I need organizing help!

[Sue G in PA]

We don't have a room that is used specifically for school. Our dining room doubles as our school room and it has a 5 shelf built-in bookshelf. I have 2 rolling carts (each with 6 drawers) that hold our manipulatives, paper, puzzles, etc. Right off the dining room is the laundry room/office in which we have our computer, 2 more 5 shelf bookshelves and a baker's rack (3 shelves) that I use for books. It's a medium-sized room but can't hold much more than it already does. Every inch of bookshelf space is being used. Our linen closet was turned into a space for games, art supplies, school supplies, etc.

 

Here is where I need help: The built in bookshelf in the dining room holds each child's materials for this year, my teacher manuals, and other books that we use on a daily or weekly basis. I am looking to next year when I will have all 7 kids home again. Last year, each child had half the shelf space for his/her books and materials with the top shelf being for my teacher stuff. It worked out fairly well. Dd13 has her books in her room b/c her room is on the main floor where we school. I need a new system for next year. I'd love to do workboxes, but we don't have space for that. I tried using workfiles, but it didn't work for us. How would you organize those shelves to maximize the space? If anyone has an "eye" for this type of thing, please help me! Thank you!

[Pink Fairy]

I bought a couple of these sets, and each child has 3 bins for their books and notebooks. We keep the bins on two bookshelves.

 

I know there are lots of alternatives to workboxes that people use when they don't have space for all the boxes. Hopefully people will share their ideas. :001_smile: Congrats on getting to bring back home your sweeties!

[LibraryLover]

I currently only homeschool two kids (although I 'afterschool' my entire family ;)). I am not a clutter-bug at all; I love tidy--but I have much more space for our stuff than that.

 

I am so out. :D

 

But good luck! Please post pix when it's all set and done!

[5LittleMonkeys]

Don't know if this would work for you but I have my girls keep their personal daily books in their own backpacks. Their workbooks and notebooks and any current literature books they are reading on their own. That might free up some shelf space for the extra materials you will need for next year. They keep their backpacks on the back of the dining room chair while we are working at the table. If they are working elsewhere in the house or if we are done with school they keep their backpack on the back of their door.

 

Since mine came out of ps they already had NICE backpacks that I'd ordered from Land's End...kind of expensive, monogrammed and everything. I decided we might as well get our money's worth out of them.

 

Edited to add. This also works out great if we have to go somewhere unexpected and they need to carry work with them.

Edited April 21, 2010 by 5LittleMonkeys

[Oakblossoms]

Have you took your games out of the boxes? We take ours out. Put small pieces/cards and directions in a freezer ziploc bag. Write name on the outside. Where do you play games? Can you put a rolling drawer under a couch and put them in there?

 

Can you get rid of the bakers rack and get a bookshelf with doors. That would contain more stuff, but it would feel like it's taking up less space. You could put curtains on the other bookshelves, so your room would feel bigger that way.

 

We have benches instead of chairs and on our table takes up less space and seems less cluttered.

 

Do we get some pics?

[Giraffe]

Not an expert in homeschooling, but I do have experience in squeezing 15 gallons of stuff into a 5 gallon house. ;)

 

Regarding the bookshelves - you say you're using every inch. Are you using every vertical inch? Could you add those expandable shelves that they sell for kitchens to add a shelf in kitchen cabinets? You might be able to set books on their side and add a level above them for more books (or supplies). If that makes sense, you might want to look at having a shelf added, making a five shelf bookcase a six shelf bookcase, with two shelves being half-height.

 

Can you put less used books behind the current books but oriented perpendicular - their backs against the back of the case? If there's space, you could fit those magazine boxes (the cardboard ones you put together from office supply stores) behind the books and store smaller things in them.

 

The only other thing I can think of is adding (again, from the kitchen aisle) the bins that hang from the bottom of a bookshelf to use the extra two or three inches left at the top of the shelf below.

 

Do you have any room for another bookcase? Could books already used or scheduled for later in the year be stored under your bed until needed?

 

I like the bookbag method PP uses for current books, etc.

 

Can you add pictures to give us a better idea of what you're dealing with?

 

Hope

Edited April 21, 2010 by Hopscotch67

[Sue G in PA]

I will try to add pix. I like the idea of adding the extra shelves or at least the hanging shelves. We do have some of those. I could also look into putting away the less used books. That would free up some space. I am looking into buying another bookshelf. The baker's rack was simply a temporary fix that turned into a permanent one due to lack of finances, kwim? We are on a very tight budget.

 

I think I might just need to re-evaluate what really needs to be on each shelf. My primary concern is how to organize my kids' school materials on that one built-in since that is where we school the most. If I move my husband's treadmill down to our basement, I could squeeze one more set of shelves in this laundry room. That might help. Thanks everyone! I'll try and get pix!

[Oakblossoms]

I know about the budget. Do you have a busy craigslist? Maybe you could put it up for trade for a bookshelf.

 

I really need to start organizing our schooling stuff. I've always been on a tight budget and had very little. We joined a VA this year. We have been able to splurge and really enjoy ourselves. This year has been amazing and a lot of fun. But, our main living area is all we have. We have no office or spare room. So, I really need to organize a little better. I just got our final orders for the year and it's getting a little crazy.

 

Maybe I'll show you my pictures if you show me yours:tongue_smilie: