Set up a study space that both parents and children can use
By Lisa Martin
Today’s savviest study spaces or homework centers pull double duty for students and parents. After school, children might work there to tackle algebra homework. But on weekends or late nights, Mom or Dad can convert the surface into bill-paying central. Here are a few expert tips on creating a homework center that makes the grade with grownups, too!
Pick a good study space or homework location
“Parents are setting up study spaces in separate home offices, in a corner of the kitchen, in the family room within an armoire, and in guestrooms,” says Lisa Kanarek, author of Home Office Life: Making a Space to Work at Home and blogger at www.workingnaked.com. Even a closet could serve you well with a little retrofitting. Or convert a U-shaped wet bar into a study center and raise a glass to the abundance of storage above and below.
Choose the right desk
The key element to any workspace is the desk.
“Too small a surface area can be frustrating,” says Olescia Hanson, spokeswoman for The Container Store. “Too large a space, and the child might feel overwhelmed.” You don’t want to put a child’s workplace where there are too many distractions.
One solution is modular systems that will grow with your child from pre-K to college.
Parents who want to employ the space at the same time as their offspring might consider a partner’s desk. Dad can sit on one side checking email, and his daughter can tackle her book report on the other.
If your desk doesn’t have built-in file drawers, look for attractive options everywhere from mass retailers to upscale furniture stores. Consider units with wheels so you can move your files within arm’s reach and tuck them away afterward.
Look up, too. Maximize vertical spaces above the desktop with shelving units or wall-mounted filing systems.
Contain clutter
“The last thing you want to do is spend a half-hour looking for that highlighter,” says
Hanson. Keep clutter under control with the following items:
Literature or magazine holders
File folders, boxes and carts
Bins, jars and cups for pens, pencils, eyeglasses, sticky notes, paperclips, staplers, and more.
Select home-office lighting
Good lighting pampers peepers whether they’re staring at biology books or credit card statements. An A+ space boasts two main types:
Task lighting: gooseneck lamps with 60-watt bulbs spotlight textbooks or checkbooks.
Ambient: Overhead lighting in the room provides glare-free illumination, which works best when you’re in front of a computer screen.
Find a comfy office chair
Test-drive a chair before investing in it. If a child and adult will share a chair, consider an office-style model that you can raise or lower. If a child needs the seat a lot higher than her father does, purchase some sort of footstool for her. Dangling feet quickly become a distraction!
Personal style
Once you have the desk, lighting, file folders, pencil holders, and shelving, infuse your workstation with personality. Anything from a seat cushion emblazoned with a favorite sports team or mascot to framed photos of family and friends to a small houseplant will add a welcoming ambiance. Accessories are a cinch to swap out, making them a winner with parents and kids.
Create a Homework Center
Set up a study space that both parents and children can use
By Lisa Martin
Today’s savviest study spaces or homework centers pull double duty for students and parents. After school, children might work there to tackle algebra homework. But on weekends or late nights, Mom or Dad can convert the surface into bill-paying central. Here are a few expert tips on creating a homework center that makes the grade with grownups, too!
Pick a good study space or homework location
“Parents are setting up study spaces in separate home offices, in a corner of the kitchen, in the family room within an armoire, and in guestrooms,” says Lisa Kanarek, author of Home Office Life: Making a Space to Work at Home and blogger at www.workingnaked.com. Even a closet could serve you well with a little retrofitting. Or convert a U-shaped wet bar into a study center and raise a glass to the abundance of storage above and below.
Choose the right desk
The key element to any workspace is the desk.
“Too small a surface area can be frustrating,” says Olescia Hanson, spokeswoman for The Container Store. “Too large a space, and the child might feel overwhelmed.” You don’t want to put a child’s workplace where there are too many distractions.
One solution is modular systems that will grow with your child from pre-K to college.
Parents who want to employ the space at the same time as their offspring might consider a partner’s desk. Dad can sit on one side checking email, and his daughter can tackle her book report on the other.
If your desk doesn’t have built-in file drawers, look for attractive options everywhere from mass retailers to upscale furniture stores. Consider units with wheels so you can move your files within arm’s reach and tuck them away afterward.
Look up, too. Maximize vertical spaces above the desktop with shelving units or wall-mounted filing systems.
Contain clutter
“The last thing you want to do is spend a half-hour looking for that highlighter,” says
Hanson. Keep clutter under control with the following items:
Select home-office lighting
Good lighting pampers peepers whether they’re staring at biology books or credit card statements. An A+ space boasts two main types:
Find a comfy office chair
Test-drive a chair before investing in it. If a child and adult will share a chair, consider an office-style model that you can raise or lower. If a child needs the seat a lot higher than her father does, purchase some sort of footstool for her. Dangling feet quickly become a distraction!
Personal style
Once you have the desk, lighting, file folders, pencil holders, and shelving, infuse your workstation with personality. Anything from a seat cushion emblazoned with a favorite sports team or mascot to framed photos of family and friends to a small houseplant will add a welcoming ambiance. Accessories are a cinch to swap out, making them a winner with parents and kids.