The home we live in doesn’t have a school room, just a large open L-shaped room that serves as living room, dining room, sewing room, library, school room, and occasionally a bedroom.
When you add my sewing cabinet and all the STUFF you need to homeschool the room can get crowded and unattractive.
My first passion was to organize the supplies we use every day. We tried school boxes for each kid, but they never held all the supplies they each needed.
At first, each kid had their own crayons. Then, we had a huge box of community crayons. It seemed easier to keep most school supplies in a community stash.
I had my heart set on an old, wooden portion of a library card catalogue, until I saw the prices. I The Lord found something that worked even better. I say the Lord because when I found this piece of furniture, it was an answer to prayer. Everytime I look at this piece, I am thankful for His provision.
Each drawer holds only one type of item. One drawer holds all my glues. Another holds all the tapes. Other items assigned a drawer are scissors, edging scissors, paints, rubber stamps, skinny markers, fat markers, coloring crayons, flashcards, pens and pencils, and dry erase markers.
When we need colored pencils, we put that drawer on the table. The dresser gets a lot of wear and tear, but since shabby chic is in style, I don’t mind the paint wearing off the edges.
In 11 years, when I am done homeschooling, I’m pretty sure I can come up with a few other uses for this amazing piece of furniture.
But for now, the crayons aren’t everywhere, they’re in one of the little black drawers.
And I have a great reminder from Jehovah Jireh, My Provider, who provided something more importantthan a place to keep my crayons. He provided salvation for my soul through His Son, the Lord Jesus.
Today…just this very day…one of my twinkies gave her brother a nice little hole in his forehead WITH A PENCIL. I am telling you, we may switch to doing school on a magnadoodle and throwing away pencils if they keep this up 😉 BTW, my oldest has a blog of her own. She blogs about her homeschooling and such. However, it is locked. I'd love to invite you and your family to visit it. She is 7. I have no idea how to swap emails via blog world without publishing them for all to see. If I "subscribe by email" to yours, will you be able to find my email?
Oh, Queenie, if only I had a pencil solution I am SURE I would have less gray hair. I don't want to tell you how many hours have been wasted during the past 17 years looking for a sharp pencil. Despite color coordinated school boxes fully stocked and cupboards full of supplies, you're right, those naughty pencils just bring me such frustration!Don't get me started on finding a pencil sharpener that works…
Does it come with toddler boy proof handles? 😉 If it does, I need two! And pencils…any magic for keeping those tools of education from being such naughty creatures? I am quite sure pencils are really living cretures that come alive when moms aren't looking, only to wreak havoc on our homes. They also sharpen themselves to nubs, and lose their own erasers from time to time…or so my children proclaim. We have tried all shapes, sizes, and sorts of pencils. ALL of them are naughty. 😉
My Mom has said many, many times that in order to homeschool you need to have a HUGE house. Especially when you decide to homeschool all six of your kids. Her house never got bigger though and we all survived in 1300 square feet. 🙂 (There are so many lessons to be learned in squishy living!)It truly amazes me to see and be reminded that God cares about even little things in our lives. Little things to Him but big to us – having an organized dresser for supplies to help our days go smoother. What a God of love!