Workbook Storage?

[nov05mama]

I need a new method for storing our school books that we use daily! I have tried the 'traditional' workboxes route (with the shoe boxes) but hated how it bent our books. I've done a similar workboxes type layout with a smaller (only 5 drawers) cart, but it didn't work so great either.

I would love to get one of those lovely 10 drawer carts from Joann's or somewhere, but I worry it will be just ANOTHER 'tried it but it didn't work' kinda deals and I waste my money.

I thought about just getting sturdy book ends and having them all right on his desk, but worry they will still all be falling over on themselves :/

What do you use?! If you have pics, PLEASE share! I am much more visual than I care to admit, LOL! TIA!!

[Bang!Zoom!]

I just keep flat stacks on a shelf by subject with one major binder organizer for subjects.

 

We go to the library to study, so this works that I can just grab that days stack for study and throw in a suitcase and go. Workbooks and spines just bundle up by topic.

 

[Pen]

I use bookshelves and bookends, child stuff is on lower shelves, my stuff is up higher. If you do put things on desks, yes they could fall over, but some bookends have non-slip bottoms and are bigger and heavier than others and will work better. Actually I use the non-slip heavier ones right in the bookcases. Also in the bookcase, I have a magazine holder with basic paper supplies, and a small plastic drawer gizmo with writing and art implements.

[Mrs.Gregg]

This is a link to a post I did on our homeschooling room. I was trying to just insert a picture but I'm having no luck doing that. 4th picture down there are two shelving units in a corner that have file crates. Each child has a crate that is labled with their name on it and then I use hanging files to section of subjects, L.A., Math, Science etc. So work books are filed their along with any other current book resources for a current subject. I also have two other crates and those I use/will use/have used for unit studies for both kids or shared subjects like history.

 

So for the day we pull out the work we need the kids each then have a "finished" bin that they put their work and workbooks in. We use that if I haven't corrected something right on the spot. At the end of the day if I've already seen the work then the workbook goes back into their crates. If I haven't taken a look at the work it stays in the "Finished" bin and once I check the work it gets put back.

[LillyMama]

We use these basic boxes I picked up from WalMart. They weren't exactly what I wanted- I was looking at the pricey ones at Lakeshore at the time- but I've come to like them. I didn't like the handles at first, but now I do as they make the lids lock down, which keeps everything in place in case of a wayward cat or nerf gun bullet. They're transparent enough that I could print off a small label (just a simple thing in Word) and taped it inside so we can see what each subject is. I can change those if I need to. Like I said, I didn't love it as first, it was supposed to be a cheap solution while we were short on cash. Two years later, we're not replacing them. ;)

 

Each of us has three, for phonics, math and handwriting. Then we each have our own color. I can fit past, future and current workbooks in each one, I just keep the most current on top. I put my teacher's manuals in my bin.

 

These sit on the top shelf of the bookshelf next to the school table. The next shelf down holds their notebooks for LA, history and science, as well as our encyclopedias and other reference books, some teacher's manuals. And the last bookshelf holds other bins and books for me. I've found this one small bookshelf holds just about all we need for our daily school work. It's worked very well for us.

[MrsH]

We use magazine boxes, the cardboard kind from ikea, though I plan to buy a sturdier kind since after a year of heavy use a few are held together only with duct tape at this point.

 

We have one for each subject (with heavier/bigger books/binders on the shelf under it). For math, we just grab the box, for science we hardly used it, for history it was helpful to keep our different sources we were using, and spelling it was super helpful too. On a different shelf, we put a box for each kid, where they keep their own craft and workbooks, things like party favor books, craft books, how to draw, and the toddler's workbooks that she likes to do just to be like the big kids.

 

Love the magazine boxes, they look SO much neater than just piles of books, but are small enough for the kids to manage well.

[Twilight Woods]

I use magazine holders

[RootAnn]

I don't have my camera handy, but I use the magazine files, too. (Found them after someone said they used them.) They are GREAT.

I use a couple small & some big. Here is a link. (P.S. Make sure you bookcases can handle these tall suckers before you get them.)
 

[boscopup]

I just got 3 of these today - one for each kid's workbooks (2 kids being schooled now) and one for the books DS1 totes to the van. :tongue_smilie: They are a little under $6 each, and I was able to fit all of one child's books in one. Now I can just tote that to the table and work from it. It also has lips for hanging file folders, so you could throw those in too. ;)

[KAM]

My kids keep their individual stuff (workbooks, folders, binders) in tote bags. I bought them each a monogrammed tote bag when they started K. Then we just line all the tote bags up on the bookshelf and use the shelves above for the shared stuff and whatever doesn't fit.

[Ecclecticmum]

For current weeks stuff I use two things:

 

Teachers Desk: This is a mid-long desk with a back shelf. It has adjustable height, so I have the legs on the higest setting and use a bar stool as my chair (stops the littlies being so interested in the stuff). It has file holders at the side I use to hold wet artwork, A nook on the right I use to store my kindle and Ipad, and shelves in the middle. Bottom shelf (desk height) contains my binders and some sheets of various papers, middle shelf contains any books/workbooks for the week that fit and can stay upright and the top shelf contains larger books and more floppy books laid down. On top of this is one long very high up shelf, I use this to keep lapbooks in progress.

 

Teachers cupboard: around the corner from the desk. This has 3 shelves, plus a large area at the bottom. Top shelf has all the AAS & AAR bags, and my various "tools" (label maker, hot glue gun etc). 2nd shelf has all the day-to-day stuff like pencils, pens, scissors, punch, stamps etc. 3rd shelf has the kids geography suitcases and "art/craft supplies needed for that week. Bottom shelf contains any toy boxes in use for the week, library books tub and math manipulatives tub.

 

Everything not required for the week is in the library/art room (basically a teeny office at the other side of the house).

 

The only other place I have stuff is my den (since thats where my desktop computer is). DD's keyboard is store in the cupboard in there for music lessons, in the other side of the cupboard in there is: computer games & kids movies, day-to-day cables (kindle, ipad etc) file folders holding AAS & AAR tiles) and under the futon I store a large magnetic board for AAR/S time.

 

Dining room is used for messy crafts and workbooks, and the den is used for music, AAR for eldest, and reading/snuggle time.

 

If I had older kids, for the workbooks, I would probably either have the books in a magazine holder on their individual desks or do as I saw somebody else do, attach milk crates on their side to the wall. If I did that right now though....the littlies would either scribble all over them or tear/cut them.

[SilverMoon]

Ours stand up in a bookshelf. We put a bookshelf in the corner of the dining room for all the current school books to live on. One shelf is devoted to history and science spines, along with the literature the kids are currently reading. The next one has all the workbooks and core books my middle two students use, along with all the books they can choose from for literature. The third shelf is devoted to the oldest two, and their literature is on the bottom shelf. A rack like you'd see in a doctor's office sits on top for holding their clipboards, along with a pencil holder, can of erasers, math manipulatives, and such.

 

The books that get used infrequently but are still important live on my computer desk in the living room, which is where I sit to do most of the lesson planning.

[MerryAtHope]

I use the tower drawers. Love them! I didn't go with the "shoe-box" style for just the reason you mentioned--even looking at pictures of curled-up books drove me nuts!

 

Merry :-)