10 Cool Homeschool Room Setup Ideas & Supplies You Need

Want some ideas to help set up your classroom or homeschool room? Today, we will look at some simple suggestions that inspire you to set up a colorful, fun space to educate children. A learning environment that’s conducive to learning. (Something that makes them itch to get creative!) Many supplies, furniture, and stationery items can be picked up at IKEA, Office Works, or even a second-hand shop. To complete this article, I looked at Office Works and photographed items that you might find helpful. 

Teachers and Home educators don’t need much money to get started.

You can also source many things by doing a few DIY projects.

Throughout the article, I’ll link objects and furniture I love.

Let’s get started!

Please support me by buying through these affiliate links. I hope you love the ideas!

Contents of this article:

1. Table and chairs
2. Desk
3. Modular cube bookcase
4. Stationary
5. Pictures and posters
6. Blackboard or whiteboard
7. Decorating Ideas
8. Additions to organize your homeschool room
9. Montessori Home Setup
10. Setting up a small homeschool room

1. Homeschool Table and Chairs

Getting a good homeschool table and chairs isn’t tricky.

Many are plastic or wooden (I like the wooden ones).

These can be easily sourced from IKEA or Office Works in any color, shape, or height.

For younger children, go for the child-size versions

Many second-hand shops offer cheaper table and chair options for those with a tight budget.

You can also get a more comfortable desk chair with padding for your teenagers who might be putting in a few extra hours as they study for entrepreneurial or college pursuits.

A table and chair set can help do craft and painting projects.

They allow children to spread themselves out and get messy without spoiling your dining room table!

For little people, these miniature chairs are a great way to feel comfortable while you work and are a favorite with many small people.

These are a couple of cute ones I found at my local office supply store:

This one is just gorgeous!

If you’re short on space, you can also consider a folding table and chairs to clear them out of the way when not in use.

And some more cute chair ideas are below:

• mini options for littlies
• a desk chair for high schoolers sitting in a chair for many hours studying
• a comfy chair for reading adventures!

Ask yourself which they’d use most.

Children can work at dining room tables if you don’t have a lot of money.

The downside is that your house might look permanently messy…especially if kids aren’t great at clearing up after themselves.

But, some mothers might not mind this.

Some might even like having children close to them in the main living areas as they complete other tasks.

Want a small baby fed?

Enlist 4-year-old Mary’s help!

2. Homeschool Desk Setup

Another excellent furniture item for your homeschool room is a desk.

Desks are handy for high schoolers as they can open multiple books in the same space without balancing or overlapping them.

Students can also store their stationery in drawers.

This gives them easy access and reduces interruptions from getting out of their chairs and accessing stationery elsewhere.

Some easily distracted children might benefit from a desk facing the wall.

This means less visual stimulation than a window might offer.

Something like that would be a good option for autism, ADHD, or ADD.

A homeschool desk from IKEA or Amazon is a simple option for parents to purchase immediately.

Another option children might want to participate in is a DIY homeschool desk using reclaimed lumber from your local recycling center.

My brother did this growing up!

But you can also buy them. This is a good option:

Or you could make it fancier like this one, with a storage bookshelf:

Consider setting up an L-shaped desk for homeschooling rooms that accommodate more than one child.

This can fit more than one child in a small space.

Like this one:

You can add other furniture and storage supplies to your small homeschool room space.

Or you will just have more freedom to move around in larger areas.

This is another desk option but only fits one child.

3. Modular Cube Bookcase for a Homeschool Room

Bookcases are excellent homeschool furniture ideas as most home-educated students are avid readers.

So, most homeschools contain LOADS of books.

And, of course, these books need good bookshelves.

Either modular or horizontal bookcases.

If they’re on top of the desk, ensure they are secured appropriately and are not a falling risk.

(I’ve seen this happen to my little children when we moved house!)

Modular cube bookcases (see below) are trendy nowadays.

They can double as a bookcase or a loose item holder (if you get the modular insert boxes).

These inserts are specially made plastic or fabric boxes (see below).

They usually come in two sizes, small and large.

They fit into these spaces to house small homeschool room supplies like available stationery.

The modular bookcases below are from Office Works, and IKEA and Amazon have similar options:

But, a bookshelf is all well and good – but what about the good books?

I’ve got you covered with this FREE complete homeschool booklist.

Only good books.

No twaddle.

Check it out here.

4. Stationary for your Homeschool Room

Neatly contained homeschooling room supplies inspire learners and educators alike.

Without good storage options, stationery supplies can get messy and disorganized. 

And you can’t find stuff when you need it!

Arghh!!!

An excellent way to get around this is to purchase mess and space-minimizing stationary holders for loose:

• pens,
• pencils, and
• papers.

Pencil cases are a perfect option for escaping pens and pencils:

Document holders will hold curriculum workbooks and extra paper for writing or craft purposes.

Here are a few options for document holders:

Don’t forget to get some clipboards too.

These will be useful when you go on nature walks or experimental trips.

Organization in a homeschool room is essential.

Otherwise, things get frustrating, not to mention messy.

Sarah from FrugalFun4Boys said:

Make sure everything has a place. Otherwise, it will not be put away. This has taken me a long time to learn! Scissors, tape, glue, pencils – they all need designated homes in your school space.

So make sure your room is organized neatly.

Stationary for Your Homeschool Room

You’ll only need some simple stationery in your learning space.

These can be normal, cheap ‘back-to-school’ items most teachers and parents purchase.

These include:

• pens,
• paper,
• a stapler with staples,
• a box or two of printer paper,
• blank paper books to do drawings,
• lined paper books for essay writing,
• texters, pencils, markers, crayons,
• sharpeners,
• scissors, and
• post-it-notes

There’s a lot more, but these are most of the basics.

Faber-Castell is excellent for connector pens (fun BUT mainly fabulous because you don’t lose them as often):

And then get some neat pencils. I also like this brand becasue they’re quality.

You don’t get dud pencils that only give you a whiff of color with Faber-CastellL.

And then you want all your sticky tape and glue.

It’s cheap stuff for the little tackers because they’re wasteful.

It’s more premium for oldies because they’re pretty responsible.

And then just some fun stuff to ignite their creative juices:

You can also go to a craft store for a broader range of crafting materials…or a dollar store.

These have lots of crafty options.

Technology for your Homeschool Room

Laptop and a Laptop Bag

In this day and age, it’s wise to buy your kids a computer.

When they’re older, they’ll need to be doing research on it for various homeschooling projects.

A laptop is an excellent way to record things on excursions and field trips.

A laptop has the advantage of portability, but a desktop will last longer as children won’t ruin the unit by moving its hard drive while it’s operating.

A Warning about Technology in the Bedrooms: I would think twice about allowing your children to take technology in their room alone. Keep the laptop in communal areas. It’s easier to get tempted to look at things you shouldn’t be looking at if you’re alone in your room than if you have a computer in a communal space.

If you can afford it, a good computer will last a long time, and you won’t regret its purchase.

Laptops for your homeschool room don’t have to break the budget.

Be aware if you’ve purchased a homeschool curriculum that requires a fast processor – like Monarch.

Cheap computers might not be able to do the job.

Check the technology requirements in the details section before purchasing.

Some cheaper laptops only cost a couple of hundred dollars.

The pricier laptops can set you back almost $2,000.

You want something in the middle for longevity and ease of use.

If you’re a homeschool family that likes to go places, you should consider purchasing a decent bag to carry your notebook, Kindle, or iPad.

iPad or Galaxy Tablet

An iPad is a good compromise if you don’t want to buy a big, expensive laptop.

Taking them on excursions and nature walks can be a great idea.

Unlike a laptop, an iPad or tablet can be kept clean easily.

Some even come with waterproof cases if your child is prone to minor accidents.

A Kindle

If you have a small homeschool space like a dining room, a Kindle is a great way to reduce the clutter of books.

You can buy a Kindle for every child or buy just one.

One limitation of buying a single Kindle is that you might struggle if you have multiple kids who want to read simultaneously (i.e., during independent reading time).

A Printer

If you’re home-educating, keeping a color printer in your homeschool room is a great idea.

I would call a printer an essential.

Especially if you’re using a more eclectic homeschooling style.

A printing unit allows parents to print notes to save their children from looking at screens constantly.

Some parents purchase curricula that can be printed online.

Easy Peasy and SchoolhouseTeachers.com are good examples of this.

You’ll need a good color printer to print out curricula in their intended glory.

Many printers come with built-in scanners.

If yours doesn’t, make sure you purchase one of these too.

They come in handy when children reference a page they found in a library book.

Laminators are optional for parents who wish to preserve certain art items in their original glory.

Another optional purchase is a mobile document scanner like the one below.

These allow students to print their images from their mobile devices directly.

5. Homeschool Classroom Pictures

Hanging pictures and putting artwork graphics up on the walls can be a great way to make your classroom bright and inviting.

But why not make it educational, too?

Putting bright mathematics graphics on the wall can help motivate your homeschoolers.

It will inspire them to learn their arithmetic or whatever they’re studying.

I found multiplication graphics from my local store:

 

Or this is a Times Table poster:

It’s also an idea to include a world map or a map of your local country. I found this one in Australia in our local store.

Given phonics is the best way to learn grammar, a phonics graphic like the one below might be appropriate in your homeschool room.

A human body poster might inspire home learners to learn anatomy and physiology.

Many options are available, as you can see in the pictures below.

Write the names of various people here:

Play shops with a poster like this:

And don’t forget to learn about money with a poster like this.

This is Australian money ❤️

Bible Verses on the Walls

As a Christian, I love being surrounded by encouraging words of hope and love.

Bible verses remind me of my purpose in life and inspire me to live the way Jesus wants me to.

For this reason, I’ll be putting a few Bible verses on the walls of my homeschool room.

These are some of the ones I did myself:

You could also put up some quirky artwork.

This is one I put up, and I love (though my husband isn’t a fan…[writing years later, and it is gone now]):

6. Blackboard or Whiteboard

You’ll want either a blackboard or a whiteboard if you love organization.

Whiteboards illustrate your points and store information in visually prominent places (such as the daily tasks or memory verses).

I was surprised that you could purchase these at pretty low prices.

Another idea is to get some chalkboard paint and paint a whole wall!

Kids love this, and if you like the idea (and the sight), do it!

Homeschool planners also help parents organize their time effectively.

I found the annual calendar below and thought marking when assignments are due would be helpful.

Or you could put in tasks that need to be completed.

But, if you don’t want to have your plans on the board for everyone to see, you might prefer a paper-based journal planner:

7. Homeschool Room Decorating Ideas

Besides classroom pictures and wall hangings, how can you decorate your homeschool room?

Lamps make a great addition to the schoolroom as they can help make a cozy and enticing spot to study at night.

This is especially relevant to high-school-aged students who study more at night when their brains are still active.

A book nook almost makes your homeschoolers want to read piles of books.

It’s an excellent place for home learners to retire as they do independent family reading time or read a History textbook chapter.

Pick a nice spot by the window and add some fluffy cushions.

If you don’t have the proper setup for a book nook, a beanbag under the window can make a comfy, warm spot for homeschoolers to park themselves.

A moveable pull-along cabinet on wheels lets you follow the sun around the house.

Overly hot or cold environments can make concentration hard.

So, having the option to take advantage of the sun facilitates learning and increases motivation.

Store all your bits and bobs in your moveable cabinet and enjoy the sun wherever you sit.

If your children love pets, an aquarium or mouse cage might be just the thing for your homeschool room.

Put an aquarium or mouse cage in the corner to keep your homeschoolers company while they study.

8. Additions to Organize Your Homeschool Room

Storage containers are essential if you want to maintain order in the room.

They don’t have to be housed in your homeschool room.

But this is useful so you can drop your child’s homework in the box after they finish.

Sort it out another day!

  

Or a cuter option are these:

9. Montessori Home Setup

If you love the Montessori method, you’ll want to incorporate a Montessori-style homeschool room.

You want to make the area visually attractive and sturdy, using ‘real’ materials where you can (no plastic items).

The American Montessori Society says:

Throughout the room, children will be sorting, stacking, and manipulating all sorts of beautiful objects made of a range of materials and textures. Many of these objects will be made of smooth polished wood. Others are made of enameled metal, wicker, and fabric. Also available to explore are items from nature, such as seashells and birds’ nests.

Don’t cram shelves until they’re overflowing.

Make things sparse so children can easily focus on specific objects.

It’s okay to get breakable items in a Montessori homeschool room as children learn from their mistakes and value what can be broken.

What materials are in a Montessori Classroom?

While you need to be age-sensitive, these are some of the things in a Montessori classroom:

• a kid-sized table and chairs (as in the pictures further up in this post)
• lots of wooden sensory objects
• stackable objects and materials of different sorts
• alphabetized or numbered objects to learn literacy and numeracy
• seashells, or other collections from a nature walk
• gardening tool set or sand-digging tools
• a real kids’ toolset with metal tools (age-sensitive)
• cleaning gear (broom & mop)
• cooking utensils
• wooden puzzle sets, tumble tower, and board games
• specimen blocks for flora and fauna
• world map
• mini-world flag stands
• (outside) trampoline
• art easel and
• hand puppets.

There are many things you could get for a Montessori classroom.

You’ll have to pick your or your children’s favorites or choose age-appropriate items you think they will learn best using.

You can see this link for a complete list of Montessori materials.

10. Setup a Small Homeschool Room

If you’re about to start homeschooling in a small space and have limited options, you can easily make it work.

For example, dining room tables make great substitutes for homeschooling rooms.

Many parents don’t even have schoolrooms, and instead, home learners do all their work on the floor, sofa, or balcony.

Some ideas for small homeschooling rooms or small educational spaces include:

• instead of wall-to-wall bookcases, consider getting a Kindle for your books. As your kids age and devour more books, you might be grateful you don’t have 100 books for fifth graders when your teenager graduates.
• instead of keeping and storing…why not chuck? The freedom of living with no clutter is exhilarating. Google ‘stuff I should throw out in my house’ for ideas where you can minimize your ‘stuff.’
• Look at a store specializing in small areas for some homeschool organization ideas for small spaces. Even if you can’t afford to buy the stuff, you can DIY some solutions for a small homeschool space. Use the great outdoors as your classroom. Spending a lot of time outdoors is a great idea anyway, and you have all the more reason to do it if you have a small homeschool space! When you think about how small your homeschool room is, think about the fact that you’re probably incredibly wealthy compared to most people in the world (if you’re in a Western country, you’re probably in the top 2% of rich people!). Showing your kids that you are happy with less is also a way of modeling humility to your homeschoolers.

Conclusion

An excellent homeschool room setup will help you organize your thoughts and put you ahead of the game by having the material, resources, and supplies you need ready for your family’s educational journey. Many parents can see more clearly when they have things organized and in their correct spot. This article helps you stay organized and adds a bit of fun to your day when creating your schoolroom at home.