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Primary school students, especially in the early years, need easy access to adult help with their homework, but for secondary and third level students, the kitchen table is not an ideal place to study.  They need a quiet space away from household bustle to help them concentrate.  Many students have a desk in their bedroom where they study, but bedrooms can be full of distractions – especially if they are shared with siblings.  

A quiet room used just for study would be ideal, and many houses have such a room… but it is full of Christmas decorations, out of season clothing, things waiting to be repaired and all sorts of other clutter.  But even if you don’t have a box room, you can create a quiet, clutter-free study space for the students in your family by organizing your clutter or renting a storage unit.  It can also serve as a calm place to do any paperwork or bookkeeping.

  • First, tackle the clutter.  Invest in some shelving or cupboards and get those things you are not using but can’t get rid of out of the way.   If you are using shelving, consider putting your things in boxes because a cluttered shelf is a visual distraction.  If much of your clutter is paperwork, consider investing in a file cabinet or box, accordion files or stacking paper trays.  Is there other storage space in the house?  Could you put boxes of things you don’t need often in the attic or garage?  Do you need to look into renting a storage unit?
  • Keep decoration minimal and simple.  The walls don’t have to be bare, but it is important that they don’t get covered in posters and photos.  That can be distracting.  Can you paint the walls?  Colour does affect us, but you’ll find a wide range of suggestions on the best colours to boost concentration.  Consider the individuals who will be using the space.  Are they easily distracted?  A calmer colour such as blue, green or cream might be best.  Do they get tired studying?  A warmer, brighter colour such as yellow or orange might help keep energy levels up when they are hitting the books.
  • If you are creating a study area in one part of a room, think about how you can set it apart.  Can you position furniture to divide the room?  A room screen might work better in a smaller room.  Make a firm rule that when it is study time, the room is only used for study – no siblings playing there or running in and out of the room.  It will also help to establish a routine where the room is cleaned up before study time to quash distractions.  

Whether you have the space to store everything in your home or you need to look into renting a storage unit, your students have the best chance of reaching their potential when they have a suitable place to study.

Love our storage tips? Why not check out the rest of our blog entries.