5 Steps to an Organised Homeschool Space

 

We moved into a fairly large house six years ago. The great thing about having lots of space is we can spread ourselves out as we learn. The bad thing about having lots of space is that we spread ourselves out – everywhere!

Every now and then I need to pull open the cupboards, clear the surfaces and figure out how to make the most of our space.

5 Steps to an Organised Homeschool Space

1. Make a plan

Needs change as the children get older and our homeschooling style evolves. So I start out brainstorming what we want from our homeschool learning space this year. (This is partly a delaying tactic to postpone the actual tidying, but the five minutes it takes serve me well.)

organised homeschool space
I use the Simple Note app to make a quick mind map

2. Sort supplies by how often you use them

organised learning space
Supplies we use less often in an upstairs cupboard

Homeschool supplies fall into broad categories – books, art supplies, science supplies etc.  In the past I’ve stored everything according to these categories.

But in the face of our overflowing supplies, I realised I don’t need to store a volt meter and a kilo of rock salt in our schoolroom just because we use them for science. Nor do we need a hundred polystyrene plates permanently in our art area.

So I took out the items we use less often, put smaller items into boxes, and moved them to an upstairs cupboard.

I used my phone to dictate a note of the contents of each area into Evernote.

The result – more space for the things we use frequently, but if someone has an urgent need for the Bug Barn, they can get their hands on it within seconds. (And how thrilled my husband will be next time he opens the landing cupboard and finds a flower press nestled next to the towels. Does that count as strewing?)

3. Sort books by who uses them

Next I sub-categorised our books according to who reads them (or who I’d like to read them). Do they all need to be at child-level?

When I looked closely at our bulging bookshelves I realised that a whole shelf was being taken up with workbooks and English curriculum books that I sometimes refer to but the children never do.

Once I’d weeded out the ones my kids have outgrown, I relocated the lot. Voilà – a whole empty shelf! (And what do we do with empty shelves? I’ve been on Amazon already…)

3. Designate learning zones

The physical space we use for learning changes as the children become more independent.  Here are some of our learning zones.

*Project Desks with pinboards for artwork and project-related items

Organised homeschool space
J(8)’s project space and computer area

* Low play table – to keep Lego, Geomag and Hamma beads out of doggie mouths

5 steps to an organised homeschool space
Our main homeschool room

* Quiet area – for the easily distracted, or those who want some peace to help them focus.

organised homeschool space
My favourite space

* Messy zone – we usually do short messy activities like science experiments at our kitchen table

* Craft desk – for longer projects like papier mache that I don’t want cluttering up the table

organised homeschool space
Craft desk and open shelves for strewing

* Computer desk

* Comfortable read-aloud area

* Sewing area

organised homeschool learning space

* “Gallery” – We display our most recent artwork on the window sill by our table, in the centre of our open-plan space

Our “gallery” – small but perfectly positioned

4. Designate storage areas

Once I’ve been through our supplies and had a fresh look at our learning zones, it’s time to decide what goes where.

Here are some examples of what made the cut in my most recent reorganisation. All the trays, tubs and clear plastic containers are from IKEA.

Books – on shelves categorised by subject, e.g. art, science, maths, English, chapter books, picture books

Science supplies – in a tub in a cupboard

Art supplies – as far as possible, in clear containers on display and within the children’s reach. Bigger things in a box in  a cupboard.

organised homeschool space
Art supplies on display and within easy reach

Maths manipulatives –  in their own tray

Paper, pastels, charcoal etc – in trays

organised homeschool space
Crate for everyday supplies

Art journalling supplies – everything together in a deep tray

C(9)’s current work – in her own tray

Books we use every week – in a big floor crate. Includes J(8)’s current work, our read-aloud, The Story of the World, an Atlas and the children’s French folders.

We keep a stack of individual whiteboards alongside, ready to grab and go.

Board games – Adult games relocated to an upstairs cupboard. The rest in cupboards.

Educational toys – Lego, Geomag, wooden blocks and Play Doh in trays

Organised homeschool space
Storage trays and C(9)’s project desk (all Ikea)

5. Create simple systems to make the most of your organised homeschool space

There’s no point storing everything in the “perfect” place if – out of sight, out of mind – you don’t end up using any of it. (Guess how I know?)

So I’ve set up calendar alerts on my phone to remind me to browse our various storage areas regularly for strewing inspiration, and to get the kids to do so too.

Finally,  in the interests of being real…

organised Homeschool space
Homeschool space in action

…here are some of the “before” shots!

How are you organising your learning space this year?

organised homeschool space

More from the Homeschool Help team:

Highhill Education – Our Schoolroom

One Magnificent Obsession – Our Home, A Training Ground

Every Bed of Roses – It’s New in Our School

Barefoot Hippie Girl – A Room of My Own

Hammock Tracks – Learning Nook

Next week the Homeschool Help topic “What’s new in your teaching style for the new year?”  and I’ll be talking about our step closer to unschooling.

 

I’m joining these great link-ups:

iHomeschool Network 2013 Not Back to School Blog Hop – School Room Hop

Hip Homeschool Hop

Collage Friday at Homegrown Learners

Weekly Wrap Up at Weird Unsocialised Homeschoolers

Homeschool Mother’s Journal – So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler

Share it Saturday – Teach Beside Me

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

23 thoughts on “5 Steps to an Organised Homeschool Space

  1. I love your ideas. Yes, start with a plan – perfect idea. I usually start with one and then have to make adjustments so I’m not running out and buying things to make it work. Looks like you are all set for a great year!

  2. Stopping by from the Not Back to School Blog Hop. Some very helpful ideas here. Thanks so much for sharing. Particularly love your gallery and your quiet space. 🙂

  3. That’s what I’m pretending my school room will eventually be like. IF, big if there, I can stick with the plan and KEEP UP with the cleaning. It’s SOOOOOO hard, and I want to whine!

    1. Well yes… You see that bottom collage? That’s what it’s like 99.9% of the time, of course! Then once a year I can persuade the kids to do a summer camp and I get half a chance to see some surfaces. Actually J(8) only lasted one day this year so I had to work around him (“you will get your own snacks!”) Apparently it is possible to do this more than once a year … maybe one day…

  4. What a very organised plan! Wow. I always have good intentions but never quite get round to having everything so well organised. You’ve inspired me to get better at organising. Thank you!

    1. Thanks, Hwee. Your comment did make me laugh, though – whenever I read your blog I am completely in awe of your organisation skills! It’s nice that we can share inspiration,though, isn’t it? 🙂

  5. It looks wonderful — I love your homeschool area in action shots – keeping it real and I love that.

    I’m not a naturally organized person, but I’m finding that just a little investment in organization goes a LONG way in a successful homeschool day.

    Thanks for linking with Collage Friday!

    1. Thank you so much, Mary. I am definitely not a naturally organised person either (no matter what my non-homeschooling friends seem to think!) but you’re right, a little goes a long way. I feel so much better beginning a new homeschooling year in well-ordered surroundings.
      Thanks for hosting Collage Friday, as ever!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *