When planning for back-to-school virtual learning, it is imperative to prepare the study area adequately. Here are tips for creating a study space that will make you productive in your studies.

Identify a Calm Study Room

Avoiding distractions is the best way to achieve your study goals. It is imperative to identify a calm area with little to no distractions. This puts you in a study mood and enables you to focus fully on your studies. Avoid noisy areas such as the TV room, video games area, and other places where other family members frequent. 

Declutter the Study Area

Arranging your study area will keep everything organized, making your studies flow seamlessly. Before you settle down, place each item within the study room in the right storage. No matter the number of materials and tools on your study table, you need to arrange each item well and place them in an open place for easy access. The best way to go about this is by dividing your study materials into essential and non-essential items for easy identification to avoid clutter. 

Install Proper Lighting

Lighting is an essential component that brightens up your study area and makes your studies effective and seamless. Even if the room has adequate artificial lighting, you'd also want to create space for natural lighting. This is because natural lighting can complement artificial lighting, making the room brighter and better. You can place your study table and chair near the window to get natural lighting. While on it, avoid installing too much bright light because it can affect your sight in the long run. 

Create Ideal Temperature

Your body needs favorable temperatures while studying. When setting up a room, it should be a favorable place where you will spend most of your time studying. The room shouldn't be too cold or too hot. The temperatures should be moderate to enable you to have a clear focus on your studies. 

The Bottom Line 

Once you create a comfortable study space, you’ll be better set up to achieve your goals. Take time to arrange the study space and put everything in place before you begin schooling. If you’re looking for more ways to enhance the interior design of your home, we’re always happy to help!

Life is getting stressful for those juggling full-time work and parenting under the same roof. Adjusting to working from home while homeschooling requires modifying habits and routines. If this is your new normal, your home space needs updates for these new roles. Some simple tweaks will streamline your space when you don't have a dedicated home office.  

Set Boundaries

To be productive with kids around, parents need to set boundaries in space, behavior, and time. If your home has an open floor plan, create zones for different tasks. Set ground rules on the kinds of activities and levels of noise that are appropriate at certain times.

A large dining table will likely be your new work/school hub. Assign each person their own section and give yourself a nice view out a window if possible.

Examine Your Lighting

Hopefully, your home is already centered around a good lightscape. Keeping lights softer and more yellow will help create a relaxed ambiance. Be sure to layer enough lighting that you don't find yourself dozing though. 

Declutter

Taking a few minutes to organize the main living spaces will boost your productivity and clear mental space as well. Give everything a place that is easy for everyone to keep up with. Rolling carts make for great family command centers. Each person can have their own tier to organize work and school supplies.

Embrace Mood Music

Use smart home devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home to play music throughout the day. Music is an amazing way to set or adjust the mood in a room. Try something soothing when nerves are on edge or an energetic playlist when you need a pick-me-up.

Think Fresh & Green

Fresh plants and flowers have a magical calming quality. Send your kids outside for a garden scavenger hunt. Some colorful clippings in a simple case will brighten everyone's day.

Scent Power

It's called aromatherapy for a reason. Different scents can do wonders for creating a cozy and efficient space. Lean into the hygge movement with glowing candles or wax warmers.

Diffusing essential oils go beyond a pleasant smell with actual health benefits. Lavender is calming while peppermint invigorates. Sweet orange is great for both mood improvement and an energy boost and all three are safe around kids over 5.

Get Better Sleep

To function at optimum capacity from home, get good sleep. Maintain your sleep schedule and bedtime routines even if you don't have to be up at a certain time. Consider that the time you used to spend getting ready or commuting can be a decent quiet time to get started with work.

Let your bedrooms remain work-free zones. Use a humidifier to balance the moisture in the air for better breathing while you sleep. Now is also a great time to invest in quality cotton sheets that will complete the oasis feel of your bed.  

While millions of families are adjusting to spending long days together at home, make the best of your situation and space.  

Having a visually appealing office space in your home is so important. It allows your mind to think freely and creatively. You will spend hours in this space, so it is crucial that your work space matches the comfort and beauty of the rest of your home. Whether you have a desk in the corner or a completely separate room, here are four must-haves in any beautiful home office space:

1. Natural Light

Natural lighting just does something for our minds and bodies. There are multiple studies that praise the benefits of working in natural light. This article from the New York Times highlights how greater amounts of artificial light, rather than natural light, can lower productivity. So first things first, make sure your desk is positioned near a window that allows plenty of sunlight to come through.

2. Plenty of Color

Colorful spaces always draw our attention. A monochromatic space without any pops of color may stifle your creativity and can make you feel bored. To make your home office more visually appealing and thought- provoking, add some color. This does not mean you have to paint the walls! Find a poster, a painting, or a fabric canvas to hang on the walls. Play around with textures, too! A faux fur rug or a wooden sculpture on your desk may be exactly what your home office needs to keep those productive juices flowing. 

3. Methods of Organization

Keeping an organized space may not seem fun or creative, but it certainly will create a beautiful home office space. Just looking at a desk piled high with papers and junk can cause anxiety and make you feel overwhelmed, while an organized desk will save you time in looking for important papers or items. Plus, sitting at a clean desk will give you the freedom to think creatively, rather than being stressed about the stack of papers in front of you. This applies to your laptop or desktop as well! 

4. Lots of Life 

Add a few plants or even a small fish tank to your home office! Bringing the outdoors in is a great way to keep you from feeling like you are stuck inside. Afraid of your brown thumb? This article lists 30 easy houseplants that will be hard to kill and make a wonderful addition to your workspace. 

These are four simple ways you can create a beautiful home office space. Be sure to check out other articles on our blog for more inspiration!