Organizing for each day

[SquirrellyMama]

How do you all organize for each day? I have two 3 shelf bookshelves for school books and supplies. I'm organizing them into things we are actively using this year and the other for empty binders and books for next year or later this year. I'm trying to figure out where to put the books we are going to be using for each day. I try to get things ready the night before. I've been putting them on our dresser in a pile but my dh likes our dresser to be cleaned off. Our kitchen table to small and needed for breakfast. I'm not sure where else to put it all. What do others do?

 

Kelly

[Closeacademy]

I used to use a small bookcase with one shelf for each child and I would gather everything each morning.

 

Now I am using workboxes. I put all the work for the week including texts in the hanging file folder system I am using and we are ready to go. I even stick my school folder (calendar, lesson plans, etc.) in the front of the milk crate so I can get to everything.

 

We just started with workboxes but I think it could be a great thing.:001_smile:

[Mrs. Frankweiler]

For us, each kid gets a one of those filing crates (milk crates?) of a different color. All of their daily books, notebooks, school supplies, etc....goes in there.

 

We keep these in our schoolroom/office, but I'm guessing you could keep it in a closet or even their bedrooms.

[Suzanne115]

Hi -

 

I used three baskets under our coffee table for our things we read together. All of our current books we are reading go in them. Our workbooks are kept in plastic drawers in the kitchen since we do our written work in the kitchen. I have been slowly switching to modified workboxes and that has helped. She has a drawer unit where her daily work goes and I have a drawer unit where supplies and workbooks that we aren't using for that day are kept. It has really helped and now I don't have piles all over the kitchen. I like my materials to be ready for the next day too.

 

Suzanne

[SquirrellyMama]

Milk crates and boxes sound good. I'll have to keep that in mind. I was able to clean up my shelves a bit and find a top shelf to stack all our books for the day. I haven't put everything back on the shelves yet so I'm not sure my plan will work.

 

Maybe I'll go to WalMart this weekend and look at the milk crate boxes. I've seen them in the store before. Iowa State will be starting soon so I know they have all of their college supplies out.

 

Thanks! Kelly

[johnandtinagilbert]

Each child has a shelf or two on a book shelf in their bedrooms. I have a bookshelf next to my desk.

 

I put our science and history books for the week on a small bookshelf on the other side of our desk.

 

We have a computer desk in the school area and on it I keep pencil boxes with pencils, glue, map pencils, scissors, etc that get used regularly. Also on the computer desk is a 3-drawer box with graph, writing, and drawing paper so it is easily accessible.

 

I have a closet for materials, texts, etc. that I will need for other children. I organize shelves by subject and from there, I put them in grade order.

 

Finally, I have a craft closet that has all the goodies we'll need for projects. So they can't trash it, I have made 2 charts and taped them to the door: 1)ABC order by name listing the shelf # and 2)a list per shelf, in the spot they should be in.

 

When they were smaller, I put crates or baskets on the shelves so they could grab the whole box for the day...they have too much stuff to do that effectively now :)

 

Happy Home Schooling,

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I bought extra wide metal mesh magazine holders from Office Max. They are each about 6" wide. I have one for each of my younger children to hold their notebooks and workbooks, one for teacher's manuals/answer keys, and one for books we are using together. These sit on top of a bookshelf.

 

We are using TOG, so those books and our science books are on the bookshelf below the magazine holders.

 

HTH,

Leanna

[KAM]

I used medium sized tote bags from L.L. Bean- I have one for each child, different colors with their names on them. They keep their independent work in there, a pencil case, scissors, etc. I have a bigger bag for myself with the teacher's guide, SOTW book, anything else that applies to more than one child. I like the portability of it because we can just take everything outside easily. Extra stuff and stuff used only once a week goes on the shelves above where the bags are stored.

 

For reading I have two big baskets in the living room, one for general reference (like history & science encyclopedias) and one for books to read that week (literature we are working through, poetry, SOTW go alongs)

[K&Rs Mom]

I have a canvas bin that I restock every night with what we'll need the next day - plans, books, workbooks, pencils, craft/experiment supplies. I put it on the table the night before, but you could put it under the table until after breakfast. That way everything is contained, and we just work until the box is empty. Then I take it back to the guest room (where all my school stuff is), and unpack & restock it sometime before the next morning.

[SquirrellyMama]

I used medium sized tote bags from L.L. Bean- I have one for each child, different colors with their names on them. They keep their independent work in there, a pencil case, scissors, etc. I have a bigger bag for myself with the teacher's guide, SOTW book, anything else that applies to more than one child. I like the portability of it because we can just take everything outside easily. Extra stuff and stuff used only once a week goes on the shelves above where the bags are stored.

 

For reading I have two big baskets in the living room, one for general reference (like history & science encyclopedias) and one for books to read that week (literature we are working through, poetry, SOTW go alongs)

 

Oooh that sounds good too. I like the idea of bags. We could pack up and go to the library with it also.

 

Kelly

[yvonne]

My husband doesn't like to have the dining room table clear, too. I tried using lift-lid school desks to keep the kids' stuff in, but those were so big they filled the whole back room and they anchored us to that back room.

 

Now, each child has a plastic file tote box with a lid that has space for pencils. The box holds all that child's current materials. I also have a file tote box for all the stuff I need to teach (manuals, manipulatives, etc.) Actually, I have two boxes-one for my 2nd grader's manuals and one for my 4th graders'.

 

For the kids' boxes, I put in a hanging folder for paper and hanging folders for each subject. The subject folders (use the ones with the wide, reinforced bottoms) hold the notebooks/workbooks for that subject. Books that don't fit go in the front of the box.

 

In the morning, we all bring our boxes to the dining room table or the table outside, and we have everything we need to "do school." When we're done, we close them up and put them in the back room or in a closet. Keeps all of us organized. We don't waste time looking for our books or materials. And my husband comes home to a cleared off dining room table! (Well, except for all the random reading books we tend to accumulate there... :) )

 

yvonne

[BlsdMama]

Okay, a couple things - Not JUST what you're actively using this year, but I'd "put away" anything you're not actively using THIS week. For example, if you were using Sonlight, the sheer quantity would be overwhelming. Plus it's hard for the kids to dig through. And uncluttered space will make you feel happy and motivated. I know because I have to sew today and my sewing table isn't uncluttered and I'm not happy OR motivated, lol.

 

That said, I have a closed cupboard for MY stuff - my binders, my reference materials, etc., and that doesn't need to be in the main space. It can be in the laundry room, a large closet, wherever. I also keep the kids' binders in there as they don't need access to those during the day.

 

The bookshelves are PURELY for their day to day work. That's it. And for our four schoolers plus two pre-schoolers, two bookshelves are enough space.

 

See?

 

 

There are a few more organizational photos here, but that's the gist of how we lay it out.

[Chris in VA]

Have you seen those pocket-like bags that fit over the backs of dining room chairs?

[Haiku]

I keep all our books on the homeschool shelves until we need them. The kids exchange their materials as needed.

 

Tara

[SquirrellyMama]

Have you seen those pocket-like bags that fit over the backs of dining room chairs?

 

I haven't seen these. Our chairs are lightweight. They fall over with things attached.

 

Okay, a couple things - Not JUST what you're actively using this year, but I'd "put away" anything you're not actively using THIS week. For example, if you were using Sonlight, the sheer quantity would be overwhelming. Plus it's hard for the kids to dig through. And uncluttered space will make you feel happy and motivated. I know because I have to sew today and my sewing table isn't uncluttered and I'm not happy OR motivated, lol.

 

That said, I have a closed cupboard for MY stuff - my binders, my reference materials, etc., and that doesn't need to be in the main space. It can be in the laundry room, a large closet, wherever. I also keep the kids' binders in there as they don't need access to those during the day.

 

The bookshelves are PURELY for their day to day work. That's it. And for our four schoolers plus two pre-schoolers, two bookshelves are enough space.

 

That is a nice set up on your shelves. We aren't using SL so most of our books are used each week. I do have some manipulatives I could hide away in a cupboard downstairs.

 

I've gotten lots of good ideas today. I need to get myself to Walmart.

 

Kelly

[Nestof3]

I would start by only having binders on the bookshelves that you are using this school year. Could you put some of the books on there?

 

I also like canvas boxes and baskets on the floor in the living room/den for books I'll be reading aloud.

 

You could also determine how attached you are to your binders of completed work. Honestly, after 10 years, I've just not been that into saving stuff.

[SilverMoon]

Our books that will be used at least weekly all live on my computer desk. The kids take them from the shelf as needed, and return them when they're done. It's a pretty big desk that fits into the corner of the living room. Our binders for finished work, timelines and my master binder live on a bottom shelf on the same desk. Anything else that will get used regularly lives in the bookshelf.

 

School books that probably won't get used this year, but I want to save for a younger child, live in a spare dresser in my bedroom.

[WTMCassandra]

I always try to follow these two principles:

 

1. As near "point of use" as possible.

3. Try for one-motion storage if possible.

 

Right now, that looks like a low, four-square bookcase at the end of the school table. Each child gets an upper and lower "square." They have a plastic dish tub on the upper shelf that holds their supplies and a pencil box, and the rest of the shelf space is for their workbooks. Their craft supplies reside on the lower shelf.

 

In previous houses, where we were schooling on the dining room table, that mean a shelf each on a bookcase in the dining room. That was when we instituted the dish tub system. The only trouble was having things visible when we had non-homeschooling company over for dinner. I wished we had doors for the bookcase, but we couldn't afford it at the time.

 

As for "one motion" storage, I have a story to tell about that. My children used to have the plastic kind of pencil boxes that snapped shut. Well, they always left them slightly ajar, so if you moved them at all, everything fell out. This drove me CRAZY! So, I changed to cigar boxes. I re-covered them in contact paper, let the children decorate them, and voila! They have used them for years. They just reach in and drop in their item, and the box closes by itself! Everyone's happy ; ).

[Robin in DFW]

they are the Closet Maid brand, I think. Each dc has 2 of these stacked (they come with little peg dowels just for stacking), so there are 6 "cubbies". I actually had additional shelves cut at Home Depot and found the little pegs to rest the shelves on. My dc now have about 10 "slots" rather than cube-shaped cubbies. I left enough space between shelves to hold a textbook, binder, workbook, etc. This way, each and every subject has its own slot rather than mingling things together. We have used this system for years...we've tried other systems, but this is what we've always come back to.

 

If I was savvy enough to post pictures, I would...or even a link to Target, but, alas, I am a technological dunce.

 

Robin

[Moni]

What do others do?

 

 

 

We have dedicated shelves. Everything stays on the shelf Except for what is being worked on. When they are done with that subject, it gets put away right away as they are getting the next group of books out.

 

:seeya:

[Rebecca77]

I found a shelf at target w/ 9 cubed spaces. 3 on top, 3 in the middle, 3 on the bottom. It's fits perfectly in my dd.'s closet. Each subject has it's own space. I keep my teacher manuals there as well. One box has a cloth drawer for all her school supplies. I put everything she needs for each subject in it's box the night before. It's working great, gotta love the workbox system!!!

[Jennefer@SSA]

I used medium sized tote bags from L.L. Bean- I have one for each child, different colors with their names on them. They keep their independent work in there, a pencil case, scissors, etc. I have a bigger bag for myself with the teacher's guide, SOTW book, anything else that applies to more than one child. I like the portability of it because we can just take everything outside easily. Extra stuff and stuff used only once a week goes on the shelves above where the bags are stored.

 

For reading I have two big baskets in the living room, one for general reference (like history & science encyclopedias) and one for books to read that week (literature we are working through, poetry, SOTW go alongs)

 

I think this is a great idea. I love the idea of just packing up and being ready to go! We sometimes like to go to the library for a day just to change things up...or go to McDonalds. When work is done they get to play. Amazing how quickly things get done that way! :D

[Guest janainaz]

I have a narrow linen closet and it's my "dirty little secret". I keep all my homeschool stuff and anything learning related in it.

 

I have a rectangular bucket and I keep all of my son's curriculum books in it along with the teachers manuals. Every day I just grab my bucket and keep it on the counter. On a shelf in my closet I have a binder for each subject and at the end of the day (or end of the week), I file his papers chronologically. I have another bucket filled with my stapler, hole punches, pencils, rulers, just anything we use during the day, and I keep it out with the other bucket.

 

I have a basket next to my sofa of library books. I grab what I need and put them back when we are done. Since we have 30+ books checked out at a time (I have a ds4.5), it makes it much easier to not have to go looking for them!

 

At the end of the day, I just put my buckets back on the shelf and close the door! It is effortless and there is not stuff all over the place.

[twogirlsmommy]

We are doing "modified" workboxes. They are file folders in a tote. Then I have 3 "shelves" aka closet organizers about 14" x 26" I have three under the edge of the counter in our "breakfast nook" aka back of the kitchen. Bar stools should go here, but we never used the counter and these shelves fit perfectly. We each have one set. The kids hold the current books and file folders with misc stuff :). Mine has the teachers manuals and things that I need. On top of the shelves we each have a basket for papers, etc. that are usually upcoming projects or projects that need to be finished.

[skaterbabs]

We have two of the dresser-size three-drawer sterlite towers. Each child gets two drawers: one for unfinished work, one for completed assignments. Because these are the large drawers, pretty much everything fits in them (even the 3" 3-ring binder Yacko's grammar was in last year.) Teacher stuff has a shelf on the bookcase.

[ubermomto5]

we turned my coat closet into our hs closet. dh put shelves in so the kids keep their pencil boxes and books on their shelf. the lowest shelf holds those cheap $1 boxes stacked for: crayons, stamps, markers, letter writing kit, painting kit.... i've done that since my kids were little and is one of my favorite things. we use heavy cereal boxes to store workbooks, paper etc. and a really great idea from a friend, a giant laundry detergent box for construction paper. the upper shelves are for teacher manuals, extra supplies and my 'teacher' stuff. i stuck a pocket shoe thing on the inside of the door for random stuff i want to keep track of, glue sticks, etc. then i shut the door and if it's a mess, no one has a clue!

[Leila]

I bought plastic boxes from Target in different colors. Each child gets their own basket and I put all textbooks / readers / stuff they use on a daily basis. And i also have one for myself for the read aloud books and stuff I used/need daily in our homeschooling.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

We share 1 workbox system since my twin boys are in K and daughter in 1st. They do a lot of the same lessons/work so their is no need for seperate systems right now. I fill the clear bins up the night before with everything they will need for the following day. After they complete a lesson, they take the # off the bin and replace it with a smiley face. :001_smile:

[2cents]

I have something similar to this:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/189-5329430-0077707?ASIN=B000S12SII&AFID=Froogle&LNM=B000S12SII|Rolling_10Drawer_Craft_Organizer_Cart_Multicolor&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B000S12SII&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

Mine is wider, sitting 6 trays on each side. Each side is for one child. I have the trays labeled for the main subject areas. I keep the texts and supplies we are currently working on in the trays and each day they check the schedule and know where their work is. On top of the cart there is ample room for other materials that we'll use for that week. I try to keep the top of the cart from becoming cluttered. This cart system has worked great for us. Finished work is filed in notebooks. Each child has a row of notebooks on a shelf that I file their work into (hopefully daily).

[modest-mama]

Ohhh! These are all great ideas! I love them!

 

I got one of those steel shelves made for garages and set it up in a room close to our school room. Target has colored crates for $2.99 and I bought a bunch of those and organized the books into those with labels on the front. When I need a book I just get down the crate and grab it.

 

All DSs books are by their desks for easy access.

 

If only we could keep the littles from pulling everything down and out!