How to Create the Best Study Environment in Your Home

Summer is coming to a close, and it’s time to get your kids (and yourself) ready for the school year ahead. Part of that prep involves creating the best study environment for your family so they can learn more and you can stress less. Here are three easy steps to get started.

Step 1: Choose the Best Study Room Setup

Wondering how to create a study environment at home? When planning your homework room design, you’ll want to maximize workspace and minimize distractions. Try these tips for how to create a good study space that promotes good (and repeatable) homework habits:

• Pick a place: If you have a home office already, you’re one step ahead. No office? No worries! Transform an unused dining room or closet into a study room, or designate a spot at the kitchen counter for study time.
• Stock it with supplies: To achieve the best desk setup for students studying at home, you’ll want to ensure they have everything needed to encourage successful study habits. Think about what kind of furniture will work in the space you have, and buy or rent desks, tables, or desk chairs to create a study space that works for everyone.
• Check the connection: Make sure your kiddos have reliable Wi-Fi and the computer or other electronics necessary to complete school assignments. If weak Wi-Fi is limited where your kiddos can do their homework, consider a more powerful router or Wi-Fi extender.

Step 2: Create a Productive Atmosphere

The right lighting is one of the most important things for promoting productivity but there are a few other study nook ideas to stimulate study.

• Open the curtains: Natural light is always the best choice because it helps keep you awake and focused. Blue and white LED lights are the best artificial light colors for studying because they mimic natural lighting.
• Light from the top and bottom: For the best room setup for studying, you’ll want both top-down lighting, which helps illuminate the entire study nook, and task lighting, which can zero-in on your assignment. If you don’t have a ceiling light, a tall floor lamp is a great option for top-down lighting. For task lighting, try a swing-arm desk lamp.
• Curb distractions: Remove access to non-academic media, games, tablets, and other electronics from the study area for distraction-free study time. Keep a basket outside the door or in another room to drop these devices.
• Stay focused!: Keep the study area for studying only. If your kiddos need a break, have them rest in another room or go outside for a few minutes. Designate that one room as a quiet zone, too.
• Balance with greenery: Add a house plant or two to reduce stress and improve concentration.

Step 3: Stay Organized and Tidy

An organized and clutter-free workspace is key to helping kids have a successful school year. Try these ideas to keep everything in order and make the days run smoothly.

• Organize and label: Use a desk organizer to wrangle pens, pencils, highlighters, paper clips, and other frequently used office supplies. Keep special supplies, like glue sticks, colored pencils, and construction paper, in labeled bins.
• Look for storage opportunities: Build cubbies or hang wall hooks to give schoolbooks, book bags, and backpacks a home. Hang floating shelves as extra storage for books or bins of supplies.
• Save the important stuff: Label hanging file organizers for each kiddo’s report cards, permission slips, and other important paperwork.
• Get the whole family involved: Create an organizational Motherboard for the whole family to keep track of events, to-do’s, and deadlines, designating each person or type of activity by a different color. If needed, use two calendars: one for school assignments and deadlines, and one for extracurricular activities and events.

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