I have been hesitant about sharing our homeschooling space because it has been a slow process. When we moved into our new home 4 years ago I had a toddler, a baby and I was pregnant with my third child. Life was busy and we didn’t have the opportunity to focus on the way our home looked.
I originally converted our toy room/storage room into a homeschooling room. We had a bookcase, easel, games, art supplies, and puzzles. I thought the kids would love it but they ended up loathing it. They preferred the living room floor, balcony, and being outside. That’s why I have concluded that having a homeschooling space is not a necessity. It’s all about the atmosphere.
We currently have our homeschool supplies stored in a corner of the living room. I try to focus on having the area look organized before we start. The kids team up and help vacuum or sweep the area. It always ends up turning into a mess but this is an important habit that I want them to learn.
There are three important items that I use that help me organize my space: baskets, a storage cart, lap table and storage racks. I will discuss how I use each of these and I will also provide links to some of the items we use in our space.
1) Baskets – I use baskets primarily for storing library books, blocks, and some games. I enjoy buying the baskets from thrift stores or TJ Maxx. I have found a few on Amazon that I like including this one https://amzn.to/2Tx1oQf .
2)Storage Cart– Rolling storage carts are very popular in the homeschooling and teacher world. I purchased mine from Micheals but other places to purchase them are Ikea, Target, or Amazon. I’ve had my eye on this one from Amazon https://amzn.to/2Tx1Iyr .
My rolling cart usually includes :
1) Arts and craft organizerhttps://amzn.to/3c4THqK
2) Pencil Case https://amzn.to/3uMhiDn
3)Color Pencils https://amzn.to/3fAqu9d
4) Scissors https://amzn.to/3fzT0bd
5) Oil Pastels https://amzn.to/3vK07Ug
6) Crayons https://amzn.to/34DwZli
7) Markers https://amzn.to/3c6ZImJ
8) Glue Sticks https://amzn.to/3uBBU0P
9) Stencils https://amzn.to/3c8qn2B
10) Binder https://amzn.to/2SI4uAz
11) Curriculum books https://amzn.to/3wI3o6v
12) Workbooks https://amzn.to/3p7lqfH
13) Coloring bookshttps://amzn.to/3p8bPoZ
14) Planner https://amzn.to/3fCrwBA
15) Sketch Pad https://amzn.to/3vGkVf7
16) Journal https://amzn.to/3vCPp1y
17) Construction Paper https://amzn.to/2RQCzyl
18) Watercolors https://amzn.to/3uFs2TP
19) Dry Erase Markershttps://amzn.to/34G24Vv
20) Timer https://amzn.to/3ge5t3B
3) Lap Tables
My kids and I love to sit on our living room floor and work on games or art. My oldest son especially loves to read and write while sitting on the floor. I’ve found a beautiful large lap table at a local thrift store that we use for everything from art to Legos. I also love lap tables like these https://amzn.to/34wD9DW because we can take them outside.
4) Storage Racks
I personally like this one because it is affordable and easy to buildhttps://amzn.to/3c9EgOe.
Right now I use my storage racks to hold games and puzzles. In the past, I used my storage racks Montessori style with trays and activities to explore. You can get very creative with them. Some of the games and puzzles I currently use are :
1) Silly Sentences https://amzn.to/3wLckYD
2) Dominos https://amzn.to/2S1mEgz
3) Math Manipulatives https://amzn.to/2TxN5uI
4) Sight Word Swat Gamehttps://amzn.to/3paKBhI
5) Legos https://amzn.to/3i4LNSb
6)Popcorn Sight Word Game https://amzn.to/3wLJDuS
7)Alphabet Bingo https://amzn.to/3fCTnSd
8)World Map Puzzlehttps://amzn.to/34x3d1R
9) USA Map Puzzle https://amzn.to/3fHNvYd
10) Tanagrams https://amzn.to/3yQV5qP
Although I posted numerous links as examples, you don’t need much to have a successful homeschooling space. There is no right or wrong way to organize your homeschooling space. Work with what you have. Your situation is unique. You only need determination, love, and an open mind. It’s all about the atmosphere.
