Author | |
MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4275
|
Posted: June 16 2008 at 1:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I am trying to figure out how to organize my learning room. The last couple of years I have had a shelf of a bookcase for the binders/folders/books/workbooks for each child. But bookcase space is needed in my house! I am trying to figure out whether to get a heavy duty bin for each child to store their books - they could store these under the work tables.
Does anyone have any ideas?
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
Back to Top |
|
|
missionfamily Forum All-Star
Joined: April 10 2007 Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1859
|
Posted: June 16 2008 at 3:25pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I just told dh I wanted a set of bottom kitchen cabinets to sit on the floor in the learning room. I'm going to paint the outside doors with chalkboard paint for notes and slate board work, and hang a hook for a clipboard on the inside of each door. I'll put the week's assignments on the clipboard for each child and each will have his own cabinet in which to store his stuff. Since our school room is our dining room, I can also use the closed cabinets to stash stuff when I want the dining room to look like a dining room. I'll have to move a small cabinet we have in there now to make it fit, but I think it will be well worth it.
__________________ Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Erin Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005 Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline Posts: 5814
|
Posted: June 16 2008 at 10:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Marilyn
Do you mean each child has a whole shelf each, or between them?
My dc don't have a lot of workbooks etc so we use a magazine holder per child. That is stored on top of the TV cabinet (in an upside down cupboard) and pulled down and taken to the table each morning.
But I'm thinking you mean they have more books than that, is there room for the boxes under the worktables?
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Becky Parker Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline Posts: 2582
|
Posted: June 17 2008 at 6:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have the same dilemma here. We've filled our bookcases, and don't have room to put anymore. What about large canvas bags? I think there was a discussion about this some time ago. I read about how Dawn uses them on her blog. I was thinking that this might work for us because we will be using our dining room as a school room this year. When company is coming, or just at the end of the day the kids can carry their bags to their rooms or wherever we decide to store them.
__________________ Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Mackfam Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline Posts: 14656
|
Posted: June 17 2008 at 6:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I use these magazine holders. They're big enough for each child to have one. Living books stay in their subject specific place on the shelf.
I've thought about the canvas bag idea - I like the idea of grabbing the bags for a day of carschool. Right now, we just keep canvas bags handy for traveling with books.
Right now, I have each of the child's books in a white dishwashing tub - the kind you find at the Dollar Store. It's a cheap way to keep each child's set of books divided for my planning this summer. It might be a good, and cheap solution for your storage issue if you go with a bin under the table.
I love re-organizing learning rooms!!!
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
Back to Top |
|
|
MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4275
|
Posted: June 17 2008 at 7:00am | IP Logged
|
|
|
missionfamily wrote:
I just told dh I wanted a set of bottom kitchen cabinets to sit on the floor in the learning room. I'm going to paint the outside doors with chalkboard paint for notes and slate board work, and hang a hook for a clipboard on the inside of each door. I'll put the week's assignments on the clipboard for each child and each will have his own cabinet in which to store his stuff. Since our school room is our dining room, I can also use the closed cabinets to stash stuff when I want the dining room to look like a dining room. I'll have to move a small cabinet we have in there now to make it fit, but I think it will be well worth it. |
|
|
Wow - chalkboard paint - what a great idea! I like the cabinet idea Colleen - but I have no space - our learning room is full with bookcases, tables, compute desk. Our dining room is well utilized too - has piano, violins, clarinet and bookcases. (we have a smallish house - and believe me we utilize every available inch of space!!)
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
Back to Top |
|
|
MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4275
|
Posted: June 17 2008 at 7:06am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Erin and Jen - I like the magazine holder ideas. Jenn - I love the ones you linked to - I will have to see if they have something in our local office supply stores like Office Depot and Staples.
Right now I have emptied the bookcases and the stuff is in crates under tables (all our tables are against one wall - so the box idea will work and still have room for legs) - but I like to look uncluttered as possible.
Becky - I am not over keen on the tote bags - I DO have them hanging from seats in the car - so the kids have access to stuff when travelling - but mine would have to stay in the learning room (no room in kids' rooms!)
I am thinking of splashing on a tabletop writing center from Lakeshore Learning so that everyone's writing materials are in one place. My printer needs replacing - and if I get an all in one it will give me more room that my copier is taking up on top of a shelf. Other ideas I have are arranging paperback picture books in magazine holders by subject..
I do like organizing my learning room - but I always feel a bit overwhelmed at the beginning - it looks like a mammoth task.
Hey Jen - I have a great idea - do you want to come out and share your expertise - I am drooling at your learning room!!!
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Mackfam Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline Posts: 14656
|
Posted: June 17 2008 at 7:50am | IP Logged
|
|
|
MarilynW wrote:
Hey Jen - I have a great idea - do you want to come out and share your expertise - I am drooling at your learning room!!!
|
|
|
Yes! Be there in about 12 hours...we can do a little organizing and then sit down and have a cup of tea, maybe a little more tidying and then sit down and have a cookie or 5, a little more re-arranging and then perhaps another 5 cookies with some tea. Are you noticing a trend?
I sooo wish I could come over and help, but really you'll have an awesome room when you're done, Marilyn! It's so personal for each family because to me, when you re-arrange the learning room in the summer it's all about what worked and what didn't the last year and trying to accommodate the various needs of the children and the evolving family ages/sizes. I love that time! And, I love trying to address needs in economical ways so that I can make one splurge purchase - like my picture book cart this year.
Hugs to you from down south, Marilyn. It may be overwhelming now as you empty, but I just know you'll be so pleased with it when you're done.
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
Back to Top |
|
|