These little craft caddies are so handy. Since we usually have school at the table and the desk is in the other room, I put together all the little things that I need through the day. Some things in this cute caddy:

• glue sticks
• stapler
• 3 hole punch
• reward stickers
• E-Z grader & red pen
• Dry Wipe markers, eraser & cleaner
• Sticky notes
• brads & paper clips
• tape
• hole reinforcements
• scissors
• small Bible

I also created a paper caddy with an accordion folder. In there I have all kinds of papers and handouts. It’s grab-and-go easy. These two little tools make homeschooling a little easier for us.

If you are like me you are always looking to improve your storage situation. With all the papers and books and other supplies your home can turn into a classroom in a hurry! What about thinking outside the box closet?…

This is the cutest craft closet ever and it is filled with great ideas. Click on the picture to see the slide show at Better Homes & Gardens magazine. It’s worth the time to see how they thought of creative ways to use things like luggage tags and plate racks.

I happen to love the  color scheme. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a space so bright and cheery to do your homeschool lessons? It would be hard to tear me away. And maybe it would help me stay caught up on my paperwork too. But the color scheme can be anything you like. If your family enjoys ocean blues or neutrals or graphic black and white, the space will still work just as well.

Have you put thought into how your homeshool space is put together? Not just the color, but the function of the space, the seating, the storage? I must admit that my homeschool space is less than inspiring but this little craft closet has awakened me to see the potential of that space. What can my homeschool space become, to facilitate learning and creativity?

If you have any storage solutions, questions, tips or even pictures of your HS space, please leave a comment.  Maybe you could post a picture of your problem and we can all offer solutions.

My mom gave me lots of BPA material. I’m not sure exactly where these notes came from, but they were good so I thought I’d share them here. This is full of Biblical Principles, although I didn’t take time to note them here. Feel free to leave a comment and share your own study with us.

How to Set Up Your Home for Learning

1. Attitude of approval–even when you correct, do it with approval.
2. Kids learn best where there is a single authority figure. Bonding is necessary. If there is no bonding, no learning will take place. If the child is not convinced of a person’s authority, they will not learn from that person.
3. Predictable environment. I believe that means to have a consistent schedule and place to work, whatever that means to your family.
4. Freedom to explore and manipulate their environment. Involvement is necessary for self-motivated learning. Learning is “answered curiosity.” In the final analysis, all learning is self-motivated.
5. Be careful to avoid over-stimulation, that is, too many things going on in the home while learning is taking place. It destroys the ability to concentrate and causes more mental confusion.
6. Initiatives and acheivement should be stressed. The value of achievement should be emphasized.
7. A clearly defined values system gives the child wisdom.
8. Teach the value of learning through reading.
9. Verbal exchanges between child and parent are important. Even a baby can remember words, they just can’t repeat them (subliminal learning).

According to the wisdom of Hebrew rabbis, the beginning of teaching a child is to study them for six months before you start.

The strong, structured family remains stable, no matter where you might move.