Joshin Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I have a good problem to have, I admit it! I am very, very lucky to have a thrift store nearby that is regularly donated to by homeschoolers (whether one family, or many, I have no clue, but it's a treasure trove)! They regularly run sales where all books are 25 cents, and I often find curriculum my boys are currently using or that I may want to use in the future. For example, I may use LLATL with my youngest. I found the teacher books for yellow through gold this week, each for a quarter apiece! I have some Saxon math I've picked up in various levels, as well as the last Miquon book (which DS7 is using right now) and the lab annotations. I have logic books, random books for future years of history, DK encyclopedias on subjects we don't need until next year or the next, and a full French curriculum which DS12 doesn't need all the books/cd's to yet. There's much more, that's just a sampling. We do have a school room, which is also my work office. Storage space is at a premium. Until recently, I stored future curricula in tubs in the basement, but it really isn't working out. I forget what's in there until it's too late to use it, or I purchase it twice (either from the thrift store or somewhere else where it is much more expensive). I need a way to store and inventory my curricula that makes it easy to look through. I'd also love some way of keeping a list with me when I'm shopping. I don't carry a purse and I check out this store once or twice a week when I happen to end up in the area. Maybe a phone app that keeps an inventory for me? I always have my phone with me. Any ideas? What works for you guys? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 It might be easiest to just keep a note on your phone that lists all the curricula you've got on hand. That way you can easily check to see if you already own something before you buy another copy. Just make sure you make it a habit to enter your newest purchases before you leave the store. It's easy to get distracted if you wait to log it in until you get home (and the kids are hungry, and DH needs your opinion on something, and the toddler is having a meltdown because he missed his nap, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misidawnrn Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I have TONS (did I say tons...I meant megatons) of past and future ABeka stuff (that may or may not get used) and I store it all according to grade in paper ream boxes from Staples. I get the boxes from work. They are uniform and stack nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 could you use an app like goodreads to scan in your books and then you'd have the list on your phone? You could also sort the books onto different "shelves" so all math on one shelf, all logic on another shelf, that way you could just scroll through the app also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammieb Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Sorry if this sounds too technical, but I am a little OCD about my curriculum :w00t:!! I have a similar problem. Have a sister and a friend who pass on their curriculum to me. It's WONDERFUL not to have to purchase much curriculum each year!! I did a generic spreadsheet for each grade level. Then I listed in alphabetical order (told you --- OCD!!!) the curriculum manuals, textbooks, etc., I have on hand. I pack them by grade (grade to be used first on top) in tubs in my closet. When I go to the used bookstore, a curriculum sale, or something like that, I just print off or download the spreadsheet to my phone so I have it onhand as not to duplicate anything. It was WONDERFUL!!!! this schoolyear. Literally opened a box and was DONE!!!!! Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I keep curricula in file boxes (banker's boxes) that are sorted and labeled by age and subject. So I have one for middle school science, another for logic state ancient/medieval history, one for earth science, one for Kindy, etc. This reminds me to check the thrift store soon ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshin Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone! I'm going to check out Good Reads, I hadn't heard of it! Maybe that combined with a spreadsheet, labeled banker box method may finally help me tame this beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone! I'm going to check out Good Reads, I hadn't heard of it! Maybe that combined with a spreadsheet, labeled banker box method may finally help me tame this beast. That's basically what I did. The Goodreads app is awesome. IF the curriculum has the ISBN barcode on the back somewhere, you can scan a whole bunch in one sitting. Some books have a UPC on the barcode instead of ISBN, so then you have to enter manually (which I do at the computer). The banker boxes work great for us. I like that they have handles and are sturdy in the handle area. They have nice lids and stack neatly. It's great when you have a homeschooler donating to your thrift store! I have a friend who has picked up amazing stuff for dirt cheap... like the $80 Notgrass America the Beautiful set? She paid $3! :001_huh: It looked like new, too. She's gotten a lot of Sonlight books also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 By grade on bookshelves in my garage & subject books that aren't grade specific have their own shelf or area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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