station on homework

How To Create The Ultimate Homework Station (So You’ll Never Have To Ask “Is Your Homework Done?” Ever Again)

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Homework can be the bane of the school year and can often be the source of much drama in the household. “Where is my notebook?” “Have you seen my backpack?” and of course the often-used “Is your homework done?!”

Instead of playing into the drama, why not make your home set-up a point of calm amongst the chaos, and set your children up for success by creating (or updating) an incredible homework station.

Teaching your kids how to keep themselves organized is such an important skill. Tasks such as time management, tidying workspaces, and project preparation will not only help them with school work, but also with life and the challenges it brings as they continue to learn and grow.

As organizers, we have used these tips to create homework stations for elementary school aged children onwards and they can easily be applied to families looking to refresh their existing systems for kids of any age.

And big bonus – your kids will love their new work space so much, they may actually be excited to do their homework!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our  disclosure  policy.

PIN for when you’re ready to organize!

FIND THE SPACE

First things first, you’ll need to find a room or space in your home that works for your child. Depending on their age and how much assistance they require, this spot could be in a communal room (think kitchen or family room) or at a desk in their own room.

The ultimate goal is to get them working in a proper set-up with a table and chair instead of working from their lap – this way they establish good habits, can properly work on their handwriting and have room to spread out all their materials.

To spark your creative juices, we’ve pulled  30 of our favorite homework station examples  to serve as inspiration:

• Dual Desks from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Fold Down Desk via  This Old House
• Rustic 3-Desk Set-Up via  Postbox Designs
• Closet Transformation from  This Old House
• Homework Station for 4 via  Householdno6.
• Modern Loft Study Area via  Houzz
• Display Wall Station via  Houzz
• Dual Closet Homework Station via  Houzz
• Hallway Station via  Jen Hannotte for Houzz

• 2 Desk Work Station via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Double Sided Desk from  Better Homes & Gardens
• Closet Study Area via  iheartorganizing
• Family Room Homework Space via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Classic Desks via  Classy Clutter
• Walk-in Closet Transformation via  Petite Party Studio
• Kids Homework Station via  Clean and Scentsible
• Freestanding Table via  Houzz
• Colorful Workstation for Four via  Houzz
• Study Nook from  @littlelibertyrooms

• Chalkboard Wall via  Houzz
• Station Under the Stairs via  Houzz
• Hallway Homework Station from  @ninaandcecilia
• Double Desk Space from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Hanging Chair Hideout via  Houzz
• PBTeen Sleep & Study Loft Bed
• DIY Kids Art & Homework Station via  Craft-O-Maniac
• Tri Station via  Juvenile Hall Design
• Pull-Down Hallway Station from  Sand and Sisal
• Homework Nook with Chalkboard via  By Dawn Nicole
• DIY Homework Station from  Tatertots & Jello

Now, if finding a dedicated desk space isn’t possible, consider making your own mobile supply station that can be easily moved in and out of the space (like the kitchen table) when it’s homework time.

We love these smart DIY ideas for a portable study station:

• Dollar Store Portable Homework Caddy via  Simple Made Pretty
• Mobile Homework Station Cart from  Design Improvised
• Ikea Raskog Homework Station via  Smashed Peas and Carrots
• DIY Organizer from  Sprinkle Some Fun
• Homework Study Station via  Mom Advice
• Side of Fridge Storage via  the 36 th  Avenue
• DIY Homework Station Turntable from  Mom On Timeout
• Over the Door Organizer from  A Bowl Full of Lemons
• Freestanding Homework Station via  Simply Organized
• DIY Cutlery & Canning Jar Caddy via  Clean Mama

MAKE IT COMFORTABLE + FUNCTIONAL

Select a good desk chair that is both comfy and supportive. You don’t want a chair to be the reason that your kids are gravitating to doing their homework on the couch!

A few of our all-time favorite options:

• PBTeen Ergo Chair
• Land of Nod Class Act Mint & Gold Desk Chair
• Land of Nod Toto Desk Chair
• PBTeen Emily & Meritt Bed of Roses Airgo Chair
• PBTeen Rockin’ Roller Desk Chair
• Walmart Kids Retro Molded Chair
• Home Depot Modway Edge Office Chair
• PBTeen Northfield Wingback Chair
• Walmart Urban Shop Swivel Mesh Chair

Although it may seem obvious, having a  trash/recycle can  near their desk will encourage them to not only throw out their old papers, but also (perhaps with a little coaxing), to purge the garbage from their backpacks on a regular basis.

GET IT ORGANIZED

Wall Organization

Hang up a cork, magnetic or pin board for your kids to put papers, reminders and a calendar. This is a space that should be within reach of their desk so they can easily add/remove important items on a regular basis. It can also give them a chance to decorate and personalize their space – hopefully inspiring them to actually use it!

There are so many amazing wall organizing systems available – take a look at some of these incredible ideas:

• PBTeen Cubby System Pinboard
• PBKids Build Your Own Modern Gabrielle System
• Land of Nod Stick With Me Magnet Bar
• Land of Nod Cloud Corkboard
• Target Bulletin Board with Chalkboard & Hooks
• Umbra Trigon Bulletin Board
• Sweet Jojo Designs Pinboard
• PBTeen Dot Pin-It Pinboard
• Land of Nod Beaumont White Shelving System
• Land of Nod Colorblock Corkboard Letters
• PBKids Butterfly Shaped Pinboard

DESK ORGANIZATION

Having supplies within reach of the workspace is key to their productivity (there needn’t be twelve trips around the house looking for the tools they need to complete each project!).

If there’s room on their workspace, consider keeping their supplies neatly organized in one of these nifty containers:

• Land of Nod I Could’ve Bin a Things Bin
• PBKids Rainbow Shaped Pencil Holder
• PBKids Candy Canisters
• Land of Nod Perfect Pitch Storage Caddy
• Lani Ang 4-Grid Desktop Organizer
• PBKids Printed Metal Lazy Susans
• Container Store Acrylic Accessory Drawers
• Land of Nod Multicolor Desk Accessories  
• Target Room Essentials Desktop Storage Unit

A version of these supply caddies can also be made for the road as there are often times that your child won’t be home when it comes time for homework (ie. at a sibling’s after-school sporting event!). Capitalize on that travel and waiting time with a to-go bag of their most needed supplies. We especially love  this portable storage one .

Make cleanup easier on everyone by using labels on your supply containers/caddy. This will help teach your children how to maintain their space and hopefully put an end to the continuing cycle of them asking where to put things when they are cleaning up.

We love  this no-fuss, inexpensive labeler  and also check out  these cool reusable chalk board labels .

As your kids get older, homework will often require the use of technology, which means cord and charging chaos! Keep their space tidy from the cord clutter by using some of these ingenious products and hacks to help cables stay neat and handy for when it’s time to plug in and charge.

• Cable Sleeve
• Container Store  Cable Twisters
• Cable Management Box
• Cable Catch

ESTABLISH GOOD HABITS

Time Management

Give them the tools to manage their own time  by keeping a clock or timer at their workspace . Setting time limits for each subject can help them stay on track and is a life skill that will bode them well in life after school.

If you haven’t heard of  the Time Timer  before, it is an ingenious tool that visually shows your child how much time they have left for a certain task. It is easy for them to set themselves, and they don’t need to know how to read a clock in order to understand the concept of time diminishing.

Subject Management

Help keep your child’s different subjects organized with  color-coded file folders  (1) — for instance, green for science, blue for english, etc. — so they can keep their notes organized on their desk and in their book bag.

A  simple file folder organizer  can help keep their most important documents at arm’s reach ( this one  (2) even has some extra storage underneath!). If there’s not enough room on your desk for one, try  this nifty cascade folder  (3) that you can hang on the wall when working, and collapse and bring with you on-the-go!

In/Out Parent Bins

There’s always a plethora of school paperwork and updates that need to get safely into your hands. Consider setting up some  in and out bins  where your kids can drop off any papers that need to be signed or seen by a parent. You can then go through them each night, and put any that need to be returned to school in the “out” bin, ready for them to pick up in the morning and pack in their backpacks. With a little practice, this can be an extremely effective method that can be used all the way through high school!

It is vital for older children to start learning how to manage their own calendar. Whether it’s a  desktop planner , or a  large dry-erase calendar  that can hang on the wall, it’s a great way for them to visually see what tests and assignments are coming up, so they can manage their time accordingly.

Form a Routine

Now you’ve got their work space expertly organized, help your child form a routine of  when  they do their homework. It could be as soon as they come home after a snack, after ½ an hour of “down” time or after dinner. Whatever you decide, help them stick to their routine for the first few weeks by setting a timer or providing gentle guidance. Hopefully with their new homework station in place, they’ll feel a real sense of ownership and be excited to get down to work!

After their homework is complete, consider helping them put a routine in place that will help make the morning rush less hectic. It could be as simple as establishing a nightly backpack check ensuring that all the books and papers needed for the next day are all packed away. Or having them place their packed backpack in a designated space (preferably near the door!) so there isn’t a mad scramble to find it in the morning.

RELATED:  For more smart tips and hacks for smooth morning routines see our popular post:  67 Life Changing Organization Tips & Hacks For Stress-Free Mornings

So there you have it mamas, tons of tips and inspiration to create the ultimate Homework Station. We wish you much success in the homework drama and hope you’ll never have to ask “is your homework done?” ever again!

Pssst – before you go, we’d love to have you  join our What Moms Love community  and we’ll hook you up with all of our exclusive resources including our popular  10 Screen-Free Toys For Guaranteed Quiet Time  (this is seriously a game changer mamas!),  Holiday/Birthday Coupon Book for Kid s  and  35 Food Subs & Swaps for Healthy Family Meals . Just let us know where to send all your goodies!

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MICHELLE HALE & ANNIE DRADDY

About The Authors:

Michelle and Annie are co-founders of  Henry & Higby , a professional organizing company in New York City. They believe that life should be as simple as possible and that the process of getting organized can help.

If you need help organizing your life & home, contact them at  [email protected]

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Wow, these homework stations are amazing! Almost too pretty to work at. Haha. I like the wall organization ideas the most. Always good to get stuff up and off the desk!

Wow, this post is pack full of good ideas! I think it is so important to have a fun, bright station that get kids actually excited to do their homework! Beautiful post.

So much inspiration here!!! My oldest just started kindergarten but I want to have good habits established early and these ideas are great!

These are amazing ideas!! I’m saving for the future

Always such helpful posts! Thank you!

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Creating a Homework Station – 10 Spaces We Love

Set your kids up for some Back-to-School SUCCESS with a special spot to study and complete their assignments! Here are 10 favorite homework station ideas that will make doing homework a little less painful.

Here are a few more Homework Helps you might enjoy –  Homework Punch Cards + Rewards System,   Portable Homework Station,   Make Your Own Family Command Center , and  Reading Log for kids.

Kids Homework Station

Homework time can be a challenge for any family, but if kids have a dedicated study station with all the supplies they need for their assignments and projects, it’s so much easier to concentrate and get stuff done!

From a small homework nook with a homework caddie to a room with multiple study zones, here are 10 homework stations that kids will love! Take a look and get inspired to create the perfect workstation in your home. (Consider this your homework assignment!)

10 Homework Stations

See how Postbox Designs took a boring white hallway and transformed it into a perfect Homework Station! (This space is seriously my favorite!!)

I love this bright white homework area at the top of the stairs, from Decor Pad. The extra storage on top of those shelves is perfect! Such a great use of space!

The colors in this kid’s workspace are perfection! I love the drawers that separate the workspaces. From Home Bunch.

All the heart eyes for this clean and simple Double Homework Station by Decor Pad. That map wall is amazing and would be great for elementary school kids and teens, too!

Young House Love proves you don’t have to spend a ton on a functional DIY Homework Station . (Isn’t it pretty?!)

This Kid’s Computer Work Station is clean and simple… just the way I like it! From The Spruce.

A great way to maximize space, and avoid sibling contention! (BONUS!) I love this  Double Work Station by BHG.

A Wall Mounted Homework Desk is a great way to save on space. From BHG.

An organized cart from IKEA and a vintage school desk make this small space cute and functional! All the pencils, pens, crayons, markers, notebooks, glue, scissors, and erasers are within arm’s reach. From Design Improvised.

Last, but not least, this kid’s homework station from Hobby Lobby has all the fun supplies that make my heart happy! Who wouldn’t want to do their homework assignments in this home office? (Perfect for crafts, too!)

Busy moms, this one is for YOU!

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These are all such great ideas!

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Homework Station: DIY Tutorial

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It was that time again. Nights were getting cooler. Flyers were advertising fresh pencils and pens. Letters from teachers were arriving in the mail. It was time to go back to school time and mom had plans. Plans that involved upgrading the playroom from a place filled with toys and primary colors to a place that would allow focus and learning and productivity. I wanted a… Homework Station.

From Playroom to Big Kids Playroom

My children are 9, 7, and 4, so there’s still a lot of playing, but not as much as there was a few years ago. They now spend a lot of time in school and even when they’re home, their playing has changed.

While spending some time on Pinterest , I found some amazing inspiration, especially from Postbox Designs , which was simple, and had enough space for three chairs. 

When I saw her space, I knew it was game on.

Homework Station Planning

List of must-haves.

Not all homework stations are created equal, nor are they designed for as many kids as I have (just three, but still). Before we jumped into building, I created a list of must-haves for the space.

• Space for three kids to work and sit.
• Paper storage for study guides and long-term homework
• Display area for tests and artwork
• Storage for school supplies and crafts
• A simple, sophisticated look

Can We Repurpose?

I toyed around with some ideas for repurposing two different tables we already had. Unfortunately, both possibilities would have made it awkward for 3 children and chairs. We decided if we were going to redo our room and if we intended for our children to use it for years to come; it was worth spending a little of money on a new surface.

Homework Station Materials

We headed off to Ikea, by far the best place to get inspired for a project like this.

We needed a nice sturdy surface that was long enough for three chairs.

Homework Station Work Surface

When I saw the Karlby counter and fell in love. I loved the wood, the stain, and the simplicity. It was exactly the look I was aiming for.

I was a little disappointed to find it was not solid wood all the way through like some other butcher block options, but it was the perfect length, so we wouldn’t be exposing any of the inside.

This counter can also be sanded and refinished, if needed. The particleboard inside makes the counter lighter, which was helpful for how we intended to install it — mounted to the wall with legs for support .

Homework Station Legs

While at Ikea, we picked up 4 simple metal legs to help define each work space and support the surface.

We planned to install one leg on either end of the counter and install 2 additional legs in the middles, creating spaces for three chairs and, more importantly, clear boundaries for children.

After getting the Karlby counter, my vision came together. I was going deep and dark with the wood and the walls, and I’d rely on white and gold accents and natural light to brighten it up.

I decided on Gauntlet Grey by Sherwin Williams . It’s on the darker side but not too dark, it’s oh-so-pretty and is in the same pallet as Mindful Grey , which is what many other parts of the house are painted.

Fun Fact: Home Depot will mix any color paint, regardless of which company created it. You can save a boatload of money and still get the exact color you want.

Homework Station Installation

After purchasing all the materials and painting, it was time for the installation.

Ledger Board

The first thing installed was a 2″x2″ ledger board that was 5 feet long onto the wall. Since the counter was 7 feet long, we cut the ledger board to 5 feet so it wouldn’t be seen from the sides of the homework station.

We calculated how high we wanted the table to be, then subtracted the thickness of the table. We also made sure the ledger board hit multiple studs so it would provide enough support for the countertop.

After we had the ledger board in place, I painted it grey. This step was probably a little excessive, but it ensures that even if you can see the ledger board, it blends in with the wall and doesn’t stand out like unfinished wood might.

Installing the Legs

Now we were ready to focus on the surface. To install the 4 legs, we flipped the Karlby counter upside down. We measured carefully, installing two legs on either end, then two evenly spaced in the middle. This left us with three perfect spaces for three little chairs for three children to sit.

Mounting the Homework Station

We flipped the countertop with the legs attached back over and centered it on the wall about the ledger board. We got 2.5-inch screws — this was important.

We got under the counter and screwed the screws up through the ledger board and into the bottom of the homework station. We did this to avoid screwing into the top of the counter.

Screw length was essential . Longer screws would have poked out the top of the homework station. Shorter screws wouldn’t have been long enough to hold the homework station in place.

Homework Station Organization

Now that the homework station surface was in place, it was time to add some fun details.

Paper Storage

I decided on wire wall-mounted baskets for the storage. I purchased one for each child and mounted them directly in front of their space.

Using my cameo silhouette , I cut out vinyl labels for each basket. Not only does this look nice, it designates an area for each child.

Art Display

I then selected black metal grid boards for displaying children’s artwork. The clips seemed safer than tacks, and the black grid contrasts nicely with the wall color.

Displaying kids’ artwork isn’t essential, but it supports your child and helps boost their self-esteem.

Plus, this is a playroom and the art is… art!

Arts & Craft Supplies

We brought in a three tier cart for supplies and coloring books.

I looked around my home and used what I had for storing all the art supplies. I had metal buckets left from a birthday party and then grabbed some mason jars for skinnier writing utensils.

UPDATE: The cart wasn’t a great solution for us. A few months after this post, I purchased a cube shelf from Ikea. Here’s how I organized it with all our supplies .

Homework Station Decoration

The homework station was a fun spot to decorate. I kept most of the decor black and gold, which looked great on the wall. I also tried to keep it educational-ish.

To create a cohesive look, I stained a wooden board to match the Karlby counter, then added simple black shelf brackets .

Mounting a shelf up top provides an out-of-the-way space for decor and frames the space nicely.

I added a simple letter board like this to write “encouraging” messages, a black globe ( Ikea ) that’s more decorative than educational, a geometric wire shape (Ikea), and some plastic plants in gold pots (Ikea).

Homework Station Seating

Finally, a chance to repurpose — I used chairs from tables we already had in the basement, so those were free. While they aren’t a perfect match, they are good enough for now. Maybe someday I’ll refinish them someday.

I added black seat cushions (Ikea, again!) to keep little tushies comfortable.

Homework Station Wall Art

I kept things simple on the walls. I created a few designs myself and cut heat transfer vinyl using my cameo silhouette .

I also hung a fun map of the US up on the wall. Mine is from Hobby Lobby and no longer available, but here’s a similar map with a fun look .

I found gold desk lamps at Walmart that perfectly matched the gold flower pots on the shelf. The lamps were less than $7 each, so grabbing three was an easy decision.

Homework Station: The Final Look

Overall, we spent about $350 on this space. $200 was for my best friend, Karlby, and his legs. The rest was the cart, storage baskets, grid panel, lamps, and paint. Overall, I’m very pleased with our choices, although I think if you were on a tighter budget and got more creative you could do a similar space for less money.

Using the Homework Station

We finished this project up just as school was starting in 2019. I have never seen children so excited to do their homework. All three kids happily sit here and do their homework. When homework is done, they stay and color or create art projects. This space gets quite messy, but with systems in place, it’s simple to clean up.

I think this space will be really useful for our family in the coming years. There’s room to work and room for computers, should they be needed. For now, though, we’ll stick to art projects and homework.

2020 Update: Virtual Schooling at the Homework Station

Little did we know in the summer of 2019 exactly what was in store for us in 2020. This homework station got A LOT more use than anticipated. All three children used this space regularly when schools were closed in March of 2020, although only two children used it for school.

My preschooler sits in the middle seat, so when her spot was vacant, my two older kids had space for small laptops (and headphones) and some work space in between.

Virtual Learning Modifications

To accommodate additional cords without having them in the way, we drilled two large holes in the work surface and installed desk grommets .

We had removed the Raskog cart since it wasn’t ideal for all our art supplies, but we brought it back in for virtual learning because it WAS ideal for storing books, folders, and papers.

2021 Update

My kids are in school most of the time now, however they do occasionally switch back to virtual school when the school is concerned about an outbreak. The homework station is available for them and they will often work there, however if they prefer, they may work at the kitchen table or in their bedroom, as well. The homework station still gets used daily for crafts and coloring.

Love it? Hate it? I’d love to hear from you!

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31 thoughts on “Homework Station: DIY Tutorial”

Hi Melissa, Love your homeschool space, I’m getting ready to do the same for our 4 year old. Where did you get your map? Love the look!

Thank Janelle

Thank you so much! It was from Hobby Lobby 2 or 3 years ago. I loved it the second I saw it!

Hi how do you store school materials?

Hi Michelle,

We have most of our school supplies on a cube shelf to the right of this homework station. Check out this post to see . As far as school materials like workbooks, we reused that rolling cart I had initially used for supplies to hold books. One level for each child!

I love this idea! I just quit my teaching job and will be staying home with my three children as well. We are needing to set up a space for them to do their work and I love this! Where did you find the black metal legs?

Hi Belinda! Thanks so much! The metal legs are from Ikea, as well as the table top. They have a ton of affordable build-your-own desk options so we customized this one to work for us! It was important to me that they all had their own space and the 4 table legs helped achieved this! Enjoy staying home with your littles!

Thank you so much!

Love the space! Where did you find the shelf and brackets that are above the desk area?

Thanks so much, Erin! The brackets are from Ikea, the shelf is just a board of wood I stained to (attempt) to match the desk.

Thanks for sharing! Did you get the 74 inch Karlby or the 98 inch?

We got the 74″ top. Each of the table legs are 22.5″ apart. 🙂

Hi where did you get the wall back to school calendar. I love your setup

Walmart! I think it was $6ish!

Love this space! Where did you get your if you can’t be kind be quiet and abc signs?

Thank you! I actually made it using my cameo silhouette, heat transfer vinyl and the “reverse canvas” method where you take a canvas apart, stain the frame, and then staple it back together backwards. If you search Etsy there are tons of similar options! 🙂

Hi, I love your homeschool space. It’s so inviting. I am currently making one for our 3. I also thought of buying the raskog cart and using it. I’m curious why it didn’t work for you. I’m sure we will have a similar experience.

Hi Rebekah! The top of the cart was great for holding all the writing supplies, but I couldn’t fit vertical paper dividers in the bottom two tiers, so things ended up piling up there and getting messy. Perhaps if you’re storing different items than I stored, it would work well! It wasn’t ideal for us and our papers and coloring books. I’ve switched to a Kallax cube unit and that’s been going much better. Here’s a link the blog post I wrote about it .

This space is amazing! It was exactly what I was envisioning for our space! Thank you for sharing this! Just curious, did you paint your whole room gauntlet gray? Does the room look dark?

Thank you so much! We did paint the whole room, and it doesn’t look dark, but that room gets a lot of light. There are windows on both three sides of the house there, so it’s pretty light all day. It might depend a lot on your house and your space. 🙂

Where is the shelf on the wall from? I have found everything else to recreate this look.

The shelf is actually a board of wood stained to match the counter top. The brackets are several years old, purchased at Ikea. Good luck!

Fab job👍🏽.This is gorgeous and practical! Thanks for the precise shop details and instructions! I’m inspired.

Love it! Thank you for all the details.

Thanks so much!

How much did the table cost?

The surface and legs cost about $200 overall. Links are above if you’d like to check out the specifics!

After going over a handful of the articles on your web site, I really like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my website as well and tell me what you think.

Hi there! We’re still in the “littles” stage mostly – totally curious where you got those clear, locking storage cubes for your “prior” playroom? Thanks!

Hi Eryn! We still use them, they’re fabulous! They’re linked in this Toy Rotation Made Simple post! They’re Sterilite brand from Walmart! 🙂

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Homework Haven

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How to Create a Homework Space

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Does your kitchen look more like a classroom when five o'clock strikes? If the answer is yes, there's no doubt that algebra isn't the only problem on your kitchen table. In this episode of Smart, Simple, Solved, I'll show you how to keep your kid nearby but his homework out of the way. No more text books tossed in the way of table settings or crayons cozying up to the carrots. You can easily reclaim your kitchen table by creating a convenient, all-inclusive homework hub off to the side.

10 Ideas for a Smarter Homework Station

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Start with innovative ways to set up a tabletop in a public space. Then get a leg up on desk space by installing an adjustable arm to hold a tablet. I'll give you tips on turning cups into supply holders and tricks to create a homework board with pockets to keep papers in place and distractions at bay. It's also a good idea to provide comfortable seating for writing those persuasive essays. A homework hub this genius gives you plenty of room for salad, while your kids study for tomorrow's spelling quiz.

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Published: Aug 5, 2021 · Modified: Aug 28, 2021 by Rachel

30+ Homework Station Ideas for Kids and Teens

Ready to make your family’s after-school or home school routine a bit less stressful? An organized homework station is the answer! I’ve included easy tips for small spaces and multiple kids so everyone can have a quiet, supervised space to study.

Table of Contents

It’s back to school time again and along with that comes a flood of emotion. While its sad to see our babies growing up, my inner organizing dork gets a boost of excitement. Create a cheerful space with these homework station ideas to inspire learning, even if you’re short on space!

A homework station is an inviting area that is dedicated to learning, homework, and informal learning like arts and crafts project. Although the kitchen table will suffice for a quick review or a worksheet, we’ve found it’s nice to have a homework zone where school supplies, books, and school calendars can have a dedicated place of their own. This cuts back on clutter and distractions.

I was inspired to write this post because of what I’ve learned from our frustrations with my son’s severe ADHD. At first, homework hour was a stressful experience full of tears (mine), yelling and every possible distraction under the sun. No exaggeration – 20 minutes of homework regularly took almost 2 hours. The material was never the issue. Home school moms, you have my admiration!

That’s where a dedicated space and equitable ground rules saved the day (and my sanity!)

How To Setup a Homework Station

I’ve learned a lot over several incarnations of our homework space. Creating a basic homework station area is simple and effective with these tips below:

• Choose a quiet area. The biggest chance of success is to limit distractions. Preferably with a handy outlet for a laptop, or charging accessories like headphones. For my son, I find that headphones with music (on loop) works wonders.
• Stock it with necessities. My son is the king of wasting time looking for misplaced items. Before official homework time, I ask if he has everything he needs to minimize the chances of him getting up from the desk.
• Set a routine. Same time + Same space = Success. I personally give my son a short break after school before we get down to business.
• Keep ’em close. While we must balance distractions, young children especially need supervision and usually help.
• Minimize your own distractions. When my son was in elementary school, I couldn’t continue working from home during homework time. It wasn’t fair to ask him to stay focused, when I myself wasn’t focused on his questions. So I placed a tiny desk in our kitchen. That way I had both eyes on him while I washed dishes or prepped dinner. I was available, yet still productive.

Homework Station Supplies

Below is a handy list of supplies that are sometimes useful.

• Pens and pencils
• Loose leaf paper for scratch paper or notes
• A timer or clock
• A folder with pockets
• 1 box of color pencils or crayons
• Computer and charger
• A planner (checklists are the lifeblood of this house!)
• Craft supplies as necessary – glue sticks and scissors are examples
• A comfy chair

Homework Station Setup Ideas

Finding the right space is often the most challenging part! I’ve included some inspirational ideas below to get focused. You don’t need to have an elaborate space, but these are great jumping off points to inspire your creativity.

Nooks & Crannies

While most of us don’t have room for a dedicated office, there’s usually space to spare like under the staircase, an unused closet, or an awkward alcove . These centrally located spaces are often quiet and can be quite magical.

A small closet can be transformed into a useful desk space. Source: This Old House.

The unused space underneath a staircase like this desk is also perfect for using as a small homework station. This design utilizes fun lines and strokes to make it visually interesting.

Homework Stations that Foster Creativity

I honestly believe that adding a little creativity to the space fosters the desire to learn and leads to great ideas. Classrooms are full of stimulating decorations for a reason.

Here’s a few creative concepts to enhance your learning environment:

Inspirational quotes on a paintable chalkboard from Dawn Nicole add a touch of whimsy and keep students motivated during tough assignments.

A simple wall Children’s art display like the desk above allows kids to hang their accomplishments and past artwork.

Add a splash of color or maybe some wall flash cards.

While these beautiful spaces are awesome, sometimes we just need a simple option like this portable homework station .

More portable homework station ideas :

• Use a bath caddy to hold supplies so you can grab and go.
• A tiny desk and rolling cart makes it easy to move supplies where you need them, when you need them.
• I love my car seat organizer for homework on-the-go. It’s a lifesaver when I have to run errands.
• This fold away desk vault in a box is brilliant!

Room for Two (or more)

If you have more than one child, figure out how they learn best. Do they prefer to  study  together? Try setting up the desk so it can accommodate everyone. A collaborative study area is less isolating.

I’m a big fan of this option . Everyone has dedicated space and no one is encroaching on the other’s turf.

This desk utilizes a stacking bookshelf to create two separate work areas and provide ample storage for each user. To save space, you could also have the desks face each other with the bookshelf between them.

This study zone melds learning and fun. It’s an especially fantastic space for large families. The multi-functional area can accommodate everything from homework, to art projects, and amazing Lego builds.

During my own work hours, I share a space with my son. Our craft room makeover project had to include key elements like tandem workspaces, ample organization elements and creative ways to display our greatest hits!

PRO TIP: Peg Boards are excellent additions to any Homework Station. They allow you to customize your storage and wall display without limits. Here’s how we built a DIY pegboard organizer.

Space Saving Solutions

House a homework nook in even the tiniest space. These space saving desks are brilliant!

Wall Mounted Desk

Ladder Shelf

Wall mounted

Space Saving Shelf Desk

Do you have a dedicated studying area in your home? What’s your top tip for handling the daily homework assignments?

More Ideas You May Enjoy

PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag  #cravingcreative  on Instagram ! You can also  stay in touch with me through following me on  Instagram ,  Pinterest , and subscribing to the newsletter!

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August 31, 2015 at 11:36 pm

Meredith @ The Palette Muse says

August 31, 2015 at 10:42 pm

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Site search, 27 inspirational homework areas and study stations.

Steal ideas from these amazing home office spaces and watch the good grades roll in this semester

Adjacent Homework Station

Create a bright and lively space that’ll get your kid’s creative juices flowing! The cabinets used here were ordered in a factory-applied yellow that echoes the hutch across the room. There’s no reason you can’t get this look with some vibrant paint and a weekend of DIY. Putting a desk in a space just outside the kitchen provides a bit of privacy for independent workers but keeps them close just in case they need homework help. Easy access to snacks is also a plus.

Storage-Loaded Homework Alcove

Build a space-smart little office right in your kid’s room. All you’ll need is some stock lumber, storage bins, and tracks for a sliding work surface.

Creative Closet Space

Take the doors off of a little-used closet and line the walls with a fun pattern to create a handy homework alcove. Your kid’s design ideas may not match your own, but applying their feedback will make the space—and studying—more appealing to them.

Armoire Office

This clever contraption features a door with a fold-down table for a work station that can be tucked away when the studying is done.

Cozy Corner

Some wall-mounted shelves or cubbies and a small computer desk makes for a quick and easy study station.

Corkboard Wall

Cover an entire wall in cork tiles or chalkboard paint to make a bold—and functional— design statement.

Kitchen Counter Homework Station

This tiny desk at the end of a counter makes for an open-yet-compact workspace that isn’t tucked away into a cabinet or closet. It’s perfect for younger kids who need homework help and supervision while working.

Plugged-In Study Nook

Carved into a kitchen, this desk faces a wall to limit distractions for students trying to complete their assignments. Built-in cabinetry makes for ample book and supply storage.

Great Room Homework Station

If you don’t have a dedicated room for a home office or study space, you’ll have to learn how to share. Living spaces can lend themselves nicely to multiple uses. Put a vacant wall to use with a built-in work unit. But if there’s a television in the room, make sure it’s turned off at homework time.

Light, Bright Desktop

For sit-down kitchen desks, like the one shown here, leave about 30 inches between the bottom of the lampshade and the counter.

Budget Home Office

Kelly and Wayne Averbeck of Jerome, Idaho, used leftovers and bargain buys to age their office to perfection. Similarly, you can use what you’ve got to incorporate a homework nook to your existing built-in storage. See An Office Update With Vintage Appeal to learn more about this budget remodel.

Rustic Reclaimed Study Station

Outfitting a room almost entirely with recycled or reused finds can prove a challenge. Too much salvage, and your space starts to look like a junkyard—which is why interior designer Sally Bailey lets simplicity reign in her home studio, shown here. This interesting space makes a great study station for older kids, while teaching the importance of eco-friendly design. For more on how you can get this look, see How to Create a Rustic Reclaimed Workspace .

Side-by-Side Seating

This kitchen office was designed for a mom who wanted a space she could share with her 12-year-old son. Key features include outlets for two computers, a cordless phone, and a single printer, undercabinet task lighting, and a dividing column of drawers to stow craft and office supplies. This arrangement makes a great cooperative learning area for homes with multiple students, too.

Creative Catch-All

When kids are in the picture, the kitchen office can be part homework desk, part high-tech hub, part first-aid center. That’s the case with this multitasker designed by Greenwich, Connecticut, architect Jay Haverson: The lower cabinets in the teak-topped desk store office supplies, phone books, and recipes. Emergency supplies, including medicines and flashlights, as well as electronics, are hidden up high behind touch-latch cabinet doors. A corkboard “backsplash” creates a home for memos.

Space-Saving Station

If you’re really short on space, adding a dedicated homework station can be as easy as building this. Like a ladder-rack, this clever unit props up against a wall and can be anchored or left portable.

Modern Home Office

Lift storage units off the ground! Build and hang large, high-impact shadowboxes instead of mounting traditional shelves.

High Impact Work Station

Boldly colored storage boxes are great for stashing supplies and matching binders are perfect for filing graded papers.

Hidden Study Station

Slim bifold doors make it easy to hide a workspace that’s in a common area.

Wall-Mounted Wonder

This compact, folding work surface doubles as covered supply storage unit. Create a similar space with easy-to-install wall-mount desks .

Adjustable Storage Station

Create a nook with a network of adjustable wall-mounted shelving if built-in storage is out of your budget.

Catch-All Cubby Bins

From wicker to brightly-colored fabrics, choosing the right storage bins for open shelving can add to the look of your space.

Pretty and Punctual Homework Area

Be mindful of clutter, but allow your child to pick a few decor items to personalize her space. A wall-hung clock will get your kid into the habit of scheduling and getting work done in a timely manner—or at least in time for their favorite TV show.

Walled-Off Study Station

Throw up some wall frames and create built-in room dividers, like the ones shown here, in a larger rooms.

Work Space With a View

Make homework time pleasant with desks facing a window. You’ll eliminate the need for using a lamp or overhead lighting in the daytime.

Kid’s Corner

A small corner of a kid’s room is all you need to create a homework station.

In-House Computer Lab

Make sure your study stations have enough outlets to power computers and charge gadgets. In homes with more than two kids, a set up like the one shown here ensures all of your young learners have an equal amount of real estate.

Reader-Created Study Station

Reader Carol Dregne of Galena, Illinois, created this vibrant work station for her two boys to share. The world-map wall covering makes a great learning tool—and beats an ordinary atlas any day of the week.

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12 Tips For Creating The Ultimate Homework Station

1. Create some easy cord control.

2. Keep all supplies close by.

Barbara Reich, a professional organizer and author of Secrets of an Organized Mom insists that “kids should have everything they need to work without having to get up or move to get it: pencils, erasers, sharpeners, highlighters, lined paper, or graph paper. It’s much less distracting.”

3. Choose the right-size work surface.

“The desks I make for kids are 28-inches high, almost adult height but not quite,” explains Gil. “That height ensures your child won’t outgrow it, they could use it until they head off to college! If it’s a little too tall initially, use an adjustable chair.”

4. Make it easy to go mobile when needed.

“Sometimes kids want to do homework at the kitchen or dining room table. For easy clean up, stash pens, pencils, crayons or whatever they need in a supply caddy. I really love the I Could’ve Bin a Art Caddy ($22; Land of Nod ),” says Reich. “It’s easy to put everything away and stick it in a cabinet.”

5. Don’t be afraid to fit a desk wherever you can.

6. get papers organized (and out of their backpacks)., 7. it’s all about location., 8. clear clutter daily..

“Having a trash can next to the desk makes it easy to throw away garbage and odds and ends. If kids have to get up to get rid of their trash, it ends up accumulating on the desktop,” says Reich.

9. Make sure there is enough room to spread out.

10. keep the desk looking like new., 11. get into a routine..

“Make every morning easier with repetition,” says Reich. “Every night homework and papers should go right from the backpack to the table, from the table back into a folder, then back into the backpack. No more frantic searches for papers and it develops great habits that will last into adulthood.”

12. Protect the desk while kids personalize it.

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How to Build a DIY Homework Station

November 16, 2020.

It’s been a weird year. In March 2020, everything shut down. We transitioned to “online learning” and spent A LOT of time at home. We realized that with two grade-schoolers at home, we needed a dedicated homework space. Our two girls and both have small rooms (in our small house), so fitting a desk in their bedrooms wasn’t ideal. We decided to renovate our family room space in the basement and add a DIY homework station into an unused nook in the back of the room!

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Note: This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but may share some commission .

Table of Contents

A Built-In Homework Nook

We didn’t want to spend a fortune, so we hacked some Ikea pieces to make a built-in homework station with plenty of space for both kids. They adore having their own workstations complete with file folder systems, drawers and pegboards! It made me so happy to see them just a little more excited about staying home.

The layout of our basement space was actually quite awkward (you can see the full renovation and details HERE ). We put the homework station in a weird little nook at the back of the room. The space has a low ceiling (ductwork runs above it) and no lighting, so we didn’t really use it at all before! It was just wasted space.

I love how finished it makes the room feel now and how much function it adds! The girls can come down here and do their homework and then lounge and relax when they are finished.

We used EKBACKEN Ash effect laminate counters from Ikea as desktops. They are inexpensive but surprisingly heavy and nicely made.

TIP: I’ve seen quite a few DIY homework spaces that use shelves as desktops. I personally don’t find this ergonomic. The space is too narrow to work comfortably. The 24″ deep countertop gives enough space to really spread out and work without feeling cramped.

The space is about 11 ft wide so we had to use two countertop pieces and cut them down to size. We put the cut ends against the wall so that the finished, uncut edges would make a clean line/join in the centre. We added a support bracket in the middle to help hold the weight, and rested the pieces on 1 x 2 supports fastened to the walls underneath.

Each station is exactly the same (because… siblings) with a SKADIS peg board . I love the SKADIS system . It has so many fun options to add to the pegboards to store pens, papers etc…You can move the accessories easily as well, which is nice since my girls love to organize things! There are even little clips to hang their artwork or current math or spelling words.

Office Drawer Units/ Filing Cabinets

The ALEX drawer units have their own built in filing drawer, which is perfect for storing art projects, report cards or anything else we want to save over the school year.

Floating Shelves

We added some white LACK floating shelves from Ikea for extra storage above each desk. We did the same thing that we did with the counter and used 2 shelves cut down to fit the length. They come with hardware that attaches to the wall to mount them without brackets.

We were going to add built-in wall sconces and decided that we would just keep it simple and use traditional desk lamps! These were actually in our bedroom before, but they work much better in this space! I love when you can shop your home and save money!!

This DIY homework station was quick, easy and didn’t break the bank. But it’s made a huge difference in how we use this space…aka we actually use it now!!

I hope this DIY homework station gives you some inspiration for using an overlooked space in your own home! You can add function to pretty much every inch of space, no matter how awkward with a little creative thinking!

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Hey there! Love this — we’re doing something similar in our basement thanks to your inspiration! Just wondering, what type of bracket did you use for the middle? We only have a wall on one side so we’ll need a bracket for the middle and one for the other end too. Love the triangle look of yours cuz it seems sturdy and adds to the style.

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Homework Station Ideas

Check out these fun and creative ideas for creating a homework station in your home.  No matter your size or budget, there’s something for everyone!

Setting up a homework station.

For this month’s Household Organization Diet , I’ve been working on the kids’ rooms .  I don’t really have any big projects planned – just lots of purging and re-organizing!  This weekend I’ll be going through their closets and tidying things up in their homework station .  For those of you that are following along with me {or just need some ideas for their own space!}, I’ve put together some kids’ desk ideas for you.  It doesn’t have to be fancy – there is something for every sized budget and space!

The end of summer is near and it’s {unfortunately!} time to start thinking about back to school.  For most kids, homework is one of those necessary evils and creating a dedicated spot in your home for them to complete their work can help them to improve their focus and develop proper study habits. Check out some of these great ideas to get you started…

Bedroom homework area  from Honey We’re Home.

Ikea Wall Mounted Desk via This Old Home.

 Smart idea for a double workstation from Better Homes and Gardens.

What is a homework station?

A homework station is basically just a dedicated spot in your home that your child is expected to do their homework.  It can be set up to your kids’ particular learning style and help them stay more productive and focused while doing their homework.  A homework area also provides one main location in your home to store and organize all of the school supplies and art supplies that your child needs.  This makes it easy for them to find what they need and gives them one less excuse for getting their work started!

  Kitchen Homework Station from Craft-O-Maniac.

  Trestle Desk from Pottery Barn Teen.  Love the ball seat too!

Desk with Art Gallery Wall from Centsational Girl.

Where to set up a homework station.

You can really set up a homework station anywhere!  Some kids have one in their room, others may share a space in the family office area, and others might end up doing at the kitchen table.  The important thing is finding out what works best for your child and your home space.

Independent learners and older children might prefer having their own space where they can be alone and focus.  If your child needs more assistance from you, having a space near where you work might be a better option.  As your kids gets older, the environment that they work best in might change, so stay open to new ideas.

Mini Homework Station from The House of Smiths.

Trendy Homework Station from Classy Clutter.

Rolling Cart School Supply Organizer  from Trebuchet.

What to put at a homework station.

You don’t really need a lot of supplies to set up your kids desk.  Basic school supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, scissors, paper, etc. are kind of a given at any age.  Take an inventory of what you already have {re-using old school supplies from the previous year} and stock up on any needed items at the back to school sales. Use a caddy or pencil box to keep smaller items contained and organized. Stacking drawers also work well for providing extra storage in a smaller space.

Elementary school children will also likely need some colored pens and pencils and often enjoy a small area to display some of their favorite creations.  You can always add a few decorative touches to make the space more cozy and comfortable, but you don’t want it too cluttered or distracting.  Find more ideas on what to put in a homework station HERE .

DIY Fold Down Desk from Honey Bear Lane.

Homeschool Room from The Handmade Home.

DIY Cardboard Homework Station from Martha Stewart.

Roll Away Homework Station from Better Homes and Gardens.

Closet Homework Station from I Heart Organizing.

DIY Fold Down Pallet Desk from Thistlewood Farms via Infarrantly Creative.

For more ideas on how to set up a homework station, check out this post….

How to Create a Functional Homework Station

August 17, 2014 at 3:19 pm

Awesome collection Jenn!

September 9, 2014 at 3:35 pm

I love all the space-conscious ideas you shared! Nice roundup!

September 9, 2014 at 4:18 pm

Thanks! Glad you liked them!

September 25, 2015 at 8:13 pm

Love your ideas! Do you have free printable 2016 desktop calendar like the cute 2015 one you did??

September 27, 2015 at 6:08 pm

One will be coming out – I usually release it in December. 🙂

August 15, 2018 at 11:34 am

These where some great ideas. My favorite is the one from pottery barn! I would love to have that homework station in my home 🙂

August 16, 2018 at 9:52 am

I think that’s my favorite one too!

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How to Create a Virtual Learning Station

Dear readers – I created this homework station a few years ago for my young daughter. Now that may of us are wading into virtual learning in 2020, I wanted to update this post to provide tips for creating a virtual learning station. Whether you are doing school virtually or heading into school, having a dedicated work station at home is so helpful. Read on to see how you can make your own DIY schoolwork station in minutes with a cart, a few storage baskets, and some fun chalkboard labels. It’s portable too!

Supplies for Homework or Virtual Learning Station

• Desk or table (large enough for computer if doing virtual learning)
• Headphones (especially for virtual learning)
• Rolling Cart
• Small storage baskets
• Dry erase labels
• Dry erase calendar

How to Make a Homework Station

1. carve out a dedicated spot.

I found this vintage school desk at the Goodwill last fall and gave it a fun makeover with vinyl. I set it near our kitchen table overlooking the backyard. That way Stella could have her own desk rather than working on the dining table, and by keeping it in the kitchen I could still help her with questions while I’m making dinner. Determine where your child works best, whether it is at the kitchen table or at a desk in their room and make that the dedicated schoolwork spot each day.

Tips for virtual learning station:

• Having a quiet spot for your child to take Zoom calls is especially important. If possible and age-appropriate, try to find a separate room for each of your children (and you) to do your work. Whether carving out a corner in a bedroom, living room, or dining area.
• Check out this idea using foam core dividers to create separate workstations for multiple kids in the same room.
• A set of good headphones can help a lot, especially if multiple people are working nearby.
• Comfortable seating at the right height is key for virtual learning since your child will be in front of the computer for long stretches at a time. These adjustable IKEA desk chairs work well for my daughters.

2. Add a cart

The desk looked a little lonely and out of place by itself, but the addition of the cart establishes this spot as the schoolwork nook! A cart similar to this metal cart is an incredibly versatile storage piece. The best part is you can easily roll it to wherever you need it. If you don’t have a cart, a small bookcase or even a kitchen cabinet dedicated to homework supplies would work.

Tips for virtual learning station :

• Supply needs may be more limited for virtual learning beyond the computer and something to write with. But a cart filled with new school supplies can still create that same sense of excitement that you get when you shop for fresh school supplies each year.
• The supply cart is also a good opportunity to have some books and art supplies nearby for your child to keep busy with during downtime between Zoom sessions. 

This post is sponsored by At Home as part of their At Home Inspiration Team .

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How to Set Up a Homework Station

It’s that time of year!

School supplies are filling up the seasonal section at all of the stores. Teacher supply lists are landing in your inbox. And the first day of school is right around the corner.

Are you excited? Are your kids excited? Or are you all wishing for another month of summer?

The start of a new school year always gives me mixed emotions…and the organizing bug. I’ve found that the month before school is a great time to consider our routines from last year and make some tweaks so that the new school year can get off to a good start.

As I was thinking about our school routine recently, I realized that it’s time to uplevel our homework station setup. We used to have a simple space with a small Pottery Barn Kids table and chairs that paired nicely with our  after school drop zone  (a place for backpacks, shoes, reminders, and important papers). That was fine for the past few years, but my kids are growing up! And it’s time that their homework station grows up, too!

Homework Station Goals

When I tackle organizing a new space, I always start by thinking about my goals for the space. As much as I’d love to buy a bunch of pretty things from Target or HomeGoods and make it as aesthetically pleasing as possible, that would just leave me with a pretty but likely nonfunctional space. We’re not choosing form OR function here—there needs to be a balance between the two. The space should be appropriate for our needs but also stylish.

So these are the goals I came up with for my new homework station. It needs to have the following:

• A comfortable work area for my three kids to be able to sit and do their homework.
• A storage system to manage the school supplies they most often use when doing homework.
• A system to manage school papers: Important reference papers like school schedules
• Papers that need to be signed and returned
• Ongoing project papers
• Special assignments that are worth keeping and putting in their School Memory Box at the end of the year.

What are your goals? Are you making a central homework station or individual homework stations in kids’ rooms? Do you want more of a mobile setup with commonly used supplies on a cart like the  RASKOG  one from IKEA that can be rolled around?

There’s no one right way to do it. Think about your home, your family, and your habits. The system will work better and be easier to maintain if you tailor it to your family. In the end, your homework station will look different than mine—and it should! But let me walk you through my process so that you can hopefully get some ideas to use on your own.

Setting Up Your Homework Station

Step 1 – Sorting Supplies

Unless you’re just starting out with a kid in kindergarten for the first time this year, you probably already have homework-related supplies in your house. Your very first step is to gather them all to one central location. Take things out of backpacks. Take things out of the kids’ rooms. Take things out of junk drawers. Gather all of the supplies in one area.

Next, sort the supplies in a logical way: tape, scissors, writing utensils, etc.

Now consider if it makes sense in your family to keep all supplies in one place, if you need to partition supplies out according to each kid, or if some other sorting method would work better for your family and home. I love using a small lazy susan for the essential supplies.

Now that you can see what you’ve got, you can think more clearly about how to go about storing all of it.

Step 2 – The Desk

The very first thing to do when considering what desk to get is measure, measure, and then measure one more time so you know the exact dimensions of your space. Don’t forget to measure your door! You want to make sure you can actually get the desk into the room—especially if it’s already put together.

Next, consider everything that you hope to store there. Do you need shelves above for books or other supplies? Do you need a filing cabinet? 

Here’s a list of all of the things you might consider storing at your homework station:

Writing utensils

Supplies (erasers, scissors, tape, etc)

Craft supplies

Finished work (this is an often-overlooked category but you should have a place for it) Technology 

Notebooks, pads of paper, post-it notes

Misc. items (fidget spinners, collectibles, dice, keepsakes, Legos, etc)

Homework & projects

School handouts

School supplies

Keepers (artwork or school work to keep long term)

For our homework station, we had a long wall that was available. We measured it and found that we could make our own extra long desk setup with IKEA tabletops and   ALEX   drawer units for three of the four supports. IKEA makes it pretty easy to build your own desk by combining various   desk/table legs   with the   desk   or   tabletop   of your choice.

Workspace for three kids with some drawers for storage: check!

Step 3 – Organizing Supplies

Next comes my favorite part—shopping for office supplies!

When I need stylish, functional office supplies, I always start with the See Jane Work line of office products, which is available at Office Depot and on Amazon. I just LOVE it! 

After looking at our space and considering how we’ll use it as a homework station, I ended up purchasing the following See Jane Work supplies:

Document Box

Hanging Wall File

Hanging Corkboard

Hanging Magnetic Dry Erase Board

Hanging Wall System Supplies Pocket

Poly Expanding File Folder

Paper & Clip Holder

Black Weave Pencil Cup Three Tier

Black Weave Bin, Medium

Floral Journal, 3 pack

Plus, I got some simple   drawer organizers .  I’m telling you, drawer organizers are the antidote to junk-drawer-syndrome. Anytime you’re organizing spaces with drawers, you’ve GOT to get some drawer organizers.

And here’s a pro tip: keep all of your receipts when you’re buying organizing supplies! Sometimes things look really great in the store, and then you get them home and realize they just don’t work for your space. No problem. Put them in a bag with the receipt and stick it in your car to return the next time you’re out. You can also cut some newspaper to be the same size as your drawer and take that to the store. Layout the various organizers on it to see how things will fit.

Step 4 – Give Everything a Place

Now is the time to go through your piles of supplies and put everything away in a designated space—it’s very own space. It’s so much easier to keep your homework station organized when there’s a specific place for everything.

When you’re satisfied with the way it’s organized, break out your  label maker !  Labeling things takes the guesswork out of tidying up and keeps you from having to nag people to put things away in the right places. Trust me—if you don’t have one yet, put it on your wishlist. It’s a game-changer when organizing.

Last, put something like  Museum Putty   on the bottom of your drawer organizers so they won’t shift around and you’re set!

Step 5 – Finishing Touches

Now it’s time to add the finishing touches to your homework station! This is when you can add in some personal items and decorations that reflect the style of your home and your kids’ personalities. Think about adding this great wall system from See Jane Work that includes a   corkboard ,  magnetic dry erase board ,  hanging wall file ,  and  supply pockets .  Add anything else that will help your family manage reminders and papers.

This is also a great time to consider if you want to add some special personalization, like a monogram, to any of the details. I decided to do the first initial of each child on their hanging folder and document box. I used my   Silhouette Cameo 3   to create the custom vinyl monograms—I absolutely love how it turned out! If you want to know how exactly I made these vinyl monograms, check out this blog post.

Step 6 – Admire Your Work

I’m not kidding around here. Take a step back and admire what you’ve done. You’ve been working hard! This is a great practice to adopt for yourself and to teach your kids! 

After completing a project, any project, take a moment to smile and look at what you’ve accomplished before rushing off to the next thing. Pausing to appreciate the results of your hard work help to train our brains that work is a good thing. We get good results and make a difference when we put our minds to it!

Congratulations, you’re now ready to tackle another year of school! 

Each of my career choices-wedding coordinator, event planner, and teacher — gave me the creative freedom to organize everyone and everything. I have always thrived on to-do lists, planners, and systems! Now, I lead a team of organizers to help me on my mission. Read more…

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Setting up a homework station

A homework station is a specific area in the home designated for kids to work on their homework. This space should be low on distractions and be provided with all the supplies they need to get their work done. The idea is that they’ll be able to concentrate better, and that will enable them to work better. It also teaches them to work without adults standing over their shoulder.

The big trick with this approach is: if they’re somewhat isolated, they’ll be tempted to claim they’ve finished their assignments when they really haven’t, so you’ll let them go play or watch TV or whatever. But they have to learn self-discipline at some point, so this is a good opportunity. You can inspect their homework every day for completeness if you’re really concerned, or you could do a surprise inspection every few days so they never know when it’s coming. Or if they’re doing well in school, you could just trust them and check up on them by asking what they’re learning in school these days every now and then. It’s not easy to fake an answer to that question on the fly if you’re really not paying attention to your schoolwork.

Homework station requirements

There are a few things your homework station will need:

• Make sure this station isn’t in an area where they can be distracted by the TV or by siblings playing, so they can stay focused.
• You may want to set up a dry erase board where your kids log in their homework every day and check off what they’ve gotten done. This teaches them the power of setting down tasks and completing them, and it lets you track their progress (don’t forget to make sure they’ve actually done the work before checking off tasks as “done”, if you’re tracking it.)
• Make sure the station is set up to encourage good posture. Whether you buy them a desk or give them a stool at the breakfast bar, don’t set them up to do their homework hunched over on the bed or on their stomachs on the floor.

That’s easy if you’ve got a big house with lots of unused space and all the money you need to buy a desk and chair or whatever. But what if, like many people, you have a small home and nowhere obvious to set up a homework station?

• Dining areas . You could set up a breakfast nook or dining area so that it’s a homework station at some times and an eating area at others. The homework supplies could all go in a box, for example, that gets put away at the end of homework time so people can use the table for other things the rest of the time.
• Compact desks . Tower desks can take up just a small corner in a child’s bedroom. There are a number of really affordable compact desk options available that will provide all the room your kid needs for his homework.
• Compromises . If your home is too small for the kids to work on homework without overhearing the TV or other siblings playing, for example, the rest of the family might have to compromise: listen to the TV more quietly, play more quietly, etc.

You may not be able to create the perfect homework environment, but that’s okay. Classrooms are full of distractions, too. Minimize them as best you can and that should be enough.

Why Your Kids Need a Homework Station & How to Create One

As part of our “Back to School” series, I want to talk about why you need a homework station!

I can’t believe how quickly summer has gone by and school starts back in just 2 weeks! The beginning of a new school year is always exciting but it’s also a time to figure out how you can fine-tune your school routines.

There are so many ways we can streamline our routine – homework, school clothes, snacks (both for school and after school), school paperwork, the first day of school , and more.

Homework is an area that I feel we always need to improve on. The battle to get the kids to actually sit down and do their homework is never fun.

Although each of my kids has a desk in their bedrooms, I prefer them to do their homework at the dining table, next to the kitchen. Otherwise, I spend my time running between the bedrooms trying to help everyone with their work, while also trying to get dinner ready! Not fun!

I’d love to have space just for homework, but that’s not going to happen. My family room isn’t big enough to have 3 desks in it! So that’s where a homework station comes in.

Table of Contents

What is a homework station?

A homework station is a place where you can keep all the homework supplies, so they are instantly ready when your child needs to do their homework.

If you’re lucky enough to have space, then a homework station can be a desk area stocked with everything they need.

However, we use our dining table for homework. I can’t leave the supplies on the table because we need it to… well… dine at! So a mobile homework station is a perfect solution for us.

In the past, I tried one of the small plastic caddies but it just wasn’t big enough. With 3 children, all in different grades, they all have different supplies that they need.

And of course, there is the dreaded school paperwork! All those notes, permission slips and notices that come home. You need to keep them but where can you put them? The humble homework station to the rescue again!

Why you need a homework station?

I’m all for making life easier for myself and my family. As a working parent with 3 kids (and a house full of pets!), I need to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. And a homework station helps me do just that!

• Keeps homework supplies together so no wasted time searching for things.
• Makes it easy for the kids to start their homework, no excuses that they can’t find a pencil or paper.
• A mobile homework station can be pushed away out of sight when homework is done, so everyone can enjoy their evening.
• Gives the flexibility to do homework in any room of the house.
• Cuts down on those homework arguments.
• Helps create a homework routine.
• Gives you a place to store school papers.

I think you’re probably beginning to see that a homework station really is a sanity-saver!

What do you need in a homework station?

The next question is what sort of supplies do you need to keep in your homework station? Well, that’s going to depend on the age of your child and the type of homework they receive.

Here are the basics that you will need:

• Pencils or pens
• Colored pencils
• Glue ( bottles and glue sticks )

In addition to these supplies I used the following to make my homework station:

• Mobile Craft Cart
• Magazine Holders
• Pencil Cups
• Magnetic Spice Tins

That’s it!

Putting it all together!

Now you have your supplies, it’s time to put it all together.

Below are three different options for mobile carts depending on your budget. I decided to go for a heavy duty one because I wanted it to last. It gets pulled around the house every day, so I didn’t want it falling apart after a few months.

I used a bit of  washi tape  to decorate the cart. This is completely optional, but I wanted to make it look more attractive and fun in the hope that it might encourage my kids to do their homework!

• Paper – lined or plain paper for the kids to do their homework on or to use as scrap paper.
• To Sign – this is for paperwork from school that I still need to sign or fill out.
• To School – I use this folder to put paperwork, finished homework, library books etc. that need to be returned to school. I quickly check this file every morning to make sure we have everything!
• Keep – this is where I like to put paperwork from the school that I need to reference. School calendars, study guides, resource lists, project outlines etc.

Middle Shelf

I also used magnetic spice tins to stick to the outside of the shelf with the little things that always get lost! Such as pencil cap erasers, paperclips, binder clips etc.

Bottom Shelf

So there you have it!

Y our very own ultra-useful, tantrum-taming, sanity-saving homework station!

What are some of your homework tips? How do you make your after-school routine easier? Do you have a homework station that works great for you? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Creating a DIY Homework Station on a Budget

By: Author Tasia

As parents, we all want our children to have a conducive environment for doing their homework. However, setting up a productive space shouldn’t break the bank.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips and tricks to help you create an ideal homework space for your kids without emptying your wallet.

Let’s dive in!

Find the Perfect Spot

Choose a quiet area in your home where your child can focus without distractions. It could be a corner of their bedroom, a designated study nook, or even a section of the living room.

The key is to create a dedicated space solely for homework.

Utilize Natural Light

Maximize the use of natural light by positioning the workspace near a window. Natural light brightens the area, promotes a positive mood, and enhances productivity. Plus, it’s free!

Embrace Second-Hand Finds

One of the best ways to save money while creating a homework space is by looking for second-hand items . Check out online marketplaces, thrift stores, and garage sales for affordable chairs, desks, and storage solutions.

Giving these pre-loved items a new home saves you money and helps reduce waste.

Organize with Repurposed Materials

Don’t rush to buy new storage solutions. Instead, repurpose items you already have at home. Use mason jars to hold pens and pencils, repurpose shoeboxes as drawer dividers, or transform an old bulletin board into a homework station for essential reminders.

Optimize Ergonomics

Ensure your child’s workspace is ergonomically designed to support good posture and comfort. Invest in an adjustable chair and ensure the desk or table is at the appropriate height.

This will prevent fatigue and discomfort during long study sessions.

Check out these tips on how to update your office on a budget!

Create a Visual Schedule

Help your child stay organized by creating a visual schedule. Use a whiteboard or a chalkboard to outline their homework tasks and due dates.

This keeps them on track and instills a sense of responsibility and time management skills.

Minimize Distractions

Remove any potential distractions from the homework space. Keep toys, electronics, and other non-essential items out of sight.

You can also use noise-canceling headphones or play soft background music to help your child focus.

Incorporate Personal Touches

Make the homework space inviting and personalized. Let your child decorate it with their artwork, motivational quotes, or photos of loved ones. This sense of ownership will create a positive association with studying.

Setting up a productive homework space for your kids doesn’t have to break the bank.

Utilizing these tips and tricks can create an environment that promotes focus, productivity, and enjoyment without spending a fortune.

Remember, minor adjustments and thoughtful touches make all the difference. Happy studying!

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Functional homework stations for small spaces that look great

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details.

Organization is always a challenge in small spaces. So much can be done with every space available and so many ways to use it. Today I am sharing practical and functional small space homework stations that can easily be built or assembled together using a few main supplies. These homework stations are ideal for small rooms, a functional study room or even an unused corner in the home. Whether you live in an apartment, townhouse or a decent size house these ideas will assist you in selecting a creative option that works best for your space. A designated functional homework station saves effort, stress and provides a practical space for kids to do their everyday homework. It also plays a vital role in creating a education and study oriented environment for the kids while they brainstorm.

Let’s have a look at these ideas:

Functional homework stations for small spaces

1) homework desk in bedroom.

Add desk to your child’s room by very me interiors

Shared bedroom homework station with personalized name frames by brittany boren leach.

Upcycled Kids Art Station by tauni everett.

2) Homework station in living spaces

I love the use of paint and frames to make this Homework station part of the living room decor by classy clutter. Great way to use one room for various purposes.

3) Homework station stationery organization ideas

Glue mason jars or recyclable glass jars to organize homework supplies on a lazy suzan.

Homework Station Turntable by Mom on Timeout .

Build compartments in drawers to keep homework supplies organized for kids. This way time efficieny is increased and focus is maintained on work and not things required to complete the work. Use containers from dollarstore and foam sheets to personalize the drawer. You can also make wooden trays like the ones in this image.

Ikea cart under the table for organizing homework supplies.

Ikea cart homework station by learn 2 organize.

4) Folding homework stations and wall desks

Repurposed pallet to make a foldable homework desk.

I love this multi-purpose folding desk that can be used as a blackboard or whiteboard and store supplies at the same time.

Painted Fold Down Desk by Honey Bear Lane .

Back to school organization or homeschooling organization. This is a superb idea.

DIY Lazy Susan Homework Caddy by Home Stories A to Z .

5) Comfortable homework stations

Functional Homework desks and homework stations

A super simple homework desk with movable cart for small spaces that can be made anywhere by educational therapy.

Build a simple divider to reduce distraction or use as a wallboard.

6) Creative DIY homework spaces

Make a stunning homework station with pallet wall by love create celebrate.

Use pegboard to organize homework spaces by craftionary.

Turn a closet into homework station by i heart organizing . Use wall shelves and wallpaper to make it pretty. Add colorful curtains to make the room presentable and hide the homework space while it is not in use.

Another idea to use build-in closet as homework station.

Kids small space study station ideas for kids desks by bhg.

Homework Station by the house of smiths .

These small space floating tables, wall tables, and other creative small space shelving ideas are great for making study and homework stations in challenging spaces. I hope you liked these ideas and will share. Some original sources were missing if you come across them please leave them in the comment section for us to give credit.

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Hi, I’m Hani

I’m a mom of 2 decorating and soulfully designing our home. I love to share crafts and simple ideas for home and garden.

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Thank you for the feature! Love all of these creative ideas and spaces!

Thanks Hani, for taking me back to my childhood. Keep it up!

What a awesome blog! I love your creative ideas and these homework stations in small spaces are perfectly organised. Out of this I like your writing style, and gives a crystal clear view of each and every idea mentioned. Thanks for this informative post!

Great Post. Just the ideas that the world needs right now. With the Pandemic closing the schools and offices and everyone attending from home – these ideas are so relevant. I am also going to try out a couple of these ideas at my place. Thanks.

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HOW TO ORGANIZE HOMEWORK AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES AT HOME

As parents, creating a well-organized command center, or school work and school supply space at home, offers numerous benefits, not only for your child’s academic success but also for maintaining an overall tidy and organized home.

When your child has a designated study area with all their supplies neatly stored, it streamlines their homework routine and enhances their focus. They will spend less time searching for misplaced items and can concentrate better on their assignments. This is a great way for them to complete their schoolwork promptly, leaving more time for family activities or relaxation. And it doesn’t matter if they are in grade school or high school, the benefits are the same.

Teaching your child to be organized at an early age also nurtures valuable life skills. As they actively participate in maintaining their study space, they learn essential habits like time management, responsibility, and accountability for their belongings. These skills will not only benefit their academic journey but will also translate into other areas of their life, helping them stay organized and responsible as they grow.

An organized study space also contributes to a clutter-free home. When school supplies have designated spots, they won’t end up scattered around the house, causing an unnecessary mess. By incorporating items such as labeled containers, file folders, and stackable drawers, you can ensure that everything has a place, reducing the chance of school-related items becoming part of the household clutter.

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Creating a Dedicated Homework Station

I remember having a tutor come to my house to help me with my schoolwork and she was quite angry when she realized the only space I had available to do homework was at the kitchen table (which was right in the middle of all the chaos.)  Either that or it was on my bed. At the time I thought it was fine…but maybe not if I needed a tutor. Right?

So, creating a designated area for the homework station in your home is an important step in establishing an organized and productive learning environment. The first consideration is to find a great place that is relatively quiet and free from distractions. Ideally, choose an area with good natural light, as it can positively impact your child’s concentration and mood during study sessions.

Coat Closet into a homework and school supply station

Transforming a closet into a homework station is an easy way to optimize space and create a dedicated, organized learning area. By clearing out unnecessary items and installing a few smart storage solutions, you can unlock a world of possibilities.

Start by decluttering the closet and removing anything that doesn’t belong in the homework station. Next, consider adding a desk or tabletop to serve as your child’s study space. Make sure you install it at a good height for the student and supply a comfy chair . If the closet is deep enough, you can even build a custom shelving unit or install a fold-down desk for extra functionality.

Take advantage of vertical space with shelves, cubbies , or stackable drawers to house school supplies and craft supplies. Don’t forget to add a bulletin board or whiteboard to the closet door – perfect for pinning schedules, reminders, and inspirational quotes.

Get creative with lighting solutions to brighten up the closet space. LED lights or a small desk lamp can create a cozy and inviting ambiance for studying.

Lastly, encourage your child’s involvement in designing and personalizing their new homework station. Let them choose colors, decorations, and organizational accessories to make the space uniquely theirs.

By repurposing a closet into a homework station, you not only maximize your home’s space but also provide your child with a dedicated, clutter-free area where they can focus on their studies and excel academically. It’s like having a secret hideaway where learning and creativity can flourish!

Wall Storage Unit, Entertainment Center, or Hutch as a Homework or school supply area

With a tall furniture piece, you can incorporate a built-in desk that provides a generous work surface for your little scholar to spread out their books and materials. Choose a design with ample storage, such as shelves, cubbies, and drawers, to keep all the necessary school supplies neatly stowed away.

Personalize the space by adding a corkboard or chalkboard panel on the inside of the unit’s doors. This creates the perfect spot to display schedules, to-do lists , and creative inspirations. Plus, it adds a touch of charm and organization all at once!

Maximize the wall unit’s potential by installing LED lights or under-shelf lighting, which not only illuminates the workspace but also sets the mood for focused studying. Don’t forget to keep the top surface clutter-free, allowing your child to showcase their favorite study buddies or decorative accents.

A wall unit or hutch as a homework station is a win-win solution – it optimizes space while elevating your home’s decor. By providing your child with this stylish and functional setup, you encourage a positive study environment that sparks productivity and nurtures their learning journey in the most delightful way. 

Homework Desk in their Bedroom

When it comes to creating a homework station for your child, sometimes all you need is simplicity and practicality. A simple desk in your child’s bedroom can be the best place, especially if space is limited.

With a minimalist approach, you can optimize the desk’s surface by adding just the essentials. Invest in a few storage solutions like desktop organizers or caddies to keep pens, pencils, and other supplies within arm’s reach. This way, your child won’t have to leave the desk to search for materials, staying focused on their studies.

Encourage your child to personalize their desk with a few decorative elements, such as a motivational poster or a small potted plant. This simple touch adds a sense of ownership and comfort to the space, making it a more inviting spot to tackle homework.

A simple desk in your child’s bedroom can be the perfect homework station, offering all they need to excel in their studies.  With just a dash of personalization and a clutter-free setup, this small, yet effective, homework station can make a big impact on your child’s academic journey.

Setting up your Homework area and supplies

Once you’ve identified the perfect spot, the next step is to set up the homework station. The best way to maintain organization is to incorporate storage solutions into the homework station. Utilize stackable drawers, a rolling cart, or shelves to keep textbooks, notebooks, and other study materials neatly stored and easily accessible. This will prevent clutter from accumulating on the work surface, enabling your child to focus on their tasks without feeling overwhelmed.

A great idea is to have a bulletin board or whiteboard within the study area. This can serve as a visual aid for reminders, schedules, chore charts, important deadlines, or inspirational quotes, adding a touch of motivation to the space. You can also use this area to display a chore chart and to pin important school-related documents like permission slips or papers to be passed in. Just remember to update this area often to stay organized and well-informed.

The key to maintaining an organized homework station is regular tidying and decluttering. Take some time each week to go through the materials, discard any unnecessary items, and restock supplies as needed. This simple routine will ensure that the study area remains conducive to productivity and creativity.

By choosing and organizing a designated area for the homework station, you not only provide your child with a dedicated space for learning but also instill a sense of responsibility and ownership in them. This organized and personalized study space will foster positive study habits, boost academic performance, and contribute to a harmoniously organized home environment.

Tools for Organizing Your Child’s Homework Space and Supplies

When it comes to keeping all types of supplies in check and making sure things run smoothly, having the right tools is the name of the game! From keeping that homework station tidy to getting all the stuff ready for school, these key tools for keeping school supplies organized are absolute lifesavers. In this section, we’ll dive into a bunch of awesome organizational tools that’ll help parents and students rock an uncluttered and super-efficient study space. Get ready to ace school and bring some order to your daily life!

Repurpose Shoe Organizers and Shoe Boxes for organizing school supplies

Get creative and repurpose those shoe organizers to stash all your pens, pencils, rubber bands, binder clips, or extra supplies. They’re like magic pockets for your supplies! Simply hang them on the back of a door and they will be easily accessible.

And those shoe boxes ? They’re perfect for keeping small items like pencils, paper clips, and other home office supplies organized and tidy. Separate your pencils, erasers, and markers into different boxes – it’s like giving each item its own cozy home. And don’t forget to slap some labels on those shoe boxes so you can find what you need in a jiffy! You can stack ’em up on shelves or slide them into drawers for easy access. No more digging around for that elusive eraser – it’s all right there, neat and tidy!

Utilize File Folders and Clear Pockets to keep your schoolwork organized

A file folder and clear pockets are like the superheroes of organization when it comes to handling school papers and important documents! Those graded papers and ongoing assignments? They’ll find a cozy home in those trusty file folders, making it a breeze to keep track of everything. No more lost assignments or forgotten test scores! 

But wait, let’s not forget the power of labels!  Stick some labels on each one, and voila – instant identification magic! When you need that specific assignment or permission slip, you won’t have to go on a treasure hunt. Just look at the labels, and they’ll guide you straight to what you need. No more rummaging through a mountain of papers – it’s all organized, and you’re the superhero!

And those clear pockets? Oh boy, they’re perfect for storing those crucial papers you don’t want to misplace – think permission slips, school announcements, and any other important notices. The best part is, that you can see through them, so you’ll always know what’s inside without any guesswork. Simply keep them inside a 3-ring binder and place them on a shelf and you’ll have everything right where you need it.

Don’t have a drawer to hang the file folders?  You can purchase a desk file folder holder to place on the desk or a shelf.  Don’t want to spend the money on one of those, a plastic dish rack will do the trick.

Organizing school supplies with Plastic Bins, Baskets, and Stackable Drawers

Get ready to level up your organization game with the mighty duo of plastic bins, baskets, and stackable drawers! These champs are all about tackling the bigger stuff, like your art supplies, school projects, and all that gear you need for after-school activities. 

So, let’s start with those plastic bins. They’re like mini treasure chests for your artsy goodies and school projects. Just toss all your paints, brushes, and crafty bits into these bins, and you’ll never have to hunt for them again. Plus, they’re perfect for storing those big science projects your kids have been working on. No more tripping over them in your room – just pop them in the bins and keep things neat and tidy!

Stackable drawers – Not only do they give you extra storage space, but they’re also super versatile. Label each drawer for different subjects or activities, and you’ll be the master of finding what you need in a flash! Say goodbye to the days of searching high and low for that elusive math book or your construction paper. Everything’s organized, labeled, and ready for action!  And kudos to you if they have wheels!  

Keep these mighty helpers right in your homework station or stash them in a nearby closet for easy-peasy access. No more running around the house looking for your stuff – it’s all right there, ready to go! 

Finally, baskets come in many different sizes, shapes, and materials.  Choose decorative baskets for items you will be storing in the open like on a shelf or desk.  Use hanging labels to identify what’s inside at a glance.

Repurpose Tin Cans and Glass Jars to get organized

Upcycling tin cans and glass jars to organize homework supplies is a fantastic and eco-friendly way to create a charming and functional study space. Don’t toss those empty cans and jars – instead, transform them into stylish storage solutions! Use them to hold pens, pencils, markers, and paintbrushes, while glass jars can house colorful paper clips, erasers, and other smaller items.

To add a personal touch, let your child get creative with decorating the cans and jars. Use colorful washi tape , stickers, or even a coat of paint to make each container uniquely their own. Not only will this inspire creativity, but it also ensures that the homework station complements their bedroom decor.

Arrange the tin cans and glass jars on a shelf or desktop, creating an organized and delightful display of supplies. This clever DIY approach not only keeps things neat and accessible but also encourages your child to take pride in maintaining their study area. With a touch of imagination and resourcefulness, these repurposed containers bring a touch of fun and order to your child’s homework routine.

Homework Caddy for a portable homework station

If you don’t have a designated study space for your child, try creating a homework caddy . This is a brilliant way to streamline your child’s study routine and keep their supplies handy. Simply gather a sturdy caddy or tote and fill it with all the essential school items your child may need while doing homework. Pens, pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, and glue sticks – anything that often gets lost can now find its designated spot in the caddy. Add some notepads, sticky notes , and even a timer to help them manage their time effectively. 

Personalize the caddy with stickers or their name, making it uniquely theirs. This mobile and compact organizational tool allows your child to move around the house while studying, ensuring they have everything they need wherever they go. A homework caddy is a fun and practical way to encourage organization and independence in your child’s academic journey.

Label Maker or Cricut Machine for staying organized

You’re about to discover the secret weapon that will take your organization game to a whole new level – the label maker ! This nifty gadget is like having a personal assistant for all your organizational needs. No more messy handwriting or confusion – it’s all about clear and consistent labels!

A Cricut machine is also like a creative label maker. You can add sleek and professional, or colorful and creative labels to every nook and cranny of your organizational tools, from those plastic bins and stackable drawers to your file folders and bulletin board. Everything gets its own name tag, so you always know what goes where.

You might like this…

Want to know everything the Cricut Machine can do around your home? Read my post “ What is a Cricut Anyway ?”

Conclusion​

In conclusion, maintaining an organized homework and school supply process at home is not only essential for supporting your child’s academic success but also for fostering a harmoniously organized living space. By utilizing smart organizational tools such as shoe organizers, file folders, clear pockets, plastic bins, stackable drawers, label makers, and more, you can create an efficient and clutter-free study environment for your home. 

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Lori is your friendly neighborhood interior designer, professional organizer, and self-proclaimed serial DIYer! Nestled in the northeast corner of Massachusetts, she's on a mission to teach others how to create beautiful and functional spaces with her blog. She specializes in budget-friendly room revamps, nifty organizational hacks, and easy DIY projects.

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Growing skills in parenting and organizing.

20+ Homework Stations Your Kids Will Love

by Carolyn 1 Comment

Ready to reclaim your kitchen table for its rightful purpose? If so, you’ll want to browse these 20 brilliant homework stations for your kids and get to work creating your own!

Having a dedicated place to work on projects and school work doesn’t need to be expensive. In this collection, you’ll find creative DIY solutions to fit all budgets. Many times you can shop your own home and find items to repurpose and upcycle.

You’ll find organizational strategies for school, art and crafts supplies, as well as ways to incorporate chalkboards, schedules and calendars into your homework station design.

From closets to window nooks, from movable stations to playroom makeovers, you’ll find inspiration to create the perfect homework space for your kids.

20+ Genius Homework Stations

This is a creative use of a little nook in a kitchen with a chalkboard painted wall as the focal point. The chalkboard is a handy use of the space because you can not only write on it, but attach rods to it for hanging small bins to contain pencils and other school supplies. Attach small shelves to hold larger bins. Creative use of a small space!

If your kitchen table is where the homework gets done, consider using the side of your fridge as a command center for all things school-related. With magnetic and/or adhesive holders you can easily attach pouches, whiteboards, and mesh cups and holders to contain writing utensils, paper pads, staplers, paper clips, and the kids ever-changing schedules. Super handy!

Repurpose an art station desk into a homework station as your kids get older by adding desk accessories and labels for schoolwork functionality. Use desk organizers to keep things handy so kids can easily and quickly find what they need to stay on task. Label the drawers, too, and use dividers and bins within the drawers to keep them organized.

If you can manage to use closet space in your kids room for a cubby homework zone, you can create the ultimate retreat just for them! Add shelving for upper storage and a longer shelf to use as a desk surface. Add bins and mesh baskets to hold papers, folders, pencils and other supplies. Add a pegboard to hang items on for easy reach. Paint it in colors that your child loves so he or she will use this little work space nook!

The Ultimate Kids Study Zone by I Heart Organizing

If your homework station needs to work with your existing decor and you don’t want primary colors clashing with a more neutral color scheme, then go minimalist. Work the desk, chairs, and lighting into your current decor so that it blends seamlessly yet provides the functionality your kids need to get their work done. Personalize each chair with pillows or artwork so they’ll know their assigned seat!

One Room Homework Area by Post Box Designs

This IKEA wall-mounted desk is a great idea when you have minimal wall space to work with. Attach it to your wall, add a chair, add a few baskets and organizing bins and you’re set! Kids IKEA Homework Station by Repurpose And Upcycle

Your wee one needs his or her own workstation, too! Small buckets of crayons, markers and other tools for the toddler get organized on this handy pegboard that hangs above a small desk. Add a fun seat and let your little one go to work.

Sometimes all you need is a small cabinet with drawers for each child’s school supplies. Each can have his or her own cabinet located near their favorite homework spot, keeping it simple and budget-friendly.

Turn any area of any room into a homework station with retro school desks. These open-top desks can keep school supplies organized and out of sight when not in use. Add a magazine rack on a nearby wall and hang storage cups on it for additional organization.

You can take any small corner or wall in your home and turn it into an awesome homework station with this pull-down wall cabinet that’s easy to install. Tons of nooks and crannies to organize school supplies. Even comes with a chalkboard as one of the sections of the unit. Compact and cute!

Turn a closet into a homework station by removing all shelving and rods and painting it in kid-friendly colors. Install shelving and add a small desk. If there’s room, add a comfy chair for a reading nook. You could even add chalkboard or paint a wall with chalk paint. Closet Turned Homework Station by Petite Party Studio

Here’s a sweet art and homework station utilizing some free wall space in the kitchen area. Recycle an old desk and give it a new coat of paint to match your decor. Above and around the desk, hang clipboards that contain the kids homework and add a hanging line to display kids artwork.

Keep it budget-friendly for your kids when they’re just starting school and need a comfy place to work on their projects. If you already have a home office, consider giving your little one his or her own corner, complete with colorful bins and basket for easy organization. When they’re in the family office space, they’ll learn that it’s time to get to work! Family Work Stations by A Crafty Spoonful

Choose a window to attach a DIY workspace shelf under and you have an instant work surface! All you need is a piece of wood, paint, and shelf brackets. Easy!

When space is limited, look for small minimalistic desks that will fit your space. Use inexpensive baskets to organize school supplies and use magazine holders to house notebooks and folders. Add a painted bulletin board above the desk for artwork, photos and other items. Budget Friendly Homework Station by The DIY Mommy

Here’s a creative idea for a portable study carrel. Create a tri-fold study station made from foam display board. If you have more than one child, personalize each station. Keep these out of the way when not in use by folding them flat for easy storage. DIY Portable Homework Study Station by Mom Advice

To keep personal space issues at bay with two kids, use two IKEA dining tables pushed together. Each child now has their own space. Give them their own organization trays, boxes, and bins to keep the harmony.

Two filing cabinets and a wood plank are all you need to create this awesome homework station desk area. Add shelving and a cloth covered bulletin board for storage, pinnable items and artwork. How To Make A Desk by North Story

Consider using a desktop carousel to corral all those pens, highlighters, and markers. If you don’t have a dedicated table, this carousel can move to whatever surface it needs to be on. Decorative shoe boxes can also house supplies and are easily moved, as well.

Using a cart, storage baskets and chalkboard labels, this unit comes together quickly to keep school and art supplies organized and contained. This is a great idea if you have a dedicated desk but no room for additional cabinets or wall space, or if your child moves from table to table or room to room. The cart can roll along, too!

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Best Pandora Stations for Studying

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• B.A., English, University of Michigan

Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, and with it comes the ability to rock out to music whenever the mood strikes. Since Pandora Internet Radio is probably the most well-known place to grab free music on the go, and tons of students love to listen to music while they study, it only stands to reason that people might need some advice about choosing the best Pandora stations for studying and homework.

Genre Pandora Stations

When you log in to Pandora, you can choose an artist, a genre, or a song to get started. A musical genre is simply a style of music. Rock is a genre. So is punk. So is jazz. Pandora's site does have genres such as country and classical and hip-hop, and it also has a set of genres that have more to do with the overall emotional flavor of a collection of music rather than a particular genre. Pandora has a comprehensive and frequently updated genre list that you can browse to get started.

Since researchers are at least agreed that quieter music without lyrics is the most conducive music to study to (barring no music at all), here are a few genre Pandora stations that may be ideal for you to study by. Some are instrumental only, and they cover a wide range of musical styles.

Instrumentals

Fifteen million listeners can't be all wrong: in Pandora's Instrumentals genre you'll find everything from Dr. Dre to bluegrass to techno to jazz. These instrumentals are basically tracks from some of the top names in the business without the words to mess with your brain space; there's even a specific station called Instrumentals for studying .

Quiet Tracks

Willing to risk some lyrics? Pandora has three muted genres that might work for you. Pandora's Wind Down genre includes a collection of stations such as the Buddha Bar, with surreal lyrics, modal harmonies, and a slow-moving bass line.

The Chill genre contains stations that are mostly acoustic playlists, with an emphasis on calm, sedate music. Styles range from coffeehouse-style folk music to pop music versions to classics, country, and indie channels.

Pandora's Easy Listening channels include the light side of movie soundtracks, show tunes, cool jazz, solo piano, and light rock.

New Age and Classical

Pandora's New Age genre has several channels perfect for taking your anxiety over that deadline down a notch or two. Here you'll find music suitable for relaxation, spa, ambient, and a whole range of subareas of New Age music types: instrumental, acoustic, solo piano, and beats. Just don't fall asleep.

The Classical genre has a number of good channels that might trip your studying trigger: classical guitar, symphonies, renaissance, baroque. A  Classical for Studying Radio  channel promises a New Age aesthetic and an overall meditative sound. and a channel for Work might also do the ticket.

In the End, It's All Between the Ears

It's quite possible that some people do better with background music: people have different tastes, different study habits, and different ways of handling noise and distraction. Surveys of students themselves often say music helps them concentrate, keeps them company, alleviates boredom, and helps them learn faster.

With free music sources like Pandora and Spotify, selecting the exact music you need might actually be a distraction in itself.

Is Music While Studying Even a Good Idea?

A few scientific studies have been conducted on the effect of music or other background noise on maintaining concentration. Most report that the best studying environment of all is silence. Since all music processing uses cognitive capacity, the theory goes, listening to music could impair task performance involving your brain. Most of the studies, however, have been relatively unsystematic and somewhat inconclusive, because so much depends on an individual student's preferences and study habits, and the enormous number of musical genres available.

If students study with music playing, they seem to perform better when the music is calm and they don't engage with the music. In other words, don't sing along, for example, or don't pick music that you either don't like or like too much. Your emotional response to music does add to the distraction value: music that is too stimulating or too sleep-inducing will also be a distraction.

So: if you are the kind of student who needs music as a background to study , to act as white noise to keep other people's voices or the radiator's banging or personal worries out of your head, keep it low enough that you won't actually pay much attention to it. If you find yourself singing along, change the station.

• Cassidy, Gianna, and Raymond A.R. MacDonald. " The Effect of Background Music and Background Noise on the Task Performance of Introverts and Extraverts ." Psychology of Music 35.3 (2007): 517-37. Print.
• Furnham, Adrian, and Lisa Strbac. " Music Is as Distracting as Noise: The Differential Distraction of Background Music and Noise on the Cognitive Test Performance of Introverts and Extraverts ." Ergonomics 45.3 (2002): 203-17. Print.
• Hallam, Susan, John Price, and Georgia Katsarou. " The Effects of Background Music on Primary School Pupils' Task Performance ." Educational Studies 28.2 (2002): 111-22. Print.
• Kotsopoulou, Anastasia, and Susan Hallam. "Age Differences in Listening to Music While Studying." 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition . University of Bologna, 2006. Print.
• Kotsopoulou, Anastasia, and Susan Hallam. " The Perceived Impact of Playing Music While Studying: Age and Cultural Differences ." Educational Studies 36.4 (2010): 431-40. Print.
• Umzdas, Serpil. "An Analysis of the Academic Achievement of the Students Who Listen to Music While Studying." Educational Research and Reviews 10.6 (2015): 728-32. Print.
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