How do you store all your homeschooling stuff?

[ReadingMama]

I've got the books and papers covered. I'm talking about all the collections and art supplies and projects. Rock collections, leaf collections, stick collections, bottle cap collections, little metal things collection, stuff he finds on the floors of stores collection, completed projects, uncompleted projects, projects to begin at some point, etc... I've tried the everything-in-clear-plastic-totes thing and it doesn't really work at my house because my dear sweet boy leaves things all over the place. He wants to see his stuff, not have it in boxes.

[1growingsprout]

be darned if i know... we have the same problem....

[joandsarah77]

How do you store all your homeschooling stuff?

Ahhrrr...all over the house? Hmmm kitchen table, craft cubpoard, another cupboard, another table, on the walls, in some draws....
Where isn't it!

[mommy2abigail]

If he has a bunch of little things, how about one of those tool organizers? The ones with a bunch of tiny drawers. I know he wants to see his stuff, but maybe if there was a place *he* could file them away, it may work? My other thought was clear mason jars (the ones used for making jams' and jellies). That way they would be organized, but visible. Our local craft store has them in a few different sizes, so you wouldn't just be stuck with the big ones. (I didn't see how old he is, but assuming he would be ok with glass jars) HTH

[bwylde]

lol, this is what seperates us from everyone I know in terms of being able to keep a clean house. The kids want everything out because they are never finished with them so I live in perpetual mess. No solution other than I had to divide my living room in half so we could each have our space (although the kids still prefer to have everything underfoot or where they lay, so it wasn't a good solution).

[smocklets]

I like the Mason jar idea, that would be attractive. We save our plastic coffee containers and use them for small collections, art supplies, ect. And our coat closet just has shelves so that we can keep things close but behind a door. this isn't a perfect solution- we still always have lots of stuff out, and I don't have another perfect place to put the coats.

[mommymarliah]

haha are we supposed to store stuff?

I keep the paints on top of the fridge, have a drawer in the kitchen for crayons paper, glue and art stuff. And my hutch has been taken over by fabric, wool, and sewing/craft supplies.


Everything else just falls where it may

When I vacuum I pick it up and put it on the shelves or playstands but withing minutes its back down on the floor

My biggest thing is I try to minimize! I keep only the toys that are heavily played with (and very few of them) and we got rid of all our old used up crayola type art supplies when we ordered stockmar stuff. Also I keep only plain coloring paper and watercolor paper for art, all the coloring books were either donated to the goodwill or thrown out.

So I don't really organize, I just continally phase out things that arent in the everyday rotation

[folkypoet]

We keep collections of small stuff in "display boxes" - really just old printers' boxes, like this - on the wall. These are easy to find at thrift stores and are perfect for things like fossils, rocks, small miscellaneous items, and such. He can see all of them and rearrange them endlessly, but they're not being constantly tripped over, and the individual pieces are never lost.

For coin collections, we use books and piggy banks. For card collections, we use binders with plastic pocket sheets, as well as card boxes. Neat stamps are kept in an album. Beautiful nature-y objects usually get incorporated into play and live out their days in a wooden castle on the dresser. Beautiful pieces of glass (marbles, beach glass, dragon's tears) become counters for games, and we keep them on the kitchen table in a wooden bowl. We fill decorative bowls around the house with rocks he doesn't want to display individually. Artwork often finds its way to the walls - sometimes framed, sometimes not. Beautiful leaves and flowers are pressed and then kept in scrapbooks - sometimes labeled, sometimes not. Photos are put into albums. Art supplies live in his desk.

You know, you might ask this question in the decluttering forum. Many of the posters there have great storage ideas.

[lauracd]

Subbing....I've been looking around thrift shops for a big cabinet or something. We're starting to run out of space too and my kids are only 5 and 3.:

[annab]

This is such a hard one. All of our math manipulatives are on the top of the piano, but any other math items are in the living room. No logic. Art stuff is all on one shelf. I see that as progress toward something. Books are freakin' everywhere, but I like that. My notes and planning and record binders are in the office.

What I want is something like this: IKEA
I want to have a portion that is behind doors, but some of the books and frequently-used items on a shelf for inspiration.


My greatest struggle is our science items. I need them to be portable so that I can take them with us to the park and what not. It needs to be organized in the car and easy to carry when we are on the trails. I tried various sizes of tackle box so that I could have slots for the little things like paper clips, rubber bands, balloons, tweezers, etc. This place has the best that I have found for portability so far. This is my favorite so far.

The science stuff is what kills me. Binoculars, sketch pads, field guides, water, vinegar, bugnoculars, magnifying glasses, writing utensils, good heavens! The accessories are never ending!!

[frogguruami]

I just added some photos for the April Office Area Challenge of my HS area in case you are interested.

[BeasleyQ]

Pictures

Just a suggestion I read somewhere - although putting it into practice is a little more difficult.
Take pictures (highest quality digital you can afford) of everything, then store the actual "remains" of the project for about 6 months. After 6 months, toss everything possible.
For older children, have them place the pictures in a notebook with explanation of the project (you know, date started, date completed, etc.) These can later be used as info for people needing to show "proof" of homeschooling.
Little ones may or may not be content with viewing their collection in a book, but then, a new rock collection can always be started again (of course, I would keep the really special rocks).
Just hope this helps...

[Ruthla]

I don't know, but I have just as much trouble with the ones in school bringing stuff home!