How do you store all of that homeschool stuff? Especially the books??? I have tried out soooo many various methods over the years. Many of these methods were great for a season, and then we either grew out of doing school that way, or we moved to a house where the layout was different. Either way, we have changed it up many times to adapt to life…and being able to do that is one of the beauties of homeschooling! (Yes, I use that phrase a lot!)
First of all, I have to make sure everyone knows that I am totally okay with our formal living room looking like a school. I know some people are not, but I am. In our current setup, it’s the first thing one sees when entering our home. Our schoolroom, in all its “glory” stares you down, beckoning visitors to ask the question, “Do you homeschool?” HA. Why, yes, but whatever made you ask that?? The large whiteboard on the wall, the IKEA shelving units on either side, the white tables with matching chairs, the numerous bookshelves, or the printer in the corner? Even the puppy’s playpen is in there, so that we can keep an eye on her while we’re working. We definitely do not attempt to hide the school supplies, make them blend in, put them away and out of sight, or close the door and not look at our school stuff. Homeschooling is, after all, a huge part of our everyday. Just like we don’t put away the couch or the kitchen table while they’re not in use, we likewise allow our schoolroom to be visible all the time.
Of course, we do tidy it up by putting supplies and books away in their “homes” when our school day is over, as well as spraying down the table and chairs so that they’re clean for the next day. Through the years, the ways we have stored our books and supplies has changed as the kids and houses have. (For the record, I think my husband’s most unfavorite part of moving is relocating my “library” of books…in his defense, it’s a huge undertaking.) To help you think about how you might want to start, I have compiled a list to show many of the most popular ways that homeschoolers organize and store our school stuff. Each household does it differently, of course, but this will give you a good idea of some of the options!
For Preschool and Kindergarten:
- What we did: Use the kitchen table! We stored any books and supplies on a simple bookshelf near the table.
- What I’ve seen others do that worked well: Bag/Backpack for each child that’s portable so school can go anywhere, make an “arts and crafts” room in a spare bedroom and conduct school in there for a fun and creative atmosphere, store books/supplies in small boxes (same as backpack idea)
For Elementary School Years:
- What we did: Each child got his/her own desk that had storage in it. All individual school items and their books went inside each person’s desk. Shared materials were kept on a bookshelf nearby. These desks were in a spare bedroom or den.
- What I’ve seen others do that worked well: Kitchen table setup that had plenty of room for shelving along the walls for easy access to a growing number of books, connected desks so the kids can see each other and easily share materials, backpack method for easy portability, individual desks near a cubicle storage unit for access to supplies and for books storage within reach
For Middle School Years:
- What we did: Set up a school room in our formal living room (remove all other furniture like couches, etc.). We use tables now, not desks. Multiple kids can sit at one table…this is great for co-op work and working with friends. The individual books are kept inside each kid’s backpack, and shared or teacher materials are kept in a nearby bookshelf unit. Also, I have a lot more books than the “norm,” so I require two bookshelf units, ha! I just tell myself it’s fine because now we have a matching set flanking the whiteboard. This setup allows me to oversee all work and make sure the kids are staying on task.
- What I’ve seen others do that worked well: Set up a school room in a spare bedroom and keep all school supplies inside, older middle schoolers can have success with a desk in their own bedroom (this is helpful if they are trying to complete harder assignments in a loud or busy house), kitchen table setup still works for some although as the kids are getting bigger/younger siblings are added this becomes more challenging
For High School Years:
- What we did: We are using the same setup as we did for middle school, plus each child has his/her own desk to complete additional work in their bedroom when needed. It is giving us the flexibility we need while still making sure I can oversee/check the work being done.
- What I’ve seen others do that worked well: Individual desks in bedroom only (NOTE: this works well for very self-motivated students, but not as well for students who need prodding or frequent assistance.)
As you can see, there are many options. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it is completely acceptable to try out one of them and change it up if isn’t working. You are free to do this at any time you’d like, and it won’t harm your school year. It will probably make it better, in fact! We have done this so many times. My only recommendation here is to wait until you’re ready to take about a one-week break from school to do your reorganizing. You and the kids will return refreshed and ready to restart in your “new” school space!
As I mentioned above, there are some items that have made a huge impact on our level of homeschool organization. Bookshelves, individual desks, tables, comfortable chairs (that one is really important as they get older and are sitting for longer periods of time!), and a large whiteboard (even if it’s not affixed to the wall) are all on my “essentials” list. I also have favorite “ease of use” items such as:
- pen/pencil holder that spins
- 3-hole paper punch
- multi-colored markers
- cubicle storage
- bin storage (in a cute color if they’re going to be visible)
- a label maker
- zippered pen/pencil holder for the kids to have in their backpacks
- basket for keeping loose paper (for containing MY mess, not the kids’)
- basket for keeping small desk supplies (for community use)
- small dresser/chest of drawers for a printer stand (the drawers are perfect for paper and ink cartridge storage)
Which one do you think will work for you? Or are you thinking of something different entirely? I’d love to know! Please share your ideas below! I hope you find joy in your homeschool organizing plans! Until next time…