How can I improve this home school room? (Pics included)

[Guest keyley1090]

The home school "room" for my 13 DD is actually a closet. I just put in a desk, book shelf and a desk lamp. There are shelves above to store things on and the walls are styrofoam (can't spell that word) so I can easily pin up papers and maps. Any suggestions to make this "room" more functional. Any storage ideas?

 

Also, how do you organize your home school papers? We have yet to find a successful, helpful, non-stressful way to do so. Not what you use, more of techniques I suppose. Thanks.

 

Above view:

http://tinypic.com/r/2rz2exf/5'>http://tinypic.com/r/2rz2exf/5'>http://tinypic.com/r/2rz2exf/5'>http://tinypic.com/r/2rz2exf/5

 

Bookcase:

http://tinypic.com/r/8xsgph/5

 

Top shelf:

http://tinypic.com/r/f535o9/5

 

The other one is the same.

 

Map:

http://tinypic.com/r/b46ddl/5

 

http://tinypic.com/r/2rz2exf/5

 

http://tinypic.com/r/65u1qq/5

[fivetails]

Honestly? My dd13 could never spend anytime in a room that 'closed in' ~ and neither could I.

 

Can she have her stuff in her bedroom? With a window?

 

I know you're likely trying to make the best use of space, but....it's a closet.

 

what if you STORE things in there, but the desk/work items - were situated somewhere else?

[NanceXToo]

Yeah...that seems kinda claustrophobic and depressing. No windows, no sunlight, no space to move around, no room for "company" (i.e. mom to hang out with you for at least part of your work).

 

My daughter does her work at the kitchen table with me nearby, or flopped on her belly on the living room floor sometimes, or sitting at the computer in the den (which opens into the living room), sometimes even outside at the patio table, but she'd hate being by herself in a tiny little closet/room like that, no matter how it was "improved."

[elegantlion]

I tend to agree with the claustrophobia issue. You could set up the closet as a really great library, storage room.

 

Do you have another place to put the desk?

 

As far as organization, I tend to think out of the box. I use photo boxes to store supplies. I use magazine files to store notebooks, etc. I have several closet organizers from Target/Walmart (you know the kind you put together) that I can stack in different patters. They're great for holding binders, extra books.

 

If that isn't your thing I bought some decorative boxes, larger sizes, to hold my notebooks and things I use on a daily basis. My items can stand upright, sticking out of box.

 

I use mugs for holding pencils and pens. I tend to store extra papers in binders, divided by subject.

 

If moving the desk out of the closet isn't a possibility I would paint it all a crisp white, maybe do a colorful border or accent color for pizzaz. I'd also find a poster of a beautiful view to put over the desk. I would also paint the furniture white to make the space seem larger.

[ereks mom]

Honestly? My dd13 could never spend anytime in a room that 'closed in' ~ and neither could I.

 

Can she have her stuff in her bedroom? With a window?

 

I know you're likely trying to make the best use of space, but....it's a closet.

 

what if you STORE things in there, but the desk/work items - were situated somewhere else?

 

I would store things in there, but couldn't work in there, and I know my dd couldn't either.

[Mommee & Baba]

I would store things in there, but couldn't work in there, and I know my dd couldn't either.

 

:iagree:

[3peasinapod]

My first impression was also like above. I think some paint could change the feel of the place, though. While a previous poster liked white, that would hurt my eyes. I suppose you wouldn't want to go too dark, though, as there are no windows to brighten up. I would use a colored paint, more neutral, creamy or very light brown.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would want it softer. Some nice soft cushions on that hard straight chair. A cozy afghan to wrap around while studying.

 

Some fabric over the styrofoam - you can still push pins through the fabric.

 

I wouldn't necessarily mind the small space if it is made cozy. I liked studying in the study carrels at the library!

[Mom2absh]

:iagree: Can you work in a nature poster or picture somewhere? That will make it feel more open, too. I would also help her decide which subjects she MUST do there - for the writing, for example - and which ones she could do elsewhere, even if it were just sitting in the doorway, facing out of the study area.

 

I think you did a great job of creating a workspace for your dd! I would just be wary of how long each day you plan for her to work there, since it is so enclosed.

 

My dd does a lot of her work on her bed - if she needs it to be quiet, her sister isn't allowed in there for a time. We only use a desk for a few things.

 

J

[The Girls' Mom]

My kids love little nooks like that. In fact, they wanted to live in the closet under the stairs like Harry Potter for a while.

 

I think that if you painted the walls a fun color, perhaps paint the shelves white, and got rid of the hangers, etc. it could be cute. Pick one or two colors and get desk accessories that match, maybe a fun poster.

[homeschoolva]

I do agree it is small, I assume that is to have her own space or due to necessity. My dd would prefer a small space to have quiet from brother.

We have had to do this before and sometimes you have to work with what you have :) Kudos for soliciting advice and making a special work space for your daughter.

 

Anyway - to make it appear larger I would paint everything crisp clean color -furniture included. Maybe an off-white. Making it more uniform will help make it seem larger.

 

I would limit how much "stuff" you add to control sense of clutter, but putting colored boxes on shelves with items like manipulatives or art supplies will provide both storage and color.

 

I would take all unnecessary items off her desk and put on shelf, even the lamp to give more work space.

 

If the trash can must stay move it to the bottom shelf to add floor space. Things like DVD's or the bracelets I would remove, they add clutter/distraction and are not school items.

 

It looks like you may have a small corner between shelf and wall next to desk, if you do add some crates or something to make it higher so that small area is usable.

 

As for organizing papers - the stacking letter trays you have are useful but take up space.

I have one per child and in it has colored folders - red for math, blue for ..... so each day I take a child's tray of folders to grade (my kiddos are older and don't need constant work supervision) and put things back in folder when I am done. Each morning before starting the day's work they remove graded papers and if there are no corrections they put them in proper binders -one per subject which are on their shelf. That eliminates me filing and requires them to look over work. I do check weekly to ensure things have been properly filed.

They also have an assignment folder with the day's worksheets, if any, and checklist for the day. It is actually for the week, and they initial next to completed items and include how long it took.

 

Essentially at the end of the day I go down their checklist, know how long each subject took and pull the math folder to check math, etc... I note grades on that sheet and it is returned to the folder for tomorrow.

 

At the end of the year I go through binders (which are in order because all work is added to the end) and pull out work samples to save for each subject. I slip them together and put in large envelope with year and subject and put in a box in the attic :) Each box has one year and it is easy to pull child A's math samples from 2007 if needed.

 

For assignment sheets I use excel spreadsheets and make my own. They are a week at a time and when they are all checked off at the week's end I put them in a binder I keep with a tabbed area for each child. So my records consist of a binder and theirs consist of a binder per subject plus our "working" folders..

 

In my binder I have a grade sheet at the front per child and go back quarterly and compute grades to give to them. This lets them know where they are.

 

That sounds complicated but it is actually quite simple. Hopefully it is of some help, and makes sense :)

 

Best wishes,

Jen

[Oakblossoms]

Does she need to work in this spot? Can you make it a storage space instead? That would give you a great space to put all those learning materials. We do a lot of work at the table as well. It's just a nice place for us.

 

I would put fabric over the top of the styrofoam. You could still pin on top of it.

 

Is the furniture wood (not laminate)? You could sand it and paint it.

[bookfiend]

Anyway - to make it appear larger I would paint everything crisp clean color -furniture included. Maybe an off-white. Making it more uniform will help make it seem larger.

 

 

I disagree with this, at some point, the space is small and paint color won't make it seem larger. Paint, however, can make it less austere. A lovely, robin's egg blue would be restful. Is there anyway you can put some extra wall to wall shelving above the desk, and then remove the bookcase? This would give your daughter some more elbow room side to side and feel less constricted.

 

Is there an electric outlet in the closet? Unlikely, but if so, add a little desk lamp to warm up the light.

 

If you aren't inclined to move the shelving, consider putting a framed mirror above the desk to draw in some natural light from the other room.

 

Some children really like cozy. My littlest took naps in the closet for a whole year.

[mycalling]

I'd put the desk perpendicular to the door so she will have openness to her side instead of at her back.

 

If it's about having no other space, could you build an over the bed desk? This is what I'm doing for my 12yo DD. It will go entirely across the foot of her bed. High enough for her feet to comfortable sleep underneath and her to sit at it on the bed.

[Tap]

I would put a small bright throw rug down.

I would paint the walls a light color, or get sheets and pin them up to create a wallpaper feel. The fabric will allow you to still use the walls as a pin up board and the fabric will 'heal' the holes when you move things around.

 

I would take out everything that is not absolutely unnecessary.

 

Tape down cords with white or coordinating masking tape to hide them.

 

I would get a vertical file folder holder for over the dest to help keep the desk clear.

 

I would take the cup of pencils, erasers and the like of the desk and put that stuff in the drawers. If the person really wanted those item out and available I would get a little mini set of plastic drawers to put on the shelf to the left.

 

I would paint the shelves a color to match the walls but just a bit darker, same with the desk. If you really don't want to paint them, then I would paint the walls a buttery yellow to complement the warm tones in the wood, all-the-while making it feel sunlit and homey.

 

In one pix it looks like you also have some items hanging in there. IF you don't need them every day but still need to hang them, I would put them in an opaque garment bag to decrease the clutter look.

 

I would put a mirror on the wall across from the door opening to brighten the space. You can use washable markers on glass and it becomes a wipe off board.

 

I would get a desk lamp that mimicked natural light.

Edited May 1, 2010 by Tap, tap, tap

[LisaC]

I have to agree with the other posts in asking if coming out of the closet is a possibility. We don't have a hs room, so we use the kitchen table primarily. We also sit outside on pretty days. The closet looks like it would be a good place for storage, but I know I would go a little crazy in there myself :)

 

We use most of the techniques in the WTM to organize our papers. I use binders for each subject. I stray away from the divider labels outlined in TWTM, and just use my own as they seem to fit our style.

[Mom0012]

I'll be the odd one out. I would have loved a workplace like this as a teen. I actually used to like to listen to music and read books in my closet when I was this age. I enjoyed having a place that I felt was my own space.

 

I agree with painting it a soft color and adding a poster.

 

Lisa

[Barb_]

My first thought was, 'too small'! But reading the other posts, I can see how this is probably up to individual taste. I like the other idea about warming up the space with color. Blue absorbs light and can feel moody and too relaxed. My schoolroom is blue and I wish I'd have gone with a gentle yellow like in my first house. A great color is Sherwin Williams 'believable buff' which is technically on a beige strip, but on the walls take on a warm, mellow-yellow tone without getting too bright.

 

Here's a link with lots of colors from that strip:

 

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/favorite-paint-colors/

[Teachin'Mine]

Small spaces can work very well - it depends on the student. If you dd is comfortable there, then that's great! It gives her a quiet space without distractions.

 

I agree with painting the space if possible. Maybe a pretty pale light blue, and if you can paint the furniture, paint the desk and shelves white, and maybe add a soft cushion to the chair. I love the idea of covering the foam with some fabric - again a soft color. I'd add a florescent light to the ceiling - they have ones that just plug in, and put in daylight bulbs which will light the area very nicely. A carpet cut to fit the floor would be nice too - a piece of a remnant or even samples from a carpet store could work. I like the map on the wall. Maybe put a poster - of your daughter's choosing - above the top white shelf. Maybe the videos and other things not needed every day could be moved up there.

 

I like vertical files for the top shelf of the wood shelving instead of the horizontal ones. Some of those could be moved down a shelf. It's easier to take things out when you don't have to lift other things off of them. I'd also use lots of containers on the shelves to contain any desk supplies that don't fit in the drawers. Work with your daughter, and ask her how she'd like to organize her space.

 

For organizing papers, loose leaf binders could work. Use a three hole punch on papers you want to keep, and put them in binders according to subject, or use a larger binder and use dividers for different subjects. Again, I'd get your daughter's input as she'd be the one putting the papers away. It's great if she takes charge of the space as she's at the right age for that.

 

If she's like my daughter, visually appealing means a lot. Let her suggest the colors she'd like and use them sparingly so it's not too distracting. I think having a clear desk would be nice, then the only thing on it would be her current work.

 

It may be a small space, but if your daughter is happy to have her own space without being disturbed by the younger ones, then it should work nicely. :)

[rwjx2khsmj]

Get rid of the desk and bookcase and go with built in pieces. A piece of sturdy plywood and some side braces will work for a desk. Build some shelves in underneath, not only will they provide storage but they will make the desk more sturdy. This could be as simple as painted cinderblocks and boards. Use the space within 2' of the ceiling for shelving on at least three sides. A simple bracket and board set up will do. Paint a section of the wall with chalkboard paint or dry erase paint. Make a tack board using self stick pieces or a pre-made board. Paint the closet walls the color your dd loves most. Paint the built in desk and shelves a contrasting color. Make sure she has a comfy chair to sit in and a place to prop her feet up. This could be a lovely, cozy spot.

[stripe]

Do something about the floor. Do anything about the floor.

[Chris in VA]

:iagree:

Do something about the floor. Do anything about the floor.

[TechWife]

Desk Idea: get two two-drawer file cabinets (preferably white ones) and a piece of counter top cut to fit over them. You will have some storage space and a durable workspace. An alternative would be to get the counter top and suspend it from the wall with brackets. Perhaps you could even put it on hinges so it can be let down to provide floor space to access side storage (bookcases or shelves).

 

Choose two colors - a calm one to be the primary color and a complementary color for accessories. Paint her chair to match the walls (see note below), add a cushion in the complementary color. If you keep the bookcase, paint it the wall color, but consider painting the top side of the shelves the complementary color. Accessories could include a pen/pencil cup, desk pad, lamp (look for a clip on lamp w/ a bendable neck to clip to the shelf above the desk).

 

On the shelf, place a tray or stack tray for in/out work and extra paper. You can also get some magazine boxes for her notebooks, workbooks, textbooks and place those on the shelf as well. Durable plastic ones will stand up the best. Also look for a small set of stacking drawers for odd office supplies: stapler, erasers, tape, highlighters, etc. Target and Wal Mart usually have these.

 

To save space, you could consider getting a large over the chair pocket for her smaller supplies. These are available at school supply stores or you can make one out of some pretty, coordinating canvas.

 

Try to coordinate as many of the supplies as you can, it will help avoid a cluttered look.

 

Does she need the map on a regular basis? If not, consider pulling it down and getting her an atlas to put into her notebook. These are available at office supply and book stores.

 

Cover the Styrofoam with a fabric that matches your wall color so that it blends in - or, get some cork board strips and paint them the same color as the walls (they will soak up a lot of paint, plan on several layers). You could put these all the way around the closet a little above eye level so she would have somewhere for notes, lists, small posters.

 

Can you get another chair for her? A small, wheeled office chair would take up less room, make the bookcases more accessible and make the closet look a little bigger than with a full sized chair.

 

Office Max and Target both carry coordinating office accessories. If you want to go on the cheap, you could get the inexpensive cardboard ones and cover them with wallpaper remnants (solid color, again, you don't want it to be busy) or scrapbook paper. You can get everything pencil cups and stacking trays to file folders, thumbtacks and many other things.

 

For the floor, pull up the carpet and find a neutral color vinyl or tile to put down.

 

It is quite possible that you will be able to find a counter top remnant at Home Depot or Lowe's. Since it is such a small area, you can look for their paint discards as well. They usually have a dozen or so cans that didn't match the sample and were returned. They are usually marked down. You may also be able to find flooring remnants as well.

 

You will want to make your choices in order from the most difficult to change to the least difficult to change so that you can coordinate (counter top color, then floor color, wall color, accessory color). You might want to do some fun accessory browsing so that you can have colors in mind as you look at the other things, though!

 

Have fun!

[Pink Fairy]

Do something about the floor. Do anything about the floor.

 

I also agree. That floor brings down the space more than anything else.

[TammyB]

I would want it softer. Some nice soft cushions on that hard straight chair. A cozy afghan to wrap around while studying.

 

Some fabric over the styrofoam - you can still push pins through the fabric.

 

I wouldn't necessarily mind the small space if it is made cozy. I liked studying in the study carrels at the library!

 

I love this idea to put fabric over the styrofoam. You could enlist your daughter's help to pick out what she likes. :)