If you’re considering homeschooling next year, or you already homeschool, you’re in good company. Nationwide, the homeschooling movement continues to grow, and Wilmington, North Carolina is no exception. Just last year, the number of home schools in our state grew by over 6,000. That represents 86,753 “schools” with anywhere from 135,000 to upwards of 200,000 students. To put that into perspective, about one in ten North Carolina K-12 students learn their lessons from the comfort of their own home.
 
While there are plenty of benefits that come with homeschooling, making the switch does require your own dedicated learning space. In this case, having a well-organized, multipurpose classroom is essential. Butorganization with young learners in mind can be easier said than done. For intuitive storage solutions of all sizes and types, our team of designers and installers at Strickland’s Home can help. Here, a few suggestions on how you can streamline your space for academic success with custom homeschooling organization.

1. Dedicate space for a drop-off zone.  Chances are, one of your fondest memories of touching down at school was heading for your cubby to drop off your backpack and lunchbox. Help your child move from hanging out at home to working on their education (and vice versa!) by creating a drop-off zone for their school supplies, textbooks, and backpack right by the door. Open cubbies with hooks and shelving allow for your students to organize their possessions and maintain a tidy space.
2. Invest in lots of open storage with room to grow. When it comes to custom homeschooling organization, versatility and flexibility are key, especially if you have learners of multiple ages under the same roof. Add open storage shelving for art supplies, paper, books and notebooks, science equipment, and more. With sturdy adjustable shelving, you’ll be able to accommodate additional textbooks and supplies as your children progress with each school year.
3. Arrange your shelving bottom-up by age. Some school supplies are best kept out of reach - especially if your youngest learners have a habit of making a mess. Make sure to organize your children’s itemswith their height (and yours!) in mind. Keep children’s books and everyday supplies at lower levels; toys and special occasion supplies mid-level; and extra office and cleaning supplies up top.
4. Use color-coded bins and baskets. Because your classroom serves as a space for science experiments, math lessons, arts and crafts, and essay-writing, among other things, you’ll need to differentiate your storage. Use bins and baskets of different colors and sizes to organize by topic, and be sure to label them, too.
5. Add built-in desk spaces. Help your children focus and build autonomy with individualized workspaces. Built-in desks with drawers provide plenty of storage for pencils, pens, and markers, as well as paper and notebooks. Even better, open storage above allows your children to display their proudest accomplishments, such as artwork, certificates, and trophies.
6. Compartmentalize your classroom. Create special spaces throughout your homeschooling room with divider shelving and bookcases, reading nooks, and even a downtime space with a foldaway Murphy bed. With expert space planning and design, you can add space to your classroom for multiple unique learning stations, similar to the Montessori style. 

Your Custom Homeschooling Organization
Whether you’re a long-time homeschooler or considering the switch, you deserve to focus your attention on your child’s education. Leave the ins and outs of custom home organization to us! At Strickland’s Home, our designers will help you discover the perfect storage solutions for your space, with your entire inventory in mind. To get started, contact us for a free on-site consultation or visit our showroom to see our organization solutions.

Fred Kumpel is the owner of Strickland’s Home. The company, located at 5422 Oleander Drive, has four divisions, each with its own products showroom: Strickland’s Blinds, Shades & Shutters; Strickland’s Closets & Home Organization; Strickland’s Custom Garages; and Strickland’s Draperies & Fabrics. To learn more, visit StricklandsHome.com. Fred can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 910.762.0944.