Organizing Study Spaces

**monkeywrangler71** · 09-01-2010, 12:28 PM

Do your children have a dedicated or common space for studying? How do you keep it organized for efficient use?

Found this article today with some tips about setting up a study space for children. I like that it gives different ideas to use based on your child's personality - what setup is better for an independent learner versus one who needs supervision, etc.

Organizing 101: Study spaces - Organizing Ideas - Organizing - Style At Home

**Lady_V** · 09-01-2010, 01:35 PM

She has a desk in her room. Front draw is for her glasses. Top draw has a silverware sorter with her misc supplies. Bottom draw is for excess papers.

Next to her desk is a table for her to leave her laptop on when not in use.

On her desk is a pencil cup and a calendar.

Her back is to the tv (avoiding temptation) and there are cheerful/inspiring sayings on the wall she faces.

Right now she has a floor lamp, but I am looking for a desk lamp with a wide enough clamp to attach it to the desk.

**Mom2-3** · 09-01-2010, 01:41 PM

My kids do homework at the kitchen table. If it's reading, they will go outside or lay on the floor somewhere in the house.

**Neeley** · 09-01-2010, 01:47 PM

DS and DD both have a desk in their rooms.

DD's has some cutesy girl stuff like lotions, perfumes and nail polish on it. In her three drawers she keeps all of her notebooks and journals full of stories she has written over the years. She doesn't study at her desk. She does all of her studying in her bed or at school. Can't complain, she's a senior, GPA over a 4.0 and the front runner for Valedictorian.

DS does use his desk. It has some of his football trophies and awards on a top shelf. Then there are three side shelves; one holds extra paper, one holds his Nintendo DSi and games and the other has a few magazines in it. Two drawers, both have my stuff in them like postage stamps and return address labels. There is a middle slide out section for a computer keyboard that he keeps his laptop in. He keeps all of his materials and supplies in his backpack, not on the desk.

**imagine** · 09-01-2010, 02:14 PM

We have a common study area

The kitchen table ( that way I can help with the work if needed)

We have a microwave cart that hold supplies.

The top cabinet is mine and has office supplies ( and dog medicine) organized in stack-able pencil boxes (I'm working on a color coded list so I know what is each box without looking or needing to remember) IF anyone needs stuff in that cabinet they may help themselves just tell me if you use something up.

Where the microwave was is now where the radio, the emergency flashlight, and our family cookbook sits.

The draw is for the children. it has pencil boxes with school supplies, the draw also hold flashcards, stencils, paper, construction paper etc.

The bottom hold misc things ( things generally to big to fit else where) this is also where you will find the extension cord

Sitting the very top is a cup with pens and pencils, a note holder that Buddy made in cub scouts, a basket with store bought cookbooks, and my recipe file box.

Next to the microwave card we have a three shelf thing.
Each child has a "cubby" that has a basket that they keep school work in (generally returned school work) The very top is my "cubby" and has a basket that is my working file cabinet my "brains" ( meaning it has important papers in folders or notebooks.) it also has a clear envelope with extra paper available to all.

Above the three shelf thing is the cork board that has important papers ( including spelling lists, notes to be signed and returned. doctor reminder postcard, school lunch menu as well as the family master calendar)

All this fits in a nice nook area of our kitchen right by the kitchen table.

On the other side of the kitchen table is a long counter that the children keep their backpacks on. It also has the lost and found basket. It also is the recharge center where we charge cell phones.

Works perfectly for us.

**frugal is fun** · 09-01-2010, 03:07 PM

My son is only five but he has a little table in the living room with shoe boxes full of his "supplies" like pencils, markers, crayons and scissors. We've tried doing homework at the kitchen table and that doesn't seem to work for him. I think he likes having his space.

Only problem is he likes to eat at this table too. not the best of both worlds for sure!

It works for now but once my EF is funded and my cash flow isn't as strapped I'd like to upgrade his table and maybe get a desk or table with matching "boxes" to organize stuff. As I said, he's only 5 so I have a few years to work with.