32 Reader Space: Hello Homeschool!

I know today's reader spaces are not for everyone.  However, it is such a hot fun topic that I couldn't resist.  I have received a couple of amazingly cute homeschool room's from readers and I have been so crazy giddy to share them because they just left me in awe.  And it's back to school season, so what better timing?

I am sure it takes a ton of discipline and work to homeschool, and to create an environment that is suitable for the occasion can't be easy either!  So today I am sharing a few spaces to spark some ideas and provide some inspiration for those of you stuck in the organizing a homeschool rut.

First up is Diane.  She wrote:

We have been homeschooling for 9 years and our youngest is starting kindergarten this year, making that a total of five children that we homeschool.  Our classroom is in a section of our basement playroom.  We've set aside an area for desks, a small table for art, a book center, and a multifunction storage cabinet that doubles as a showcase for artwork when it's opened up.  The desks are former architect tables that we picked up at an antique warehouse while on vacation one year!  We paired them with really inexpensive chairs from our favorite Swedish store {where we got the bookcases and art table as well}.  The scalloped cabinet was a garage sale treasure, repainted with glossy white paint that was left over from a home project.  Since the desks don't have storage inside, the children use baskets to hold all their books.  I'd like to say they are neat, but I have three sons, at least it's all contained in one place!

What's best about the space is that it is so multifunctional!  The desks can be moved to the wall when they want to hold a sporting event there, and my littlest can sit at the art table and color when her siblings are doing their lessons.  Everything gets cleaned up quickly too since it all just sits inside a basket!

Well, that's how we do school.  Can't wait to see how other moms do it, and great some more great ideas!  Thank you!

 

I totally dig those desks and personal baskets!  Love that!!  And that she was so thrifty about putting the room together!

But that's not all.  I get to feature two readers today!  How cool is that?

Carrie wrote:

We moved into the house on July 1. This room was entirely paneling--kind of like a cave. I wish I had gotten a pic with the heavy traverse drapes up too.

Right wall: The wall bookcase is made from four, 9-unit Closetmaid Cubeicals units, available from Lowes or Target. The top two rows are "my" stuff such as homeschool support books, curriculum, history/culture books, etc. I used my label maker to label the necessary cubes. The cubes across the bottom hold some learning games, floor puzzles, our multicolored masking tape dispenser {DiscountSchoolSupply.com}, our snap case of scissors, glue, and paper punches, and our clear paint buckets holding crayons, pencils, and markers. The two large pink stacking baskets are from Target. The bottom one holds puzzles--each in a zippy quart-sized bag. The top basket holds all of the baby doll stuff. 

Window wall: The toy cabinet and toy kitchen are from DiscountSchoolSupply.com. The shoebox-sized Sterlite bins fit the cabinet perfectly. I have each labeled with a clipart picture and a label, attached with packing tape. The toy kitchen holds our flat puzzles in the bottom. The wall alphabet was just collected from random finds, toys, etc. Our two hamsters, Lucy and Susan, live on top.

Left wall: The desk base is made from more Closetmaid Cubeicals units. Two 9-unit cabinets are under the middle part of the desk. Those currently contain 18 fabric drawers that hold all of our craft supplies with room to spare. There is a 2-wide by 3-high unit at each end.  My husband put this together based on the picture in my head.  The tabletop is from slabs of melamine from Lowe's. It comes in a 4x8 foot slab and we had two of them cut down appropriately. The bar stools came with the house; we just re-purposed them from the kitchen/dining room. 

Desk wall: The work-box carts are from Sams and are about $30 each. I made the cards in Microsoft Word and laminated them and applied velcro dots. The white board is magnetic and is for general use and also for our spelling curriculum. The desk was already built in. I wish that the upper cubbies had doors to cut down on visual clutter, but it works. The two top milk crates are for school records like you posted online. The pink milk crate has one folder per week and is where I hold the papers for future weeks of school. The closet holds out-of-rotation toys, school supplies, craft supplies, etc.

I'm happy to answer any questions or snap some more photos if you need them!  Thank you!

What's not to love?  Quite the transformation and endless examples of the great ways she utilized and maximized the space!  I just adore the alphabet art above the window.  She really is an organized mama, and that built in desk is just incredible!

Thank you so both Diane and Carrie for sharing their awesome spaces and what works so well for you! 


And in the spirit of the topic, I did some quick Pinterest searches to end with more ideas and inspiration.  Enjoy!!

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Any other links to great homeschool websites, rooms, resources, etc... you want to share for all of the homeschooling parents that read this blog?  What homeschooling organizing tips do you have that are working well for you?