If you’re imagining a Pinterest-perfect homeschool, with neat little desks, color-coded supplies, and pristine shelves, let me set the record straight – that’s not us. Our homeschool is full of life, learning, and a bit of chaos. We live, pray, sleep, eat, and homeschool all on the same floor of our house, and it’s far from picture-perfect. And guess what? I’m learning to accept that’s perfectly fine – even though part of me still dreams of being the super-organized, Type-A homeschooler.
Adapting Our Space to Life’s Challenges
Why are we all on one floor? Both my husband and I have been dealing with health issues that prevent us from using the second floor of our house. The stairs are off-limits to protect our spines, so everything we own and need is crammed into this one floor. From homeschooling supplies to furniture to our everyday living essentials – it all fits into this shared space.
We’ve put up a divider – three sturdy bookshelves – to create a sense of separation. One side is dedicated to our homeschool area, where my daughters have their tables and chairs. On the other side is our living space, or as we call it, our sleep room. Yes, we even sleep here. The living room doubles as a sleeping area, and the dining table serves every purpose – eating, learning, playing, and more. It’s not fancy, but it’s functional.
Finding Comfort in a Cramped Space
With my current recovery process, I often find myself needing to lie down. I might hate it – I’m a hyper girl at heart, which is part of my ADHD – but it’s a necessary part of healing. On those days when I can’t sit, I make the most of it by opening a book or an audiobook while I lie down, and my daughters will gather around me with their books. We create our own little reading corner on the floor, and it doesn’t look like traditional homeschooling, but it works for us.
My sisters often come by and can’t quite wrap their heads around the fact that I homeschool. They don’t see the structure or routine they expect. But the proof is in my daughters’ progress. My non-verbal daughter with AuDHD has seen remarkable improvements in her speech and conversational abilities, and my other daughter is thriving in her own unique ways, like drawing and storytelling, Allahumma barik!. Despite the laid-back, unstructured look of our homeschool, they’re growing and learning in ways that continue to surprise everyone, including my sisters.
The Secret Sauce: Embracing Our Own Style
So, what’s the secret? I’ve learned to embrace flexibility and allow learning to unfold in its own time. Yes, I’m trying to get more organized and streamline our homeschooling routines. I’m getting better at managing materials, keeping track of progress, and balancing our space. But at the end of the day, I remind myself that learning is happening in all kinds of ways – even on the days when we’re just lying down, listening to an audiobook together.
Making it Work in a Small Space
All of this takes place on one floor! Our bookshelf divider keeps the homeschool area and living room somewhat separated, but let’s be real – we’re in each other’s space constantly. My daughters respect the homeschool zone, and the living room (or sleep room) is strictly family space. But with such tight quarters, it’s inevitable that their learning spills over. I’m learning to manage the mess, but more importantly, I’m seeing the magic in how adaptable and resilient my kids are.
Real Homeschooling is Messy – and That’s Okay
At the end of the day, real homeschooling doesn’t look like a perfectly styled Pinterest photo. It’s messy, cramped, and full of life. And I’m learning to be okay with that. I might never be the ultra-organized homeschool mom with everything in its place, but I’m finding my own balance. I’m taking steps to be more organized, but I’m also learning to let go of the idea that there’s a “right” way to homeschool.
So, if you ever feel like your homeschool doesn’t measure up to those picture-perfect standards – like it’s too chaotic or unstructured – know that you’re not alone. In our home, we live, sleep, and learn all in one space. It’s not picture-perfect, but it’s full of love, laughter, and learning.
The most important thing is that learning is happening, even in the chaos. And that’s what makes our homeschool beautiful.
Featured image credited to Pam Barnhill’s homeschool setup, (which I admire), along with my own photos blended into the content that reveal the delightful messiness of our everyday homeschooling life. I can’t blame my ADHD for this messiness (lol) since I’m not a severe case of ADHD like some people might be. I’m surely improving, and my husband can testify to this! We are all learning with our busy brains, whether we are neurotypical or neurodivergent.
