Organizing Your Workspace for Homeschoolers

If there is one Golden Rule that professional organizers adhere to it is this: A place for everything and everything in its place.

We love this iconic saying because when you are organizing a space, you need to know that each and every item has a place to ‘live’.  If you follow Marie Kondo’s philosophy in her best selling book:  The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up – The Japanese art of decluttering and organizing you know that items have a soul or life and once they have entered your space and once they have served their purpose, it is time to say thank you and goodbye.

As she describes it, she enters into her home and proceeds to empty her purse and replace her wallet to a designated drawer.  Her receipts go into a folder and then she puts her purse in its bag (fancy purses have cloth bags, in case you didn’t know) and then she puts it on a shelf for it to rest as soon as she has thanked it for its service for the day.  I know that sounds kind of nutty… I know… BUT, I do like the idea of being cognizant and aware that an item has a place in the home.  Think about it, if you actually did that for most items that you possess, you would be walking around thanking everything in your path.

I want you to get where this logic makes perfect sense is that everything has a home.

You only need to designate a spot for every item once.  Try it.  You’ll be amazed at the results.  No longer will you buy more than you need.  No Longer will the things you own continue to accumulate.  In fact, your stock on hand will decrease.  The essence of effective storage is this: designate a sport for every last thing you own.  If you ignore this basic principle and start experimenting with the vast range of storage ideas being promoted, you will be sorry.  Those storage ‘solutions’ are really just prisons within which to bury possessions that spark no joy.

Marie Kondo

So what does this mean exactly?

It means that you cannot put the cart before the horse.  In order to bring order into your life, you need to declutter first and pair down.  I found that when I work with clients, the first thing they say is: “Will I need to buy storage containers?” or “I’ve got my eye on the nicest baskets…”  I love containers like anyone else but the point is that you need to get rid of things in order to bring things (like order, peace, tranquility) into your life.

When you are re-organizing and creating a space for a dual purpose (such as a family room/school room) or a guest bedroom and a home office, you have to make sure that all of the items that don’t belong there are gone.  So if you decided that you want to have your study space for your children in the seldom used dining room, you need to ensure that there are no toys or crafts or other distractions there.  Why? Because that is not where their home is.  Their home is in the play room or the craft closet or the recycle bin (because I know that you are putting the junk mail on top of your dining room table.  I know that!)

Setting up an area where you have just the pencils, tools and paper in one are where it is easily accessible is very important.  Setting up a command center where your kids can see the calendar, the lesson plans for the coming month or where their ‘art’ can be displayed is a bonus for any organized homeschooler.

I have to admit, because I don’t homeschool my own children, I wanted to have a better idea of what a homeschooling space would be like when you do have to provide an entire classroom in your home.  I thought I would share with you this article from Buzzfeed that curated a 27 spaces for homeschool set up.

Here is what I gleaned from the examples and I agree are beneficial to keeping organized:

• If you have the space, set up a desk for each child so they have their own work area.  It means that you may have to duplicate on a few supplies but each will have their own area to call ‘home’.
• Colour is important.  Children derive a certain part of stimulus when objects are colourful and sparkly.  This also makes the environment more inviting to create ‘fun’
• Have black or white board readily accessible to jot down ideas, illustrate concepts or keep track of calendars.  This one space is communal but can be the focus of the lessons.
• Hang maps all over the walls.  Maps can be used both as a school tool and a decoration.  I love maps (I think because I love to travel) and maps can provide more than just a lesson in geography.
• Use dual purpose items. Closets can become home offices, dining cupboards and hutches can become lockers and shelving units.  Formal dining rooms can become classrooms.  It’s your home, you should use it for the purposes that you need as a family.  Don’t be afraid to claim that space and make it your own.
• Storing books vertically (as opposed to stacking them horizontally) makes it easier for children to access them.  Don’t make it harder for them to reach something if in fact they cannot get to a book because of the weight of the other books. It is human nature to ignore thins on the bottom and cherry pick from the top.
• Use multifunctional furniture. That means using a cubby bookshelf to place books and have bins that can hold supplies, games or other crafting material.  The pin below is a perfect example of using a cubby bookshelf effectively. I love the versatility of these IKEA shelving units because you can purchase them in different configurations. Four, eight or twelve cubbies are available. We use ours as a ‘wall’ between the study nook and the playroom.

Photo Credit: Pinterest – Not ConsumedColour coding the different accessories and even the work area helps keep like items together.  You can find the same items but in different colour so it’s easier to keep things “equal”.

Photo Credit: Pinterest – The Moffatt GirlsHaving shelves at different heights is also very important because you want to ensure that the children are able to reach (and replace) items to their homes.

Photo Credit: Pinterest – 1+1+1=1Remember to always do what works for you as a family.  So what may work for one does not work for all.  This challenge is meant to help you focus on what is important – your children!  Enjoy the hard work that you are doing now for you will benefit from an organized space.

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Margarita Ibbott is a professional organizer, blogger, wife and mother of three. She brings order to people, places and things and then blogs about it at DownshiftingPRO. You will also find her telling tales of travel to far away lands (her true passion).