New School Room-IKEA Must Haves

[anmom]

We are remodeling soon and I will finally have a designated school room and able to get all of our "stuff" out of the dining and living room. IKEA is on my list of must do's while out of town next week. What items have you found to be most helpful in the organization of your books and supplies? 

[bluemongoose]

Oh I just did this!

 

I have some Billy bookcases, some kallax shelves (they are deeper than Billy) with a desk attached to one of them for me, trofast tall frames and the wall frames, alex drawer for under desk, mike? Student desks for all the kids, wooden chairs from dining room section for kids seats, and the white plastic magazine holders can't remember name of them but they come in a two pack.

[anmom]

Oh I just did this!

 

I have some Billy bookcases, some kallax shelves (they are deeper than Billy) with a desk attached to one of them for me, trofast tall frames and the wall frames, alex drawer for under desk, mike? Student desks for all the kids, wooden chairs from dining room section for kids seats, and the white plastic magazine holders can't remember name of them but they come in a two pack.

 

Which desks and chairs did you end up getting for all of your kids? I have a couple on my shopping list to look at. 

[Cinder]

The Billy bookcases. One for the current year's stuff with one shelf per kid. My books are generally shelved by subject and history books/readers are by time period. They've held up pretty well over the years--even the one with a shelf full of Rod and Staff English books.

 

My other supplies are from Walmart or the Dollar Tree. Small Dollar baskets hold index cards, glue/tape supplies, other things in need of a catch-all. I use separate cups for pens, pencils, highlighters, scissors/hole punch/rulers. (You wouldn't believe how long it took me to figure out separate cups for each thing could make a difference. lol. I'm not a naturally organized person.) Walmart for office supplies like stacking "in baskets" to keep wide-rule paper separate from college-rule and standing file organizers (sorry, I can't find a pic--argh) to keep portfolios, colored cardstock, white cardstock, etc.

 

If having everything out in the open will bother you consider getting the doors. That's what I use for my craft area and it helps to be able to close the doors and reduce the visual clutter just a little. Have fun remodeling! We're in the midst of a remodel ourselves now that we're down to homeschooling only one. Except we're still on the cleaning out part. Ugh. :p

 

[Elizabeth 2]

I agree with either billy or Kallax. We have micke desks because my boys have to be separated. That sibling closeness isn't quite so valuable during school time. We picked up the least expensive chairs. They come in blue, red, or white. They're plastic Rolling chairs that work decently. I have one of the famous rocking chairs for me during school time. That's it for the big stuff. I find much of the value in ikea is in the small storage for other items.

 

In the business/desk supplies area, they have storage boxes. I used them to contain the little stuff. One has printer ink, one is teacher supplies, one has math manipulatives in it, etc. They are inexpensive, can be decorated by the kids (or not) and the sizes stack well on the billy bookcases. I like the magazine holders for clean writing paper, notebooks, divider pages, construction paper, card stock, and open printer paper. One has my homeschool catalogs in it.

 

Clocks and timers in the kitchen. Perfect for time management here.

 

Never underestimate the calming value of a candle during reading time. They have pretty holders and I like their candles, both scented and unscented.

 

Have fun!

[JudoMom]

Here's a post with pictures of our school room.

I had already purchased some of the bookshelves before IKEA opened, so I just bought the rest to match.  If I didn't have those, I would've purchased Kallax from IKEA (I've got those in the attached playroom, and they're so sturdy.

Edited February 15, 2017 by JudoMom

[Tasha]

We use the Ivar shelving, and have a whole wall of shelves and a computer desk. I really liked the billy bookcases, but I wasn't sure how well they would hold up to our frequent moves. But the Ivar is nice too; I have plans to stain with a dark stain this spring.

[Elizabeth 2]

We use the Ivar shelving, and have a whole wall of shelves and a computer desk. I really liked the billy bookcases, but I wasn't sure how well they would hold up to our frequent moves. But the Ivar is nice too; I have plans to stain with a dark stain this spring.

Oh! I can answer on the resiliency of the Billy's. We bought one. It moved four times in ten years. We got a second one three years later. It was only ever in that house. Even with three kids, the one we got first looked like the second one after three months of heavy use. The kids did learn really quickly I do not stand for climbing or laying on the shelves though. But as far as books, etc. wearing it out, not a problem.

 

*I'm an Ikea fan if you couldn't tell. Edited because my brain edits faster than my fingers.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Elizabeth 2

[bluemongoose]

Desks for kids were the Micke ones the small one with the one drawer (in black/brown) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30213076/

I needed to get 5 desks in the one room (4 student desks, and one for me). If I had less students or more space I would have gotten these: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80213074/

 

They are not super nice. They are fine though. And inexpensive which is why I feel comfortable with it. My boys are a bit hard on furniture still. 

 

This is my desk http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09046555/#/S19046550

 

and these are the chairs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00211088/

 

Hopefully my links work.

 

[momacacia]

I would put everything in Besta cabinets and hide it all with doors. I have this in my laundry room and love it! In white...it would be black in the school room (old dining room). Bookshelves always look cluttered if they actually hold books and things you use...I would hide them with.doors. :)

[hellen]

We copied this table. It worked really well in our old house. It doesn't work quite as well in our new house because of the shape of the room. I really love the Alex drawers. Each kid has their own. It fits all of their school work plus pencils, erasers, etc.

 

http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/08/our-ikea-school-desks.html

 

We have Billy bookcases with books and art supplies. I tried a Kallax in the room bit it didn't look right. I have a Trofast in the room but I don't love the way it looks.

 

Know the dimensions of your room before you go. Pay special attention to the depth of everything.