The Real Life Homeschool

The tools we actually use

The 25 things that let me run our home and homeschool without seeing most of it. Cheap, simple, and field-tested. If you're buying for yourself, for a blind friend or relative, or you just love a good home system, start here.

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Kitchen

1Liquid level indicator. Beeps when a cup is nearly full. The first tool I hand anyone.Get it →
2Talking food thermometer. Announces the temperature out loud, so dinner is safe, not guessed.Get it →
3Talking kitchen scale. Reads weight aloud. Baking by feel is hard; baking by ear is easy.Get it →
4Bump dots (raised tactile stickers). On the microwave, oven, and stove dials. Every appliance gets a "home" setting I can feel.Get it →
5Cut-resistant glove. Chop with confidence, keep all ten fingers.Get it →
6Tactile measuring cups and spoons. Measuring without seeing the lines.Get it →
7Silicone oven-edge guards. So I never touch a hot rack finding the pan.Get it →

Labeling and organization

8Talking label maker (PenFriend). Record a voice label, tap any item to hear it. Spices, cans, medicine, everything.Get it →
9Tactile bump-dot variety pack. Different shapes mean different things. My whole coding system.Get it →
10Clear stackable bins. One item type each. Everything has one home, found by position, not sight.Get it →
11Rubber bands and safety pins. My free labeling hack: one band means decaf, two means regular. Works forever.Get it →

Cleaning and laundry

12Mesh laundry sorting bags. How I keep lights and darks separate without seeing color.Get it →
13Detergent pods. No spills, no guessing the cap line.Get it →
14Robot vacuum. It maps the floor so I don't have to. Runs while I teach.Get it →

Kids and homeschool

15Dual-format Braille and print books. I read to my kids with my hands while they follow with their eyes.Get it →
16Raised-line drawing kit. How we do shapes, maps, and letters together.Get it →
17Homeschool curriculum. The backbone of how I teach when I can't see the workbook. We lean audio-first.Get it →
18Tactile cube timer. The kids flip it to start a task; I hear when time is up.Get it →
19Talking wall clock. The kids ask it the time, and so do I.Get it →

Getting ready and personal

20Tactile clothing tags. How I match outfits, mine and the kids'.Get it →
21Tactile-dot medication organizer. The right pill, the right day, by feel.Get it →
22Smart / tactile thermostat. Set the house temp without squinting.Get it →

Home safety and tech

23Smart speaker (Alexa or Google). Timers, lists, reminders, reading recipes aloud. My hands-free command center.Get it →
24Talking bathroom scale. Announces the number so I never need anyone to read it.Get it →
25Video doorbell with audio. I know who is at the door before I open it.Get it →

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