Who messes up on IKEA instructions?! I do! I did! With a day to redecorate our homeschool room before it was going to be documented for an interview on homeschooling, I tried to rush through assembling eight pieces of furniture with my kids and made several mistakes. Of course I felt incredibly inept and discouraged! IKEA is supposed to be dummy-proof…if you religiously follow the instruction manual. I decided that I pretty much got it after skimming through the manual and took it from there, using my own logic and instinct. Well, neither of these worked perfectly.
I found myself frustrated and stressed. My kids were doing the best they could, and they were having a lot of fun, but after a while, they too realized what we were up against…Too many pieces of furniture to put together for a mom and five kids. (Catalina had to be banned several times because she was stealing the tools.)
Edric came home and saw me in dire straits. His instinctively announced to the kids, as he surveyed the mess we made, “Have no fear, daddy is here!” Everyone cheered!
Like a general who had total control of his army, Edric organized all of us into stations and roles. He was much stricter than I was and very bossy which took some getting used to at first, but if it had not been for his leadership, I would have struggled through the renovation.
Could I have organized and fixed the room myself? Probably. I am not a helpless chick. I know how to use a tool box. But was it nice to be rescued by my husband? Of course!
There was something about his command over the situation that was very reassuring. I didn’t have to bear a burden that he was very willing to take upon himself. And he knew how to follow instructions much more methodically and carefully than I did.
I actually waited twelve years to have a homeschooling space like this! Thank you, Lord! I hope you enjoy the transformation of our homeschool room which we got done in about 10 hours thanks to family team work and Edric’s able leadership! Tadah!
Before… 
In process…
After…
The kids wanted a stage with different colored backgrounds for their “green screen” videos. (Still working on this part.)
Still organizing the shelves…
Still to add…beanbags and rug for reading area, kiddie table and chairs, and drawers for more storage. Any other ideas or suggestions?
By the way, I found most of the furniture at Furniture Source Philippines. They are located along Granada Street, right after Ortigas avenue and before Gilmore in San Juan. You can check out their Facebook page and Instagram. Their prices are higher than what I would pay for from an actual IKEA because they ship products in but I still didn’t spend as much as I would have if I had gone with other suppliers.
Edric rocking that Dad bod. It’s a compliment ha 🙂
Thanks sharing the link to Furniture Source Philippines. We’ve been looking for IKEA distributors here.
Love your new homeschool room! And great stuff from Ikea 🙂 I notice that you have long study tables. I have one similar to yours but with drawers, also from Ikea, and it sagged in the middle after awhile. Adding legs in the middle should keep it straight 🙂
Oh ! I love the part of the room where there are lots of pens.. I’m sure my daughters would shriek in delight once they see it in real time..
Hi Ms.Joy
I simply feel happy for you. Love your Homeschool Room. 🙂
Such a wonderful idea! Who wouldn’t want to study with this kind of room! Your kids are growing up real quick and this would be something really precious to look back to when they’ve grown bigger 🙂
Hi Ms. Joy, I like the new look 🙂 May i know who is your supplier for the wooden glass door? Thank you!
I found your new set up very appealing and brain- stimulating… Makes me want to go back to school all over again. Good job Mendoza family ☺️ God Bless you always
Hi, will your interview for homeschooling be featured? Where and when? I definitely want to learn more from you regarding homeschool. Thank you!