Forgetful Momma

Secular Homeschooling in Canada

homeschool planner

Keeping Track of EVERYTHING in Google Sheets

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There is a lot going on in my head a lot of the time. I write everything down, otherwise I lose whatever information I need. Google Sheets has been very helpful. Homeschooling and online schooling families want flexibility. They want the freedom to work when they want, where they want, without being tied to a desk in a classroom. One tool that can help provide that flexibility is Google Drive.

Keeping Track of EVERYTHING in Google Sheets

Keeping Track of EVERYTHING in Google Sheets

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

I have a number of different sheets in my Google Drive. Some of them are:

  • homeschool curriculum choices for the coming year
  • blog posts – no doubles please
  • online courses I have purchased for myself – plus log in info
  • online courses for my kids – plus log in info
  • and more!

How to Use Google Sheets

All you need to get started with Google Sheets is a gmail account. If you have any experience with Microsoft Excel then you’ll know exactly how to use Sheets.


How to Use it for Homeschooling

Keeping Track of Curriculum

I had a spread sheet set up while I was figuring out what curriculum I wanted to use for this coming year, for each of my kids. I like to color code it so that at a glance I can see what is going on. (And this is not complete for the coming year.)

Keeping Track of Chores

Use it  to keep track of everything that you have going on each each. This can be keeping track of:

  • Tracking community service hours for your children
  • Budgeting for you and your children
  • Trip planning
  • Rewards system/payment for chores etc
  • Use it as a planner for your lessons

Similar posts that you may be interested in:

 Google Slides for Homeschool Lessons & Projects

Google Slides for Homeschool Lessons & Projects

Google Drive for Homeschool

Google Drive for Homeschool

Getting Organized with A Happy Planner

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I can be the most disorganized person, whether we are in the mist of homeschooling or in the middle of summer vacation. Then in July 2016 I bought my Happy Planner. I love it! It is big enough to keep track of everything I need to. And because I’m more of a paper, write everything out person this is what works best for me right now.

Getting Organized with A Happy Planner

Getting Organized with A Happy Planner

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

If you are more of a digital planner, you should check out the Homeschool Planet scheduler.

I bought my mine at Michael’s with a 50% coupon… thank you! Saving money on something this practical makes me feel better about buying it.

How I Use My Happy Planner

The three blocks for each day are perfect – BLOG, HOMESCHOOL, OTHER are my categories for keeping me on track. A couple months ago I bought a checklist stamp which is perfect for both my blog and homeschool section, it came with some stacking (colorful) stamps too, to make checking things off more fun.

It comes in three different sizes I believe, I could be wrong. Currently I have the medium sized one, but decided to go with the bigger one for next year so I’m not so cramped when planning, mainly for school.

Make It Your Own

If you find that there is something missing from your planner, maybe you want to add a page to the beginning or end of each month to track something, you can. You can pick up the punch to add them easily.

You can get already made, ready to insert extensions to add. Pick and chose what you want.

This is the one I just bought for the coming year, thought I would try the write in your own dates:

Truthfully, I had thought about trying a different planner that I had heard others saying was so great, but when I went to buy one for the coming year, I decided to stick with what I know and love, and that’s my Happy Planner. Or Create 365 as it is also known.

How do you keep everything organized? Are you a paper planner kind of person like I am, or a digital planner kind of person?

Similar posts that you might be interested in (and see that I DO use the Happy Planner):

How to Plan Your Homeschool - Unschooling or Eclectic

How to Plan Your Homeschool

Getting into A Homeschool Morning Routine

Getting into A Homeschool Morning Routine

How I Fail to Keep an Everyday Routine

How I Fail to Keep to an Everyday Routine

Homeschool Planet – Online Homeschool Planner

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Have you started thinking about planning the up coming school year yet? I have as our curriculum for the coming year has been arriving, and I have needed away to get things sorted for the year, and to wrap my head around it all. Thankfully I was introduced to Homeschool Planet for my homeschool planner this year.

Homeschool Planet - Online Homeschool Planner

Homeschool Planet – Online Homeschool Planner

*This is a sponsored post, but I’m 100% honest in my review. All opinions are honest, and I am not required to post a positive review.*

I often fight routine I have been huge on paper planner for our homeschool, but thought that this digital, online homeschool planner was worth a try. And it is rather handy I’m gonna tell you.

Homeschool Planet is a digital planner and wonderful option to for my routine bucking AND they give you step by step instructions on how to create an app for your phone for this planner. This way you can easily take this planner anywhere you go that you are homeschooling.

As someone who addicted to her phone at times, and always worried that we’re forgetting to do something.

Try the World’s Best Homeschool Planner for FREE!

Favorite Homeschool Planning Features:

Calendar – School Days

Ready to plan your school year? Figure out your start date and end date. Then holidays and what ever other type of day that you may take off. We take birthdays off.  You can see that we have 145 days scheduled… things will most likely change more as I plan out vacations. But for those that are required to count school days, this is perfect!

Homeschool Planner Calendar

Color Coded Homeschool Planner

Set a color for those repeats such as Math. Or Story Time, etc. This is great for at a quick glance especially when you know what each color means right off.

I love color coded everything, whether in a digital planner or paper planner. I use specific color pens and pencils in my Happy Planner for specific things – homeschool has one color, blogging has another color, etc.

Homeschool Planning Made Easy

I LOVE that I don’t have to repeatedly enter information into the planner. For example, every Monday we have Story Time, I simply have to chose repeat every Monday and its there. A huge bonus over a paper planner. Making homeschool lesson plans easy to make and stick to. I’m spending the summer getting everything ready to go.

Create a Custom Layout

I have mine set up with the weather widget in the corner. It’s one of those things that my kids are always asking about – darling children, the weather is either really hot or really cold here in Saskatchewan.

Homeschool Planner main screen

Planner Shopping List and To-Do List

A widget to remind me what I need to get done like print out spelling and reading lists. Or you know, figure out how often each of my girls will do Math. There is also a shopping list widget – great for when you are planning crafts or science experiments and need to pick something up for it.

Recommended Scheduling Tools:

Similar posts that you may be interested in:

Organized Homeschool Lesson Planning

Organized Homeschool Lesson Planning

Getting Organized with A Happy Planner

Getting Organized with A Happy Planner