During these first years of my journey on the homeschool road, I have turned to the internet countless times looking for resources and advice. I have researched curriculums and looked at example schedules and printed many a free coloring page. But one of my most recurring searches has been “homeschooling in a small space.”
Our family does not have a dedicated homeschool room, and there are certain logistical challenges in this reality.
Unfortunately, most of my searches have yielded unattainable spaces and goals. I have seen dining rooms used as homeschool rooms (brilliant idea…but we have no dining room). I have seen playroom/schoolroom mashups (we have no playroom). Believe it or not, I have even seen families living and homeschooling on converted buses (this is an admirable feat, but not one I intend to recreate).
Of course, each of these homeschool room tours and list of tips has given me an idea or two, or has jump-started some creative thinking, but I have yet to see a set-up quite like our own.
And so, if anyone else is seeking inspiration for homeschooling in a small space, here is our setup. (Keep reading for more “broad stroke” tips on homeschooling in a small space.)
We do not have a dedicated room, or even a corner. We do have what I call “The School Wall.”
The School Wall
This is a narrow wall between our kitchen and living room, opposite our little eating nook. Because our kitchen table is where most school time takes place, this wall is a convenient place to keep supplies, books, and visuals we want in sight.
This space is narrow, and is also the walkway between the kitchen and the living room, so big bulky shelves or drawers do not fit the bill. My husband built two shelves for books and math manipulatives. They sandwich two magnetic boards purchased at IKEA nearly 15 years ago. I am currently using a rolling cart to hold books, flashcards, notebooks, etc. It sticks a bit too far out from the wall for my liking, and isn’t making the most of our narrow wall. My dream is to have a cart narrow enough to take up less of our walkway that would also roll into a spot in our spare room for those times when company is over, and we want the cart of books out of the way.
Sometimes, we have to make do with what we have on hand. Oftentimes, we need to tweak things a few times before finding just the right system or storage.
My sweet husband has plans to make me something a little better suited to the space. Update hopefully to come in the near future!
The Overflow
Because this space is small, I only keep what we are currently using on “the wall”. I store materials for future units, or resources not used regularly in our spare room. You might notice that this picture is different from the previous picture I shared of our spare room shelf. I recently rearranged our spare room to better suit our current needs. (I also recycled a boxful of last year’s schoolwork, and passed a big load of stuff on to the thrift store.) As a family with young and growing children, our needs and seasons seem to be constantly changing, and I find it helpful to resist the temptation to be too committed to a certain set-up or system.
Homeschool books and resources from previous years that I want to use again are stored on a shelf in the master walk-in closet (also home to our “family closet“).
Tips for Setting Up Your Homeschool in ANY Space!
Use what you have.
We have a weird narrow wall between rooms. It is a wall that would be otherwise “dead space” – certainly not a place for furniture or much else. By going narrow and vertical, we have been able to add precious storage space. No one designed this space to be used as a homeschool hub, but it is working for us! Those orange magnet boards, rolling cart, and little red organization caddy were things we already had around our house. It can certainly be fun to shop for organization bins and baskets and baubles, but it isn’t necessary, and you probably have a few things you can find right in your own home.
The only things purchased for this space this year are:
- The pointer hand/stick
- A magnetic pen and pencil holder
- Magnetic tins (I am currently using them to store chalk and erasers)
I purchased all of those items at the Dollar Tree. Read more about this year’s back-to-school gems here.
Think vertically!
If you are working with a small space, vertical storage can be a lifesaver. Whether you are organizing homeschool supplies, your cassette collection, or puzzles..look up. Wall shelves can give you storage without sacrificing floor space. And…bonus!…if you live with young children (or pets), wall shelves can be a very convenient way to keep certain things out of reach.
Make your setup something you don’t mind looking at each day.
You don’t have to turn your dining room into a school room. (But you can! The space and the choice is yours.) You should consider your own aesthetic and preferences when creating your homeschool setup, especially when you are homeschooling in a smaller space. Are you drawn to bright colors? Do you love art prints and patterns? Does a minimal aesthetic soothe bring you peace? Consider what sort of a set up will be pleasant to be in each day – even when you aren’t doing schoolwork. Don’t forget to look beyond the back-to-school aisle, and consider ways to repurpose other decor and organization items for use in your homeschool set up.
If you take my earlier advice and shop your own home for storage bins and supplies, it will help to create a space that blends in well with the rest of your home.
Consider the needs of YOUR family.
There are a plethora of useful, exciting, and downright beautiful homeschool books and resources out there. But no family can have them all. When homeschooling in a smaller space, we have to be even more thoughtful about what we choose. Prioritize the resources that are the most important and helpful for your family. Do you have a kinesthetic learner under your roof? Then by all means, make room for all the manipulatives! Maybe you have a child who excels with flashcards – dedicate shelf space to this important resource. But if you and your child feel a sense of dread when the flashcards come out – get rid of them and make room for something you will use with joy.
The Bottom Line
Organizing homeschool supplies in a small space can be daunting, but it can be done. Remember to prioritize, declutter regularly, and consider “multipurpose” spaces.
And, believe it or not, most of the families I know with homeschool rooms find themselves doing school in the living room or at the kitchen table more often than not. You’re in good company.