Homeschool Classroom Makeover

I’ve been homeschooling our two youngest daughters since mid-October. Our classroom is in the back part of the bedroom they share. Over spring break, the three of us decided we needed a change of pace, not to mention scenery, so we re-designed our work space. Here’s what we did.

Our Homeschool Classroom, Before:

Our Homeschool Classroom, After:

Our Homeschool Classroom Makeover in Eight Easy Steps

My desk
Before: My desk was butted against a wall with an angled ceiling (of the “stand up too fast and bonk your head” type) and was a few feet away from the girls’ tables.
After: Now situated in the central part of the room, my desk is closer to the girls, closer to the windows, and away from the concussive ceiling.

The laser printer
Before: Our laser printer took up the left half of my desk. Hardly conducive to getting any real work done there.
After: I moved the printer (and our paper storage box) to a spot under my desk. It is still within reach, but no longer takes up any of my desk space.

The bookshelf
Before: The bookshelf with the ink jet printer and our supplies was seated against the back of my desk. Coupled with the angled ceiling, it made for a very claustrophobic feel.
After: Now occupying its own little section of the wall, the bookshelf is close enough for easy supply-grabbing, but doesn’t make us feel closed in.

Handwriting Alphabet Posters
Before: Barely visible in the before shot, these posters were too distant from the girls’ eyeballs to be useful.
After: The posters are now just a glance away.

Keyboard and small chalkboard easel
Before: These items were located in what I consider to be the room’s prime real estate: in front of the windows.
After: We reclaimed the area, with its natural light and view of the outdoors, for our own.

Reading area
Before: When I was planning our classroom, I remembered my teacher, Mrs. Plaster, had a little reading area in our first grade classroom which I adored, so I decided to create one. Turns out, Emma and Katelynn would rather crash on their own beds to read. The space was completely unused.
After: I nixed the reading area, but kept some reading material close at hand for each girl.

Wall Maps
Before: These maps were largely ignored, except during our weekly geography lesson.
After: I moved the maps directly in line with the girls’ tables, one opposite each girl. Hopefully, they will spark some extracurricular discussion and learning.

The girls’ work tables
Before: The tables were on their lowest setting, and we were “improvising” our seat choices.
After: I raised the tables up a couple of notches, and brought in some proper chairs. (Although I do miss sitting next to Katelynn on the trunk during math lessons.)

The side-by-side shot:

Symmetry played a big role in our re-design. In such a utilitarian space, symmetry makes us feel organized and motivates us to get more done.

Still, I think the best part, besides our being able to work in closer proximity to one another, is now we all have a view out the windows, so we can watch spring arrive. YAY SPRING!