Your homeschool room does not need to be Pinterest-worthy to be worthy of you. My homeschool room has taken years to get where it is now. I am always looking for ways to improve. After it became clear we were going to keep homeschooling, I knew I needed a few mainstays for my homeschool room.
Embrace the Changes to Your Homeschool Room
The room we use has gone through many changes. First, it was a nursery, then an office, and then it was easily transformed into a homeschool room when the need came up. We spend a lot of our day here, and school is only a small bit of that. However, everyone is different. You may find something else that works great for you. But, that is what it’s all about! Take your time and find out what is best for you and your homeschool style.
The items I recommend are things that I have found I can’t do without in my homeschool. I have been using them for years with no issues. Before I get started on my list, I will tell you the size of my homeschool room, so that you can understand a little about what I am working with here. My room is 10.5 ft (this is including a “closet office” where I have my desk and computer) by 9.5 ft. I wouldn’t say it’s a super small room, but it’s not big either.
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# 1 Homeschool Room Table
When we first started, we used some classic school desks that we found on Marketplace. They worked great when we were first starting out. However, as time passed, it was inconvenient for me to lean over the desk to help my son, or I found myself sitting on top of the other desk we had at the time. Because this caused a lot of back strain, I had to make a change.
Something to think about is the number of children you will be schooling over the years, and where you will fit into that seating arrangement. My boys can both sit comfortably on a bench that fits under the table, while I sit on the opposite side in a chair. Most people probably prefer to sit next to their child, but early on I got used to sitting across from him. And bonus…I learned to read upside down! (Is that a skill? Asking for a friend.)
Additionally, think about how your children will sit at the table. Will your children be willing to give up their chairs, will you want them playing musical chairs? Sometimes when the seating arrangement is set up, it’s set in stone. (At least in the minds of the children.) The table we use does have grooves in the top, as you can see. Nevertheless, this has never bothered us. We use clipboards when we have loose papers.
IT WILL SERVE MANY PURPOSES
We use our homeschool room more than any other room. The table we have is used as a board game table, arts and crafts table, and also a drawing table, just to name a few. This is where they hang out a lot with their friends, too. This table has taken a beating, literally (we have our days), and has endured scribbles with marker, and kids jumping off of it. I don’t expect it to be perfect, and for the price, I am not worried about it getting worn…it’s still standing, and I am still happy with my purchase.
#2 Shelving in Your Homeschool Room
Of course, homeschooling can come with a lot of books. I love to find books in the library’s “free” bin, Goodwill, or book sales. I have learned that quality is better than quantity. So don’t be afraid to purge if you need to make more room. The bookshelf I have in my homeschool room has done us well. However, I will link the one I like better, which is in my sons’ room.
#3 Rolling Cart
Have you ever wondered why rolling carts (such as the IKEA RASKOG cart) are in almost every homeschooling picture you see on Pinterest? I will tell you why…because they are amazing. They are no longer only from IKEA, though. We have two in our homeschool room, and I would certainly like more if I could fit them. In fact, I use one as my nightstand, and it’s perfect! They provide great space for more books, crafts, office utilities…the list goes on. I have seen some moms use a cart for each child to sort their books. The child just grabs a book from the cart next to them, and off they go!
Right now we have one cart with our globe on top, a paper cutter, a stapler, and other utilities we may need. The other cart holds all the books we need for each child on the top tier. The second tier holds all the history and science books we use, and the third is storage.
The ways to use a rolling cart in your homeschool room are endless! I will link two separate ones from Amazon (because one has an option for four and five tiers…whaaaat?) Another idea is to spray paint the cart, if this would fit better with your room decor.
#4 White Board For Your Homeschool Room
Although I am probably the only homeschool mom that I know of that uses a whiteboard, I use it daily. Usually, I write my 3rd grader’s assignments on it so he knows what he will be doing every day. I have written sight words, spelling words, math facts, and basically anything I want them to be reminded of. My now kindergartener uses it almost daily, too. They love getting creative on it and just drawing. Although you can find whiteboards just about anywhere, I love my whiteboard from Walmart. The size (35in x 23in), and price are just right!
I also can’t live without my colorful EXPO markers (also from Walmart) I like to use different colors to highlight new concepts in math, or to show a reading concept in Language Arts.
#5 The Home Edit Bins in My Homeschool Room
Ok, guys. This is a big one for me. I have been married for 12 years, a mom for 8 years, and have been homeschooling for 3.5 years. We’ve gone through countless, I repeat, countless types of storage bins and containers. However, I have never been able to find the perfect ones that fit every room and every situation.
That is until THE HOME EDIT came out with their system. I swear by these babies. Whether you like to sort things by the color of the rainbow or not, these things are great! I cannot live without them in my home now.
Why Am I So Obsessed?
The one thing I am always looking for in a storage bin is nesting. No, I am not talking about pregnancy nesting here. I am talking about bins that fit on top of one another, and then inside those bins are more bins, and those bins fit inside other bins. Guys. I. Love. Them.
Too much? Sorry…organizing is my passion. I have used them in my bathroom closet, and love them. What else do I love about these bins? They can be found at my local Walmart!
How Do I Use Them in My Homeschool Room?
And why do I have so many headings about these bins? I personally like to organize by subject. I currently have (looks behind her to check all the beautiful bins sitting on the shelf) a “Play-Doh”, “Arts and Crafts”, “Math“, “Reading“, “Games”, and “School” bin. Inside these cute little bins, I have more cute little containers. I have a bin that has markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue sticks, and Sharpies in just one bin.
This may sound like a lot, but it’s really not.
Within my Math bin, I have money, counting blocks, and math flash cards. I have letter tiles, flashcards, reading games, and a rhyming puzzle in my Reading bin. In my school bin, I have just general things that are used for school.
These bins are used daily and have helped me keep my sanity. I can’t gush anymore about storage, I need to save that for another post.
#6 Learning Clock
I have not always had a learning clock in my homeschool room, but it has been an invaluable tool. We love THIS ONE from Amazon.
Love Your Homeschool Room
Things change every year, here in my homeschool room. But no matter what I have done, and no matter how my schoolroom has looked, my kids were learning. That’s what is important. Have fun with your babies, and your homeschool room will take shape over time!
What is your homeschool room “Must Haves”? Tell me in the comments below!
Need some encouragement that you have what it takes to homeschool? Check out my WHAT IT TAKES post to find out more.
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