have the books shelved by history period but color coded dots? Not me. You are so with it! I need to go buy some colored dots!!!!

[gardenschooler]

I have a large gap between my older two and my youngest, so there is lots of curricum that I won't use for 4-5 years. I've had some luck trading around with friends and loaning it out. I feel better if I think I'm getting my money's worth out of curriculum. I hate to see curriculum sitting around collecting dust when someone else could be using it!

[Pencil Pusher]

Okay, I am impressed. I do have the books shelved by history period but color coded dots? Not me. You are so with it! I need to go buy some colored dots!!!!

Hey, any excuse to buy school supplies! (Esp the dots. Love them, & couldn't ever think of a use for them except garage sales, when they're always lost!)

[Kris]

I have one shelf for "current" and one shelf for "future." Frankly, if I boxed stuff up and put it somewhere, I'd probably forget I even had it or never be able to find it again.

[nestof3]

Honestly, I've chosen to keep them on my full bookshelves. I have slimmed down somewhat on my book collection, but we still have over 10 bookshelves in the house.

I really like having them around because the boys do use them outside of school. My 8 year old is especially fond of having a library at home. One week, he will collect all of the grasslands books, another the pirate, another the middle ages.

A few days ago he asked me where I kept the books on small animals, like rodents. He has grown quite accustomed to having his library, and I cannot bear to deprive him of it. :001_wub: