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Rosesinsummer
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Hello ladies,
I'm a newbie to homeschooling. We have two children-- our oldest is in Kindergarten and our youngest is preschool age. We would love to have more if the Lord so blesses our family.
We just recently relocated across country and we are renting right now, searching for a new home. As with most people basically living on one income, we have a limited budget. The market here is more expensive than the one where we sold our house. So, we are looking at possibly smaller more entry-level, newer construction with very small lots of land.
So, my question to those of you more experienced homeschoolers is, what do you find most important in a house? What do you like about your home for homeschooling? What would you splurge on and what would you sacrifice? Storage? Closets? Kitchens? Bedrooms?
I know people can homeschool in any house, but I also know that some things make this task easier than others.
If you want to share pictures of your set up, please feel free. I'd especially love to see pictures of smaller kitchens/dining rooms if you homeschool there. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!
Thanks,
Lyda
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Rosesinsummer
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I searched through some older posts and found another thread about remodeling a home and what you would want in a home, so that was helpful. 
I guess I should have searched before I posted this topic.
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JodieLyn
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HI Lyda, don't be discouraged.. some posts just take more thought before you can post to them.
When you need a small house storage is the BIGGEST issue. And right behind that being able to stay clutter free.  But seriously, it's the storage and layout that makes a house doable for a larger family or not. If it's not easy to get put away, then it doesn't get put away and then your limited space gets cluttered and crowded.
You might also search for ideas on storage. That might really help you figure out houses that will work longer term.
Oh and also a dining area.. if you need to fit 10 at the table, you probably need a larger space than an eat in the kitchen area that only holds a small square table But be creative. One end of my living room has the dining table.. I painted the wall it's against in a different color and it gives a feeling of a dining space without actually having a seperate space.
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Cay Gibson
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Hello, Lyda. I know several ladies have blogged some terrific pictures and set-up of their school rooms and ways. Hopefully they'll share those links.
Sorry I'm no help. I've always wanted a "classroom" but both times my "office" ended up being the first room people walk(ed) through when they entered my home and I'm fanatical about first appearances. 
All my children still live at home so there are no spare bedrooms for setting up a "school room."
Anyway, right now all the school work is strewn all over my living room sofa. So...there ya go... 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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aussieannie
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Lyda, our home is fairly small, we school usually at the kitchen table....and the table takes up the majority of that dining room.  One side of our dining room faces our kitchen...where the kitchen and dining rooms meet we have our fridge. One fanastic thing that is working well for us of late is the purchase of a couple of magnetic white board mats...they are 1metre x 60cm (39.4 inches x 23.6 inches) I have one of those mats on the side of the fridge that faces our dining room. It has made an excellent white board.
Now we are in spring I am also schooling on our deck (our one large space luxury) and recently my dh bought a metal filing cabinet for $5 at a garage sale....I wasn't as convinced at the time we needed one until about a week later I discovered that I could put these mats on the side of the cabinet! So I am schooling out on the deck at present as well.
I had tried a big black board in the past and a big white board but space became SUCH an issue, we just don't have the room to allot a wall for them, so this has been a hugh blessing to my schooling life in a small house! 
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aussieannie
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Here is the mat on my fridge...we are learning gregorian chant, this was SO effective my children learnt this chant in a day perfectly.. the white rope that hangs down in the way is the rope from our family bell.
On Sunday I took my 4 and 6 year old boys onto the deck for catechism from Christopher's Chats to Children, this photo is explaining the seven sacraments and also I drew some great pictures from the Baltimore Catechism explaining the fall of Adam and Eve..I thought I had taken some shots of this but they weren't on my camera  the boys and I had a really lovely time!
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Cay Gibson
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aussieannie wrote:
the white rope that hangs down in the way is the rope from our family bell.
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I want to see the family bell, Anne.
When do you use it?
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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aussieannie
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We are a bit Von Trappish...I don't like 'hollering' for children in the yard, so each child has a ring and I just ring generally if I want them all in. They are more prompt with the bell for some reason, maybe because they definately hear it! 
Here is our......cow bell! And oh!....what's that next to it I wonder??? My Catholic Cuisine Apron that I bought recently, it arrived in the mail two days ago!
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Mackfam
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Hi Lyda. Welcome to the boards!
This is practically my favorite subject - the pleasant use of spaces! I'll see if I can brainstorm with you!
Ok...so we're looking for small home with the idea that one day, if God so wills, there will be more children in that space...
My biggest priority is sunshine! I like spaces that allow sunlight to flood in...but here's where I get kinda picky - I like sunshine, but not beating down, direct, have to wear sunglasses sunshine through the windows. So, I pay attention to how a house is situated - are the primary living windows southern facing? are you in a colder climate? are there trees/landscaping/a porch roof that will dissipate but not block the sunshine. I know...don't laugh!
As far as the house itself, I can work with almost any decor - remodeling projects are fun and can be done a little at a time even on limited budgets, so decor is not big deal to me - but layout is! Look at how the home is laid out carefully with an eye towards lots of little feet. My preference is small bedrooms, reasonable living areas. (That's not what I've got, btw. ) Look for areas that will be useful for storage...is there a basement? what is the closet situation like? pantry? linen closet? hall closet? utility room/laundry area? Storage is a BIGGIE!
Now,
rosesinsummer wrote:
| What do you like about your home for homeschooling? |
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Can I be repetitive? I like the sunshine! I need sunny spaces! I like having pretty gardens right outside our windows for winter bird and nature watching from the windows. I love wood floors!!!!
I have a VERY open floor plan, which is nice, but also a challenge! My learning room is in my dining room, which is to say, we've taken over the dining room so that it is exclusively our learning room, so it's the VERY FIRST thing people see when they come in the home. Like Cay, I'm vigilant about keeping it tidy and attractive, both for my family, myself, and visitors! It is a challenge, but I like having the space.
We've had a few discussions here before about a separate learning room or not. Many homeschool just fine around the kitchen table, and some are blessed and have large rooms that hold lovely supplies and books...I'm sorta in the middle of both worlds. We're out in the open, in the middle of the living spaces which affords me the ability to tend to my daily duty and be back and forth in here with children working on various things, but I also have a room that is dedicated to this purpose. We learn in all the rooms of our home, but this room in particular is a haven for us. I like it to be beautiful because I think it inspires me and inspires the children.
In looking at a home with an eye towards home education, I'd look VERY carefully at the living spaces - kitchen, living room/family room, dining room. Many use a basement or a bonus room for a school room, but when the children are younger especially, my preference is to be in the main part of the house (and now I'm spoiled and don't want that to ever change). Look at those spaces and brainstorm creative ways you can make use of a small niche or corner to have a little space set aside for your materials. Be ready to think *really outside the box* here - space under a bar height counter is perfect for shelving for manipulatives and books, if cabinets are aplenty in the kitchen you can take over a few of those, a hall linen closet may hold your supplies if you install nice organizers and shelving, etc.
I suppose if I were meeting myself at the beginning of this experience when I was looking for a house and thinking of all the practicals associated with that, what would I say to myself?
I'd say...
Keep it simple! Houses don't need to be large to be lovely. Spaces don't need to be large to be accommodating. Everything that looks lovely on the Michael's craft store shelf does not need to live in my home...just in case. (please don't throw tomatoes at me girls! ) Something lovely and of quality construction is a much better investment to place in my home than 10 things that are cheap and going to clutter and cause me to trip on them. Sunshine and simplicity make me happy!
Happy househunting to you! What a deliciously exciting time!
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Mackfam
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aussieannie wrote:
| We are a bit Von Trappish...I don't like 'hollering' for children in the yard, so each child has a ring and I just ring generally if I want them all in. They are more prompt with the bell for some reason, maybe because they definately hear it! |
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We do the same thing, Anne!!!
This is our hand held bell and it is quite loud! I love ringing it for the children out the back door!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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aussieannie
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Oh yes, I love that type of bell, we had one originally and hung it in the same spot, but we sort of wore it out!! No joke! Our cow has been the sort of 'heavy duty' bell we needed, but BOY it has a piercing ring! 
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Cay Gibson
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Mackfam wrote:
| My learning room is in my dining room, which is to say, we've taken over the dining room so that it is exclusively our learning room, so it's the VERY FIRST thing people see when they come in the home. |
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Really? We need to talk, jen. I definitely need to go back and look at your blog pics because I find your whole set-up so totally attractive.
The problem I have with our set-up is I finally realized...along ago...that I didn't like (or want) my home viewed as a "schoolroom" when people first walked in my house.
Yes, we school here but I wanted beauty, warmth, and hospitality first. I'm afraid our "schooling" looks a bit messy and cluttery at times. So, yes, Lyda, look for storage and clutter-control first and foremost. It'll bring you lots of peace.
I want my home to be: home first, school second. I want that first room to be a warm cozy place. I'm working on that. Haven't quite set it up the way I want it. There is a storage cabinet in there and it's well-lit and sunny but it's pretty much a useless room.  Can't, for the life of me, figure out how that happened. We call it a sitting room. I supposed it's a sunroom. Annie tells people it's a waiting room.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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Cay Gibson
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Love the bell, Anne! Love it! 
We have a small schoolmarm bell like Jen's and a larger one that is used at our co-ops.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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aussieannie
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Cay Gibson wrote:
| Yes, we school here but I wanted beauty, warmth, and hospitality first. I'm afraid our "schooling" looks a bit messy and cluttery at times. So, yes, Lyda, look for storage and clutter-control first and foremost. It'll bring you lots of peace. |
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I second that! I really second that, storage is such an issue for us, clutter messes with my mind and particular sabotages my schooling efforts.
Glad you liked the bell Cay, she's all cast iron, so she'll have a long life I expect!
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SusanJ
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I have way less experience than some of these ladies but I would encourage you to start now--while you're renting--to look at how to declutter. We spent one year in a very, very tiny apartment and the next in a very poorly-designed kitchen and because of that I had pared back my kitchen quite a bit (it's all relative, of course, I still probably have a lot of stuff). But because of my kitchen simplification I am able to use one whole section of counter-top/cupboard space for home office/computer/school storage.
Also think hard about how you use the spaces you have now. Some things tend to be a given in our culture. My brother and sister are totally convinced that a separate computer room and a separate guest room are essential. They both have bought houses that are thus "too small" to house children--and they have more space than we do! Every family's priorities are different, of course and these things might really be non-negotiables for some but do think hard about trade-offs.
For me personally, an eat-in kitchen is essential. If I'm going to homeschool my children and do the other domestic things that are important to me then I need to be able to mange it all in one room. By eat-in I don't mean "seats ten" but I need to be able to have a few people in there with me. I'm a social person as well and I like when we have company for them to be able to be in the kitchen with me, but comfortable.
Welcome to the forums and I"m sure you'll see this kind of topic get kicked around a lot. We all love to share about our homes.
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Rosesinsummer
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Thanks so much for your help and ideas, ladies!
Many of the things you mentioned are very important. I agree with you, Jen, I am just a much happier person when I'm bathed in sunlight during the daytime. I also noticed my oldest is very affected by weather, so I think this is important to consider. We have moved to a colder climate (Minnesota), and I told my husband that, if at all possible, I'd really like to have a house with a Southern exposure for the living areas, especially because of the long, cold winters up here. One of the developments we are considering has a 15K lot premium for the Southern exposure lots. The houses across the street are 15K less and have a Northwest exposure.
There's also the factor of location. The houses in town where my husband works are more expensive in general. The layouts are okay, but I'm not thrilled about the closet/storage space of this particular development, particularly on the main level. Because they are economizing space, there is not a real mudroom area. Another developer in a different area about 15 miles away has no lot premiums, so we could get a Southern exposure for nothing extra. They have better closet spaces, I think, and a more useable layout, but they charge for every little thing (A/C, ceiling lights in the bedrooms, more than one tiny light above the sink in the kitchen, etc). It is a very rural town, and other than the housing developments and a nice country Catholic Church, there is really nothing much there. My husband would have to commute every day, and so would we for groceries, errands, extra-curricular activities, etc. So, location would affect our lifestyle. Is is better to have a somewhat bigger lot (1/3 acre) and nicer home but have to travel a minimum of 25-45 minutes for the basics? Or, do you pay the premium to live close to work and all the shopping/activities/conveniences but maybe not have exactly the layout and space that you would want?
There is one floor plan that I continually drool over that has a small den/office on the main floor just off the kitchen/dining and living rooms and 4 bedrooms upstairs. We both have out of town family who come to stay with us for weeks at a time (no family here), so a guest room would be a wonderful blessing. Right now 3 bedrooms would work because we have two girls who share, but if we are blessed with more children, then 4 bedrooms would be great. The base price for the floor plan is at the upper end of what we would want to spend. I wonder if it would be habitable without appliances, a/c, or lights in the bedrooms? Dh said he grew up with no a/c and switched outlets (you know, having to turn lamps off/on? Maybe it could work. But of course, we'd have to add gasoline and commute time to that upper level price tag as well.
So, clutter-control and storage are key. If we go with one of the smaller floor plans in town, I think we will have to buy closets or else use the garage. There's only a tiny 2ft hall closet for the entire main level. Storing coats/shoes and cleaning supplies will be a challenge. I think we'd also have to plan a lot of vertical storage against the walls of the dining/living room. The floor plan also bothers me because after you come into the hall way from the garage, you have to cross the carpeted living room to get to the kitchen. Not fun for unloading groceries in bad weather.
Anyway, I'm rambling.... Clutter is definitely an issue, and we had problems with it in our old house. And, just these few weeks of homeschooling have shown me that my natural inclination is kitchen table schooling. That is why the floor plan with the main level office is so attractive to me. Sigh.... insert wishful thinking smiley here.
Anyway, thanks again for all your thoughts. The one thing about the in town floor plan we are considering is a somewhat generous kitchen (there were a couple plans we have most likely ruled out due to very small kitchens.) We could probably reserve one of the cupboards for school supplies. And, I really like the bell idea. 
Lyda
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Rosesinsummer
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Oh, I went to search for closet organizers and found this-- very cool!
Some of you with limited broom closet space and such might find it useful.
http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/modifications/4959-4-broom-cl oset-modification.html
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Mackfam
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Hi Lyda! I'm glad to hear you guys have sort of narrowed your possibilities. I'll ask St. Joseph to help you discern. I'll add that living in a more rural location, though not ideal for every family, has been a great blessing for us. We live 30 minutes from anything, nothing delivers here...nothing. But, that has translated into some great family time. We're together here. We have elbow room. It has also fostered a very frugal spirit on my part - we only go into town occasionally, and I must have a very good list and be organized when I do which almost always results in $ savings. So...I just wanted to throw out our positive experience with living more rurally. I'm not implying that this is the best choice for anyone but our family, but I am saying that there are positives that somewhat balance the challenges of being farther from shopping/conveniences.
It sounds like you have a couple of good options to choose from though...and I'm praying as you discern. May Our Lady assist you in making whatever you and your husband decide on a home which is warm and welcoming, and a place where you can grow in your domestic spirit!
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Rosesinsummer
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We have been praying to St. Joseph, too. Thank you for your prayers and sharing your thoughts. It's such a big and important decision. Lots to consider...
God bless you,
Lyda
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Buying a house-- new to homeschooling
