Creating a School Storage Station – Part 1
I must admit this is not my first School Station. Master O is about to start his third year at school! Please don’t ask how that makes me feel!
Our first station looked like this.
This area was set up especially for Prep – Grade 1.
The drawers worked brilliantly, although his bag was a bit squashed in that bottom drawer I absolutely loved having those two top drawers for homework folders, library bags and everything that came along with going to school!
I also loved the Basket on top for our School File It Folder and storing notes.
But then…..once he got to Grade 1, the homeowrk increased, and once he changed schools, it increased again. This area was simply too distracting for homework. It also meant I had three sets of stationery areas. One in the playroom, one in this area and one in the study for myself. So we moved Master O into my study. We set up his desk and noticeboard and stationery across from me in the study. In general though come homeowrk time we all sit at my desk together! I have a huge L shaped desk and three chairs. Little Miss A sits across from me and does some phonics practice, drawing, cutting or experimental writing. Master O sits next to me so I can talk him through what he is doing. He is a very self sufficient and independent learner but I love to know what he is learning at school and the best way to do this and to be involved in homework. The big desk is also great for doing projects (which seem to take up so much room and get bigger each fortnight!)
I digress! So those handy drawers moved into the study and I took them over as my own as my desk has no drawers in it. So we went through the last part of last year with a great space for homework but no specific place for storing school stuff.
and that my friend is where we are at!
What do I need this space to do?
- Contain School Items
- Be easily accessible and at a childs height but alos be neat and tidy
- Be flexible in its arrangement for different children’s needs
1. So what do I need our School Station to contain;
- School Bags
- School Hats
- Homework/message Folders and Planners
- Library Bags
- School File It Folder
- Artwork Folder (Miss A)
- Sheet Bag (Miss A)
- Individual timetables/schedule
After careful thought I don’t want it to contain school shoes. School shoes and especially Kindy shoes have a habit of coming home full of sand. So they can stay in the garage!
How do I want to contain it so its neat and tidy, flexible and easily accessible?
- I think I need a combination of baskets, shelves, drawers and hooks.
- I dont want to hang the school bags. We have had bad luck with hooks in this house and I dont want any more damage to my walls.
- I also want the end solution to be flexible. I am still thinking about moving this station to the study so whatever I use I want to be able to relocate it easily. As they get older they can also then move it to their own bedroom.
- It has to be able to be configured in different ways for different children. Because my children are quite spaced apart in age (3+years and 4+Years) they are always going to have very different school needs. By the time Baby #3 starts school Master O will be starting High School! So I think each child needs their own station. Master O’s will need to be able to hold sports equipment and Little Miss A’s, a sheet bag for Kindy.
- It can’t be too tall. Little Miss A needs to be able to open and close everything herself.
After writing all this I am automatically thinking of my old friends IKEA Expedit and Trofast. The fact that the Trofast has both drawers and shelves and comes in a variety of heights has me thinking it may be the answer! Although the frames are both a similar price, it is much cheaper to buy the Trofast drawers and shelves (around $5) than buying baskets or drawers for an Expedit (between $10-20).
What will work in the space?
So this is where I am thinking. It is where everything else organisational is located and would make the space feel complete. I do worry as this space is at the opposite end of the house to the garage (where we enter the house) and the study (where we do homework). But for now I think its worth a try!
So let’s get planning!!!!
I am such a visual person that I had to literally piece it all together in pictures.
I will go into more detail tomorrow but you can start to get the idea!