In many local communities, school is starting this week. The school year looks a lot different due to COVID-19. Add to that the number of parents still working from home while navigating the different models of in-school and at-home-school learning (full time, hybrid, remote…terms we are all too familiar with). Top of mind for many homeowners in this situation, how do I create space for work and school at home?
Many of us have some things in place. Many of us are still adjusting and re-adjusting (who else is raising their hand?!). So, we took to the web to see if we could find any useful tips or tricks.
There were many articles, but most of them would not be a fit or have a solution for every homeowner. Then we clicked on this article from The Washington Post, published in May: “How to create space for quiet when everyone is at home.” Perfect!
Everyone needs a space that is their own; somewhere they can go and focus on an assignment or work project. Not every home has extra rooms to accommodate this, so the article looks at ways to design for privacy. Some of the tips we loved:
- Creating the illusion of separation by moving furniture or adding a rolling bookcase to close off space.
- Roping off a section of a room to designate it as the home office or classroom.
- Add a foldable decorative screen or curtains on tension rods to divide the space in a room.
- Using closet space to create a personal work area (see photo: we added a desk, organization items and art to a closet to create a learning space for our kids on the days they are home).
- Finally, garage, porch or basement space can be used when available.
The article wraps up by covering ways to work from home while everyone is home. Yes, a home office is ideal but not available in every home. The main points here, move around if a space isn’t working and set yourself up away from the hub of the home…the kitchen island should be off limits.
Biggest takeaway from this article, thinking outside the box can help to create spaces for everyone to “work” through the next few months.