Tips For Storing Homeschool Curriculum Items
Posted on: 28 May 2016
As a homeschool parent, chances are your classroom storage space is at a premium. This means you don't have room to keep everything on hand after one child is done with it, but you may still want to save it for a younger child to use in the future. This is where a self storage unit can come in handy. The following tips can help you store your school supplies safely until you need them next.
Tip #1: Create an organization method
There are two main ways you can organize your supplies – by grade or subject. For integrated curriculum materials, grade may be the best option since the language arts portion may be created to go hand-in-hand with the history and science lessons. If you don't use an integrated curriculum, then it may make more sense to store subject items together. This is especially helpful if you tend to teach across several grade levels or have materials that are useful with several different curriculum level, such as math manipulatives.
Tip #2: Protect paper materials
Books, workbooks, flash cards, and other materials made of paper or cardboard will be the items most easily damaged in storage. The main concerns are moisture and pests, such as insects and rodents. Store these items in plastic storage tubs to protect them from all of these potential issues. Make sure the tubs have tight-fitting lids, as well. For further protection, place a few silica gel packets inside each tub. This will absorb any moisture from the air inside the storage container so you don't have to worry about mildew.
Tip #3: Keep special storage needs in mind
Some curriculum or school items may use batteries, such as calculators or other handheld learning devices. In this case, remove the batteries before storage. Longterm storage combined with temperature fluctuations in the storage unit can cause batteries to leak. Corrosion from the batteries can also ruin electronic items.
Plastic and wood materials also have special storage needs. Plastic should be thoroughly wiped down and disinfected so that there is no dirt, skin oils, or food residue that could invite pests to your unit. Wood items should also be wiped down, but they must also be protected from moisture and pests similar to paper items. This means sealed plastic storage is the best option.
Tip #4: Make retrieval easy
Finally, place items in storage in a manner that makes it easy to retrieve exactly what you need. The easiest way to do this is to create an inventory sheet for each storage tub or box. Write what curriculum materials are in the container, along with the grade level and any other notes you may need to know when looking for items. Laminate the paper or place it in a page protector to protect it from moisture, and then firmly affix it to the container with packing tape. You should also keep a copy of the inventory at home so you can quickly see what you have in storage when planning your homeschool year.
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