Taking Back the Hutch
We are in the final few months of homeschooling. Soon my daughter will graduate and that will be that. It happens eventually.
Graduation happens. I just wanted to throw that in because homeschoolers who still have a few years to go are sometimes visibly relieved to hear that. I’ve been told that I am a survivor, that I lived. 
It’s true. I’m still alive and breathing and I’m not writing this from the funny farm.
I Ran Out of Bookshelf Space
I wanted to share pictures of my dining room from the latter years of homeschooling. Even though I am a survivor, I ran out of bookshelf space because I did not get rid of books as fast as they came in and high school materials are sometimes thick. My dining room hutch became a bookshelf. I think it is pretty common for homeschoolers to use what they have when they run out of bookshelf space.
Here we are in the year 2001. I had bought a new algebra curriculum that took one entire bookshelf space - around 2 feet, and so books had to be shifted somewhere.
Below is the 2001 picture. (That’s my cat)
The next photograph is from March 2005. My son is close to graduating in this picture and my daughter is in 9th. Another shelf is full of books, an old sewing table is stacked with books, and games are under the table on top of leg rungs. 
Here it is March 3 years later, and I have finally managed to take back those shelves. I must admit that the books are in a box in another room. 
I’ve got some serious book thinning to do.
It’s a process!! 
Here is the March 2008 photograph. The hutch is almost de-homeschooled. Holly is still using the skeleton for art so I left him on the hutch. Her other books are behind doors in a cabinet that is not pictured.
I really like the chicken lamp.
The kid’s grandmother bought the skeleton for them over a decade ago. We had a lot of fun with that skeleton. He came with organs, but once the organs were removed, they didn’t quite fit back in without falling out. We like him better without them. His name is Mr. Bones.
Happy Homeschooling,
Donna
It..."
Mr. Bones needs to eat at Joe’s more often, I think.
I understand about the thinning process. It is hard even though the bookshelves are bowing under the weight and other horizontal surfaces overfloweth.
Your hutch is lovely and I’m glad you have it back! Love the chicken!
I hope you don’t eat at Joes. It looks disastrous.
I think you have done a fine job.
I expected to see the cat in the last picture, but didn’t. Did you box him up too? 
I like Mr. Bones. We have a Mr. Bones, but he is not as nice as yours. Ours falls apart when you just look at it. I guess it is time to dig up a grave and get a new one.
I’m so happy you have survived but, I’m sure there is a bit of sadness there as well. If you ran out of room, then I’m in so much trouble, I was out of room last year and still have to order for this year……I can’t even weed out books yet.
Maybe in a few years. My problem is I have story books from my older kids that I have an emotional attachment to.
Thank you for that assurance that it does come to an end. I’m over flowing with books but don’t have the book cases for them so they’re everywhere though I don’t have a lot of the stuff my kids have out grown.
I am so glad to hear that someday I will be able to reclaim the various parts of my home that have become shelter to a myriad of books. The hardest part, though, will be deciding which to find new homes for and which to keep. There may be grandchildren someday.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Your hutch looks beautiful. I can’t believe your at almost done. You sure did a fine job with your children. I thought the skeleton was a warning about eating a Joe’s
I know you are eat healthy so I thought he was a deterrent.
You will always have homeschoolers to talk to and be grateful for all your help
Love the hutch!
Homeschooling really does come to an end and I can have my dining room back? Really? 
I have a hutch/bookshelf too! LOL - Glad to know that I’m not the only one. I also have a computer in the dining room that people often comment about. Personally…I don’t care as long as we can all be together and get things done.
I’m personally sad to think of home schooling ending some day.
Celeste
ok ok i have to admit have homeschooled for 3 years and no i have never been here before. wish i had taken the advice of my fiend before. this site is great!!!! i always used canned curriculum. now am venturing into unit studies that i am doing for myself and feel like a newcommer. i will still use canned math(although am switching to what i think is better one) as well as spelling and grammar. i suppose the rest is off the cuff!
Neva
Donna, I love your site! Thanks so much I have linked my blog to your site. I too have a senior, mine is PS, youngest is homeschooled. Seems like yesterday he was a little boy!
This is exciting and sad at the same time.
Kathy, Thank you for linking DY at your blog.
It is both sad and exciting. I thought I had a handle on it, but actually, I think am still having a hard time.