BACK TO SCHOOL: 5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Desk

Tomorrow is the first day of schools for my older daughter. Last few days spent time on organizing the area in the mudroom where the kids will leave their shoes and coats, setting up a place for backpack and lunch bag, and putting all new clothes in her room. (Getting them to bed tonight and up very early tomorrow morning is another issue in itself that I'd rather not think about right now…). There is also unfinished room… The hurricane has caused an extra chaos, but that's only part of it.

When you're setting up a study space at home, remember that the key to encouraging good homework habits is making the space comfortable as well as fun. If it's an area that kids know is just for them, they might even enjoy sitting down to do their assignments.

1.       Choose a kid-sized desk.

It may be tempting to repurpose an adult desk, but a comfortable child can sit still and concentrate more easily, so it's a good idea to choose a desk and chair that are sized for them.

2.       Make sure they have comfortable chair.

It's important that their feet can touch the floor when they're seated. An adjustable-height chair is a smart investment since kids are guaranteed to grow.

This desk we got for Alexandra from Pottery Barn- has everything she might need, at least for quite a while....

3.       Plan storage carefully.

Keep in mind that your kids' volume of homework and projects will probably grow as they do, so plan ahead for storage. If you have plenty of room nearby for extra shelves or a file system, a desk with just one or two compact drawers for writing utensils may be plenty. If your desk needs to do double duty as a storage piece, look for a design with one or more deep file drawers.

4.       Remember that it will become a display area as well.

Many desks have optional hutches, with various combinations of cubbies, corkboards and open shelves for display and extra storage.

5.       Make sure everyday items are easy to access.

A small pencil drawer is a basic desk feature, but a few tools and utensils will get used so often, it makes sense to have them out in the open. Accessorize with a few cups or other containers for pencils, pens and markers, and clear glass or acrylic jars for colorful paper clips, rubber bands or an eraser collection.

Now ready!