Homeschool Essentials + New Cycle 2 Planner

When I first started homeschooling, I had no idea what things were homeschool essentials. I bought things because they looked helpful, sounded like what other moms used, or seemed like something a “real” homeschooler should have.

What’s happened to those things? Some I’ve donated or boxed up because they just didn’t work for us. But others I use all the time, especially now that I’m tutoring and homeschooling multiple little ones!

So here is my list of homeschool essentials I’ve found truly helpful for a Classical model, especially with littles ages 4–6. Some are must-haves, others are just extra, but all of them have brought more peace and order to our homeschool.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Essentials I Use All the Time

Let’s start with the practical tools I reach for almost every single week.

Printer

I print memory work sheets, coloring pages, tutor resources, and more. This Epson EcoTank ET-2850 printer with refillable ink tanks is the printer I use and I would highly recommend. It’s saved us so much money! I print A LOT and this printer continues to work very well and I rarely have to refill the ink. It’s really incredible how long the ink lasts!

Laminator

I didn’t have one at first, but now I can’t imagine homeschooling without it. This is the laminator I have and use all the time to make reusable materials like flashcards and memory work game boards. I use these laminating sheets and order them from amazon which keeps the cost down.

Paper Cutter

If you print your own flashcards or game pieces, this saves tons of time.

These make it easier to prep and protect the materials I use again and again.

Organization That Keeps Me Sane

Once I started making and collecting homeschooling resources, I realized I needed a way to store everything! Here are a few simple items that work well for me.

File Folder Tubs

I love using these file folder tubs and these hanging file folders for each of the three cycles. I have a folder for each week where I store materials, especially laminated pages and games that I plan to use during each specific week.

For example, in the folder for Cycle 2 Week 1, I have the following:

• Laminated memory work cards
• Memory work fridge facts (you must be logged into ccconnected.com for this link to work). You can also log into ccconnected.com, click on “forums” on the left side-bar, then click the search icon and type in “Cycle 2 Fridge Facts.”
• I will also include memory work game materials and activities for tutoring as we get closer to the start of the school year.

Binders for Each Quarter

I have a set of binders for each cycle of Classical Conversations, and I’ve assigned a different color to each cycle to make them easy to identify at a glance.

I use a separate binder for every six weeks of each cycle. Each binder is divided into sections for each week with these dividers, keeping everything organized and easy to reference.

During the summer, I like to review the Sandbox Ezine from ccconnected.com for each week. I print out the pages I find most useful to have on hand for my weekly lesson planning. I also save copies of the memory work games I create for each week in these binders.

When I plan for the week, I make additional copies of all these materials, keeping a master copy in the binder for future use. I also use these binders to save select pieces of work my children complete each week. I try to only save items that are truly special to avoid accumulating too much, but it’s nice to have a dedicated place for the extra meaningful projects.

Spending a little time each week organizing and planning helps me feel more confident and keeps our homeschool days productive and enjoyable. It’s a simple habit that makes a big difference!

Rolling Carts or Art Cart (or both!)

I love this rolling cart to store homeschool resources and supplies that I use when I lesson plan each week. I also have another cart upstairs where I keep our daily essentials. They are super handy!

Some of the things I have on this cart are:

• Devotional books I sometimes read to my kids (Big Truths for Little Kids and My ABC Bible Verses from the Psalms)
• All about Reading resources that I don’t need daily
• Foundations of the Bible activity book
• The Good and the Beautiful math cards
• Paper letters that I tape on timeline cards

In my essentials cart that I keep upstairs in our kitchen, I keep all the books and supplies we need on a daily basis.

On the top of the cart, I have a spinning container that organizes all our markers, crayons, and colored pencils, making it easy for my kids to grab what they need. I also store The Good and the Beautiful math curriculum and the Handwriting without Tears writing curriculum we use, along with other books and resources we use every morning.

Having everything on this cart is incredibly convenient. We can pull it out during breakfast and dive straight into lessons without searching for supplies. When we’re done for the day, I roll the cart into the pantry, keeping the kitchen table and counters clear of clutter. This simple system makes cleanup quick and helps keep our homeschool space tidy and manageable.

I also have a cart with drawers that I use to organize our supplies like construction paper, stickers, memory work game pieces, and other craft essentials. Each drawer is designated for specific items, so everything has a home. This makes it easy for both me and my children to find what we need without digging through a mess.

This cart is also portable, so I can move it to different areas of the home when needed!

Plastic Storage Containers

I found these plastic containers to organize all the little things I’ve collected and use with tutoring in our community group. They fit perfectly on a shelf in my office closet. I love that they are clear so I can easily see what’s in each one. Some of the things I store in them are:

• Shaky eggs
• Play dough
• Balls
• Flashing wands
• Scarves
• Dry erase erasers
• Foam dice
• Dry erase dice
• Small erasers
• Cootie catchers
• Bowling pins
• Mini hands

Helpful but Not Necessary

These aren’t absolute must-haves, but they’ve definitely been very helpful to have in our homeschool.

Chalkboards

I love having these two chalk boards on the wall right by our kitchen table. I usually write both the Family Way (from Sally and Clay Clarkson’s 24 Family Ways) we are learning for the week, and the Bible verse we are memorizing on them so we see them often. Below I have two different Bible verses that we are memorizing as a family since it is summer time and we are doing things a little differently. My kids are going through the Attributes of Jesus coloring book and memorizing the corresponding verses. Read more about our homeschool summer plans and get this coloring book for FREE here!

Timeline Card Box

I love using this box to organize all our timeline cards. I have all four sets of timeline cards and this is a great way to organize them by week. Then you don’t have to spend time each week figuring out which cards you need. I use these index card dividers to separate the timeline cards by week and they fit perfectly in this box.

These Timeline Cards: Set 1 (Ancient World), Set 2 (Medieval World), Set 3 (New World), and Set 4 (Modern World) are a fantastic investment for both tutors and parents. They’ve been an invaluable resource for me, both in my role as a tutor and at home with my children.

My Homeschool Planner

I am so excited to share with you this Cycle 2 homeschool planner that I made! This all-in-one planner includes monthly calendars, weekly overviews, and daily planning pages, each with with sections for homeschool goals, practical organization and Bible verses.

There is also an optional weekly planning page for each of the 24 weeks of Cycle 2 with the foundations memory work included. Plus, there are ELEVEN different bonus pages including a book wishlist, grade log, scripture memorization chart, homeschool expense tracker and MORE!

You can get a PDF planner ready to go that’s dated from July 2025- June 2026. OR you can opt for the undated version. There are also four different color themes to choose from!

You can learn more and get the Devoted to Littles Homeschool Planner below — dated or undated!

Things I Thought I Needed (But Didn’t)

There are a few things I thought I needed early on that I realized I really didn’t need.

The first thing was a big white board to hang on the wall. Maybe this will be nice one day, but I definitely don’t need this currently. We do most of our homeschool work around the kitchen table. I pictured needed a specific homeschool room with a whiteboard and desks, but that’s just not necessary or realistic.

I also got too much curriculum my first year that I haven’t used. I’ve learned over the years that less is more. I love having a little math and reading curriculum, but since we are doing Classical Conversations, that’s really all the additional curriculum we need.

It’s okay to try things and pivot. Give yourself permission to do what works for your family!

The truth is, you don’t need everything to start. You just need a few helpful tools and a heart ready to grow alongside your kids.

Are there things that you would consider must-haves for your homeschool that I haven’t mentioned? Please share in the comments below!