Homeschool Room Ideas: 5 Must-Haves in Your Homeschool Room
If you’ve dedicated a space for educating your kids, chances are you’re looking for a few homeschool room ideas. In this post I’ll share my top must-have suggestions for what to include in your own homeschool room when you’re getting started.
Don’t have a homeschool room? No worries!
A homeschool space isn’t required for the things I’d like to share with you. The idea behind my suggestions is to give you ideas of things that might make homeschooling your kids easier.
In some cases these things may not appeal to you. Or you may not have access to them. Even then, there are ways to improvise.
As always, keep your kids and unique family dynamic in mind as you choose things to put in your homeschool room or space.
5 Must-Have Things to Put in Your Homeschool Room
Storage Solutions
If you’ve been homeschooling for any amount of time, then you know the amount of stuff that can accumulate.
Between supplies, science equipment, and homeschool curriculum, your home can seem like one big classroom. And that gets overwhelming if you don’t have an organization system in place.
Having storage solutions will help you cut back on the clutter and keep everything nice and tidy in one area.
The top go-to storage solutions I like are:
- Bookshelves
- Storage bins (clear or colored)
- Baskets
- Storage carts
I use bookshelves to store much more than books. We use bins and baskets to store odds and ends such as magnet packs, card games, craft supplies and so on.
I also like storage bins especially for homeschooling multiple kids.
Each child gets their own bin with the supplies and materials catered to what they’re learning. The same goes for baskets and storage carts. And don’t forget to keep some space aside for your own homeschool mom planner, etc.
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Tables and/or Desks
Although you may not want a traditional classroom style for your homeschool and home, a desk and/or tables makes it easier to keep everyone in the room (or space) during learning times. Depending on how many kids you’re homeschooling, you may want to get one big table that can sit several kids.
We have homeschooled at our kitchen table or dining table many, many times. In fact, until a couple of years ago, we didn’t even have a homeschool room. So all of our supplies “lived” in cabinets and shelves in our kitchen. This made it easy to grab what we needed and work away at the kitchen table.
Want your kids to have their own workspaces? Consider desks with enough space for multiple kids and storage. Individual tables and desks also work well if you have a varying age of kids who do better sitting apart.
Writing Supplies
Beyond pencil and paper, dry erase and chalkboards are a classic for homeschooling families. From personal, paper-sized dry erase boards to big ones you can hang on the wall, these simplify teaching. Instead of scrambling for paper and pencil to draw a diagram or make a point, you have what you need right at your fingertips.
Store smaller writing supplies in your kids’ personal storage bin or a space in their desk. Then hang the bigger stuff on a wall.
In addition to these things, don’t forget to keep plenty of:
- Coloring pencils
- Markers
- Erasers
- Dry erase markers
- Highlighters
- Permanent markers
- Chalk
Computer(s) and Internet
As much as some of us would like to live completely off grid (okay, I do homeschool off the grid), having a computer and internet service can do wonders for homeschoolers.
Whether you plan to incorporate online learning or need to look up a project, having these are considered essential in every homeschool.
Printer and Laminator
I’m pairing these two together because they do go hand in hand. Homeschooling moms print a ton of papers from printable planners and journals to worksheets or full digital curriculum. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve spent more time than you’ll admit researching the best printer for stickers.
Having a good printer can save you money and make homeschooling easier. Add a laminator and you can easily make your own reusable resources (as long as copyright allows). These two are a must in the homeschool room.
Where to Find Supplies for Your Homeschool Room
Now that you have an idea of some must-haves to consider putting in your homeschool room, let’s talk about places to find these supplies.
One of my first go-to places is Amazon. However, I’m discovering that it isn’t always the smartest option.
With the rise of Facebook groups for homeschoolers, you can come across some buy and sell groups and land some pretty good deals.
Beyond these two, check with your local Wal-Mart, Office Max/Home Depot, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby. These places often have sales of some kind and you can most likely find some good coupons. You know, some things are simply better purchased brand new, and some things need to be (like paper and pens.) Other things, such as furniture and even curriculum, are fine to get refurbished or gently used.
As you stock your homeschool room, use these ideas to help put things in there you know you’ll use.
If you feel like it’s getting cluttered, take a step back and see if what you have is something you really need. Make every effort to only invest in things you know you’ll get use out of. It will save you lots of money in the long run!
I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a dedicated homeschool room? What are some of the things you consider must-have supplies? And what’s your favorite homeschool supplies source?
Hi there! Love these tips. Wondering what printer you use? I’m looking to upgrade our current printer & am overwhelmed with all the options. Thanks!!
Hi Jodi!
Thanks for your comment. I use an HP Envy 4500 printer with a monthly subscription for the print cartridges. I’m usually printing between 50 and 100 pages per month so this works out to be cheaper than buying individual cartridges at Staples.
Oh yes, the stuff! This year we added a lap desk and that has been more useful than I could have ever imagined. Especially for “wiggly days”, lol. I wish we had done that sooner!