One of the things we shipped over here in our container were the two kids' desks we had bought before we left. When I was looking into getting desks for the boys, I asked J if he had any idea about what he might like in a desk. That was a mistake--when will I learn that this kid is just as opinionated as I am, if not more so? J's response was that he would like a desk that you could lift up and put things in and he would like it to be slanted, too, so it was easier to write on, and he would really like it to have a place to hold his pencil on the top of the desk. Umm, okay then, I will get right on that!
Fortunately, after some diligent searching, I was able to find exactly what he and I wanted for a great price with free shipping (oh, free shipping how I miss you!), and when the desks arrived (because I bought two, of course) we assembled them and placed them facing each other in front of our fireplace in Ohio. And the boys immediately started going to their desks every morning before school to draw and draw and draw and then J would do his homework there after school and all was right with the world.
OF COURSE those desks went into our container. The boys loved them! And when they arrived, we put them right next to my desk, facing the wall as my desk does, with their Ikea easel right beside them...and I think the boys have sat at those desks a grand total of three times since then. What happened to the love?? We put dry erase boards above them, and E has made use of those a LOT (could they make dry erase markers any smellier?? I don't see how!), but he never sits down to use them, just reaches over the desks to draw.
Happily, after seeing a picture of craft supplies neatly and colorfully organized on a simple bookshelf on Pinterest the other day, I was inspired to create something similar for the boys, since right now all their drawing supplies are stored in our buffet, one shelf above all our remaining breakable items, not an ideal place for them, but close to the dining table where they seem to do any drawing or homework lately.
First, a trip to Ikea, where I exercised SUPREME restraint and only bought one short Billy bookcase in white, six black cardboard magazine files, and one set of tupperware-like plastic containers. My inspiration picture had used clear plastic jars from Oriental Trading Company, which were lovely, but we have learned to make do with what doesn't cost a bundle here. I came home, assembled the bookcase (the husband was out of town or I would have had him do it, since that was one of his wedding vows, to assemble all Ikea furniture for as long as we both shall live) and put it in the wide open space off our dining room that was previously a sitting room until we banished the ugly leather chairs and left just a big open area. Next, I set about organizing the drawing supplies. I filled the magazine files with coloring books and workbooks and drawing manuals from our bookshelves upstairs where they were getting almost no use and sorted the crayons, markers, and colored pencils into the plastic containers, along with scissors, tape, and glue sticks for easy crafting. I lined some other plastic containers I already had with scrapbook paper (because they looked really messy otherwise, and this space is visible from every angle) and then filled them with scrap and colored paper for drawings. I also added stacks of all of the blank sketch books we have bought (from the super cheap office supply store we finally found) to another shelf in the bookcase. Then, I put up some world maps I have found for color and because we are always talking about where we are in the world in relation to everyone else we know. And finally, I decided to move the desks from across the room and put them facing each other once again, right in the middle of the natural light coming from our big sliding glass back door. I also pulled out a well used rug (it was in our house in SC, and again in OH, and even in my friend A's office for a while) and put it under the desks (folded in half; it's a really big rug) to further define the space.
And voila! The kids came home from school and went directly to their desks, sat down, and started drawing! It was like a miracle: if you build it, they really will come!
Fortunately, after some diligent searching, I was able to find exactly what he and I wanted for a great price with free shipping (oh, free shipping how I miss you!), and when the desks arrived (because I bought two, of course) we assembled them and placed them facing each other in front of our fireplace in Ohio. And the boys immediately started going to their desks every morning before school to draw and draw and draw and then J would do his homework there after school and all was right with the world.
OF COURSE those desks went into our container. The boys loved them! And when they arrived, we put them right next to my desk, facing the wall as my desk does, with their Ikea easel right beside them...and I think the boys have sat at those desks a grand total of three times since then. What happened to the love?? We put dry erase boards above them, and E has made use of those a LOT (could they make dry erase markers any smellier?? I don't see how!), but he never sits down to use them, just reaches over the desks to draw.
Happily, after seeing a picture of craft supplies neatly and colorfully organized on a simple bookshelf on Pinterest the other day, I was inspired to create something similar for the boys, since right now all their drawing supplies are stored in our buffet, one shelf above all our remaining breakable items, not an ideal place for them, but close to the dining table where they seem to do any drawing or homework lately.
First, a trip to Ikea, where I exercised SUPREME restraint and only bought one short Billy bookcase in white, six black cardboard magazine files, and one set of tupperware-like plastic containers. My inspiration picture had used clear plastic jars from Oriental Trading Company, which were lovely, but we have learned to make do with what doesn't cost a bundle here. I came home, assembled the bookcase (the husband was out of town or I would have had him do it, since that was one of his wedding vows, to assemble all Ikea furniture for as long as we both shall live) and put it in the wide open space off our dining room that was previously a sitting room until we banished the ugly leather chairs and left just a big open area. Next, I set about organizing the drawing supplies. I filled the magazine files with coloring books and workbooks and drawing manuals from our bookshelves upstairs where they were getting almost no use and sorted the crayons, markers, and colored pencils into the plastic containers, along with scissors, tape, and glue sticks for easy crafting. I lined some other plastic containers I already had with scrapbook paper (because they looked really messy otherwise, and this space is visible from every angle) and then filled them with scrap and colored paper for drawings. I also added stacks of all of the blank sketch books we have bought (from the super cheap office supply store we finally found) to another shelf in the bookcase. Then, I put up some world maps I have found for color and because we are always talking about where we are in the world in relation to everyone else we know. And finally, I decided to move the desks from across the room and put them facing each other once again, right in the middle of the natural light coming from our big sliding glass back door. I also pulled out a well used rug (it was in our house in SC, and again in OH, and even in my friend A's office for a while) and put it under the desks (folded in half; it's a really big rug) to further define the space.
And voila! The kids came home from school and went directly to their desks, sat down, and started drawing! It was like a miracle: if you build it, they really will come!
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