A Homeschool Mom's Workspace?

[Plink]

Where do you do your planning?  How do you keep your own things organized?  

 

I need to re-vamp my current system which can basically be described as "flop on the couch with my laptop then realize I need something else and bounce up, repeat a dozen times, accomplish practically nothing."  Advice please!

 

I'm a visual person, so bonus points for anyone who can share photos.

[OneStepAtATime]

I keep immediately needed materials for school on a book cart.  I also keep my planner/reference materials on that same cart.  If I need to work on something I make sure everything I need is on the cart and roll the cart to a quiet corner.  I just pull stuff off the cart as needed.  The cart then rolls back into a quiet corner and is ready for school the next day.  I also keep a latch-able bin for all my office supplies right on that cart (pens, pencils, small calculator, ruler, etc).  Spare notebook and blank paper is also in a paper holder on the cart.  

 

Amazon has many Sandusky carts that are preassembled, incredibly rugged, have great wheels, etc.  The price various pretty widely over the course of time so I just plopped mine into my cart and waited for the price to drop to something I was willing to pay.  LOVE my cart.  :)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sandusky-SL327-09-Welded-Shelves-Capacity/dp/B00DYA4ZLS/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1425489909&sr=1-3

[Alte Veste Academy]

I have a u-shaped system. I have my own desk in the center, joined on one side with a large work table (where I do one-on-one teaching with my kids) and on the other with a smaller, low table with baskets below (on which I keep my printer, pencil sharpener, and pen/highlighter holder; the baskets contain cords, printer inker refills, paper of every type and color, etc.). I also have a 3 tier cart on wheels with all manner of school supplies. I have a comfy office chair on wheels that spins so I can turn this way or that and easily reach the bookshelves and buffet with our current materials just behind me. I keep a file/desk organizer on the buffet when I am working. I also have pretty coasters. :D When I sit down to work, whether planning or teaching, I don't have to scramble for anything.

[Guest]

Following this thread.

 

I set up a desk and bought a comfy chair. The 13yo took it over as his school spot.

 

Grrr.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Following this thread.

 

I set up a desk and bought a comfy chair. The 13yo took it over as his school spot.

 

Grrr.

 

Yeah, DH steals the chair sometimes. The kids each try to sit there, but I make them move. I plan to buy more, as I get the funds, as the kids grow. Truth is my chair is much more comfy and probably much better for them physiologically than the wooden chairs...even with the cute chair pads. LOL

[Runningmom80]

Oh, great thread!  I'm a laptop on the couch girl at the moment.  We have a book cart for all of our homeschool stuff, so my planner just sits on that.  I should really come up with something more efficient.

[Lara in Colo]

I have a U shaped workspace-- my desk in front, my work space in back, my shelves of TM's within arms reach.  It is still a mess most of the time, but at least I can have several projects going at once (planning Am History for HS, grading current stuff, research for next weeks science lessons etc....) My back table doubles as my sewing table-- I never get to the sewing, but there is hope!!

 

[Mom22ns]

I'm a laptop on the couch kinda gal too. However, downstairs in the family room, I have a set of bookshelves that I can reach from one end of the couch. One of those shelves has all the TMs that I am currently using and I do work from there a lot. I also have a crate that I take to the upstairs couch with me for planning. I'll put everything I need for a subject in it, take it upstairs, then when we are all doing our own thing in the living room, I can work on the plan for "x' subject next year. I keep that one mobile so I can get it out of the living room when I want to.

[happypamama]

I have a big old (ugly but very functional) office desk that is mine. It's in our schoolroom, facing a wall, and it holds my computer, the inbox for work I need to check, and the globe. It also has space and a charging cord for my tablet. And the kids pencil boxes are currently living there because the baby dumps them out if they're on the kids' tables. My ProClick is also currently residing there for lack of a better space, as is a big stack of books that I'm using for next year's planning. It has pull out desks and drawers where I keep manipulatives, science materials, printer ink, my office supplies, etc. The printer has its own stand, to the left of my desk, tucked into the corner, and next to that (around the corner, if that makes sense, ninety degrees from my desk) is a cabinet. On top of that cabinet is the crate for books we don't use every day, but which are in current rotation, and in the cabinet are different kinds of paper, art supplies that only come out under my supervision, etc. To the left of that cabinet is a table with our reference books and a crate for completed work and binders on top, and shelves for bins for early learning activities underneath.

 

I do most of my major planning at this desk, and it's one of my favorite things about my schoolroom. (Books we aren't using currently live on a shelf upstairs because I don't have room to keep them down in the schoolroom fulltime.). Then I do small stuff via tablet while sitting in bed.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Where do you "laptop on the couch" people put all of your stacks of papers and piles of books? And how do you go through papers and books with a laptop on your lap? I can't imagine working without a (ginormous :D ) solid surface.

[happypamama]

Also, one of the best purchases I have ever made was multiple charging cords. Between DH and I, we have two iDevices that use the same cord, and three of that cord. One lives in the kitchen where we keep keys, bags, and that sort of stuff. One lives next to my side of the bed so I can check things and all from bed, and the other stays attached to the wall next to my desk. It has been SO worth the extra money not to have to hunt for cords. (We also have multiples for the Kindle and the kids' tablet for the same reason.)

[lllll]

..

[73349]

Where do you "laptop on the couch" people put all of your stacks of papers and piles of books? And how do you go through papers and books with a laptop on your lap? I can't imagine working without a (ginormous :D ) solid surface.

 

What papers?

 

I have a pile of books. I have one at a time on the couch with me (along with sticky flags and the laptop and the cat) and the rest stacked on the floor.

 

When I'm done with the whole pile, I put the books back where they go. Usually. :)

[Cottonwood]

I have a crafters tote bag like THIS ONE full of every conceivable pen/marker/pencils/erasers/glue sticks/dry erase markers/scissors/post it notes, etc etc.  It holds a massive amount of stuff.  It comes out in the morning and stays next to me.  I never have to get up for anything this way.  

 

Each kid has a 3-4 inch Case It 3 ring Binder...referred to as their Main Binder.  It has all subjects but math inside.  In the accordion section are their text books (spiral MBTP books aren't that thick).  On the rings are dividers for each subject.   In front of the tabs is just blank lined paper!  If there's anything on top of the blank paper, it needs my attention (grading) or theirs (graded, now correct and/or file!)  Every morning they look to see what was checked the day before, correct what needs it, then they file it under the correct subject tab. They also have a math binder each, set up the same way.  Only math materials go here.  

 

Each kid has their own small planner where I indicate daily what is to be done.  It stays in their main binder.  I mean, through the day it floats around if they float around.  But if I need it later while grading, I betta find it in the binder! lol   They are completely responsible for eveyrthing associated with the binders and planner.   Keep everything in correct tabs, hole-punched, text books stuffed back into the accordion section.  If they can't find something I shrug and ask why it wasn't filed.  If they can't seem to find it, it's either a zero or they can redo it, taking away from some of their screen time.  I don't touch the binders except to grade the work..and they also get a binder grade as well.  Big responsibility years here.  

 

 

SO, when I need to plan or grade, I grab my craft tote and all 4 binders.  I settle in to somewhere comfy.  I have a tv tray that's the perfect height that stays next to my couch.  I pull it near to me and set my computer and fav coffee drink on it.  Binder in use on my lap.  Flip through the work in the front of each binder, use materials from my tote to grade.  Take planner from same binder, flip through text books to write assignments down.  File text books back into accordion section, place planner back in same binder, zip up.  Grab math binder, grade, close.  Grab 2nd kid's binder, unzip, grade, assign in planner found in binder, close back up.  Same for math binder.  Type in grades on computer in front of me on TV stand as I go.  Tuck supplies back into craft tote.  Tell a kid to put binders/craft tote back into closet.  Shove TV tray back, relax finish coffee.

 

Printer is wireless so along the way I click PRINT when needed.  Collect all printed pages at the end.  The printer is in a small study about 10 steps from couch where all additional school supplies, atlases, drawers full of science materials, reference materials, etc., live.  Printer is on small card table next to the Mom basket.  I toss printed stuff in mom basket.  the next day, I get the papers and give to the kid needing it and they need to file it where it goes in binder, for coming work. 

 

In reality I go through the binder checking/tv stand process once a week because checking middle school work daily is just not something I have time for more often than that.  Since I'm around for math, I do get my eyeballs on that alongside the kid daily and my oldest checks her own daily so the once a week thing for math is just to enter grades and make sure the binder is in order.  

 

This system is super efficient, I never get up till the end, everything is literally in one place and there's no mess.  I used to have an entire basement dedicated to being a school room and in the end, all I really needed was a place for the extra, non daily stuff to live till needed, a craft tote and binders! 

[Alte Veste Academy]

What papers?

I may or may not have a paper problem. I will not inflict it upon you (if indeed I do have a paper problem).

 

:leaving:

[Plink]

Also, one of the best purchases I have ever made was multiple charging cords. Between DH and I, we have two iDevices that use the same cord, and three of that cord. One lives in the kitchen where we keep keys, bags, and that sort of stuff. One lives next to my side of the bed so I can check things and all from bed, and the other stays attached to the wall next to my desk. It has been SO worth the extra money not to have to hunt for cords. (We also have multiples for the Kindle and the kids' tablet for the same reason.)

This is pure genius!  The charger is the thing I hop up for most consistently.

 

Where do you "laptop on the couch" people put all of your stacks of papers and piles of books? And how do you go through papers and books with a laptop on your lap? I can't imagine working without a (ginormous :D ) solid surface.

Herein lies the root of my problem.  I don't want to admit that I use as many papers and books for planning as I really do.   :001_rolleyes:

 

[In2why]

Each kid has a fabric box with handles for their day to day subjects. I also have one for myself that includes binders and subjects that are combined. When I plan I usually spread out on my bed with the boxes beside me. We also have 4 book shelves. One is filled with curricula that we aren't using, yet, and supplies. One bookshelf is reference materials. Different encyclopedias, anthologies, and research materials. We also have a bookshelf where each shelf is divided by Science and History and subsets of those subjects. Last we have a bookshelf of fiction divided by literature on top and fiction that covers science and history. At this point I know what is on the shelves and what we own so I rarely need to jump up and grab anything. We used to have a dedicated class room but we didn't use it. Plus we get in a groove so the planning isn't a big deal anymore.

[Sammish]

I did something a little different with planning this year, and it's made my weekly planning so easy. Over the summer I sat down and basically followed Donna Young's subject planner method: for each subject, on one of her subject sheets I wrote down what we'd do for the year. (They're basically sheets of boxes, with five across and 9 down on each side. I use one row per week.) So if it's a "do the next thing" curriculum like ELTL, I just wrote the lesson numbers down in each box. We do science twice a week using RSO, so I'd write each of the days' pages to cover in a box, and then in the third box for the week I'd write what we need for that week's science experiments, and highlighted the things we don't normally have on hand, so they stood out. For math I have a list of topics I'd like to cover, so I just listed them out, with their page numbers, one per week. And if I found some activity that would go well with that topic, I listed it in that "week." I even have a page for "fun math," where I listed out games and interesting pages from Mathemagic and Family Math, so I don't forget about them during the school year.

 

I keep all of these pages (one for each subject) in a folder in my planner. Then when the weekend rolls around, I pull out the subject pages, cross off the things we accomplished that week, and then write the next thing in my planner. When I get to the science sheet I check that we have everything we need for the experiment that week, and also glance at upcoming weeks, to see if there's any highlighted supplies I should start looking for. So all I need to plan are my planner, a pencil, and my subject pages. It required more work up front, but once I got in the groove for each subject it went pretty quickly. And now weekly planning is very quick, and I don't have to reinvent the wheel each week with figuring out what to do next. 

 

I do my planning at our school desk, which has our pens and pencils on one of those rotating organizer things, and all of our books and supplies are on a bookshelf behind my chair. (I only have the one kid, so we fit on one bookshelf :)) But I could theoretically do it anywhere. 

[blackjackoaktree]

I have a binder system kind of like candmforever, and two huge canvas bags from L.L. Bean. (I only mention the brand because I've never seen huge canvas bags like they have anywhere else.) Since I am sometimes here and sometimes doing planning at the library, I need to be mobile. I usually set up on the kitchen table if I need to sprawl!

[Plink]

I have a binder system kind of like candmforever, and two huge canvas bags from L.L. Bean. (I only mention the brand because I've never seen huge canvas bags like they have anywhere else.) Since I am sometimes here and sometimes doing planning at the library, I need to be mobile. I usually set up on the kitchen table if I need to sprawl!

 

Love the word sprawl!  That is a perfect description of what happens during deep planning sessions.

 

Welcome to the boards BlackJackOakTree!!!  I love it when "newbies" (new here - perhaps not new to homeschooling or even new to reading posts here, but new nonetheless) jump in with helpful ideas.