We are all working through some pretty historical but also completely uncharted territory right now. Many of us are continuing to work from home or taking on the new routine of what full-on virtual or at-home learning looks like for our families.
As an SLP (speech-language pathologist) in the schools, I prep my classroom every year to make sure it is a warm and welcoming environment that also feels organized and functional. If we are going to be working and learning from home this year, our homes are no different!
Can you remember a classroom that stood out to you as a child? Or maybe even as a parent? You can immediately walk in a space and know if it’s a nurturing environment that fosters learning!
As you’re approaching this new school year, this quick guide can serve as a starting point to help make your home be just that for the whole family.
Make It a Separate Space
It’s kind of like when we were in school. How much work would you get done in your dorm room full of distractions versus the structured library?
For our family, we not only have a separate designated space for work, but we also have separate spaces that are within earshot for both the adults and the kids.
The good news is you don’t have to go crazy or remodel your home (promise) to make it work well. Check out these must-haves that can fit in most spaces!
Must-haves:
- Table and chair set for young kids
- Desk for older children or parent (similar one here)
- Love the functionality of a portable desk or this laptop desk cart to move between spaces as needed!
- Desk for the fancy mama
- Typical office chair
- Not-so typical office chair
- If you’re a true unicorn and work better in comfy spaces, check out this bed desk!
Keep It Simple and Organized
We have teacher workdays in school and I encourage you to do the same! Start with lots of grace and seek out ways to plan, simplify, and organize your materials so it’s less stress during learning or working time.
Must-haves:
- Portable utility cart
- If you have young ones you need this Crayola kit to keep art supplies in one place
- Individual dry erase lapboards from Educate & Celebrate
- We use mason jars that were leftover from our wedding for markers, pens, and organizing but check out this sleek desk caddy!
- Functional cabinets for coloring books, crafts, etc. Or for older kids to separate their work by subject. Love these fun ombré color decals to make them super inviting!
Make It Welcoming
One of my favorite things to do is to throw some greenery and inspiration in my classroom. Your environment deeply impacts your mood and productivity.
I love how fresh a live plant can make a room feel and I have them in both my home and class!
Did you know that certain plants have air-purifying properties? The air inside your home can be more harmful (often 2-5 times more) than the air outside so these can serve a dual purpose of being pretty and purifying!
Must-haves:
- Our indoor plant of choice is a snake plant
- Bloom Daily planner is a great inexpensive planner
- Fancy desk accessories for mom because pretty paperclips actually do spark joy
- Fun paperclips for kids
- Positive mindset posters for kids (similar one here)
- Daily Desk Quotes for mom
- Daily Gratitude Journal
While this time is without a doubt going to be different, there are small things you can do to make it run as smooth as possible and make it feel good while we’re here!
Whether that’s sanity-saving-storage or some inspirational messages to get you through, I hope you feel encouraged that you can make your space what you need it to be for the year ahead!
If you need to be reminded today, you’re a great mama and no matter what the school year ahead holds, we got this!