How to Organize a Home/Virtual School Space for Your Teen

A question I’ve gotten asked time and time again on my Instagram page as the school year draws near, is how can I set up an organized workspace for my kid. With virtual/distant learning, homeschooling, and hybrid learning, it’s safe to say kids and parents around the world are searching for ways to give their kids dedicated space. Bonus points if the kids like their space enough to stay out of ours!

Today’s post will feature The Container Store’s Elfa system, which is perfect for kids and adults of all ages as it is completely adjustable. I organized this particular space for my middle schooler, and will show you next week another setup for an elementary and preschool student to share! So be sure to come back.

 

Elfa is a custom closet system that is only found at The Container Store. It is an extremely strong, durable wall-hanging system that allows you total control in customizing it to fit your needs. We use it a ton for clients and have created closet spaces, garage spaces, linen closets, and more. I created my system using the Elfa Decor to create a learning space for my daughter’s room.

 

Here’s the wall I will be putting my Elfa system on in her room. To be honest, I actually designed the space for the wall adjacent and changed my mind at the last minute.

As a professional organizer, I was able to sketch out the design and send it to TCS to place my order, but you can also use their online design tool yourself, utilize their new Virtual In-Home Design service or go in-store to work with a designer. After finalizing my design, we then scheduled an installer to come and hang it. My installer was AWESOME! He arrived just as the clock struck 8am and had the entire solution hung in less than 45 minutes.

The Elfa system comes in several different colors and finishes. Here’s what I chose.

Here’s a look at my designs. You may notice that this design does not include any drawers because I added them myself after installation. This is the single best attribute of the Elfa system in my opinion. The ability to customize and re-customize the system over and over again. My design is 55 inches from side to side, and has varying depths. The upper shelves are 12 inches deep, while the lower desktop shelves are 20 inches deep to provide a wider work area for my daughter.

 

The only holes that go in the wall are on the top of the track, as seen below. I actually had my installer move the holes slightly which is why you see multiple holes in a few places. When I’m ready to remove the system, it will be a cinch to fill the holes and paint over it. Absolutely no holes are placed below the top track. The standards (the poles) are simply hung from the top track, and everything else attaches to the standards.

 

 

Now for the reveal! Ugh! I am so in love with how this turned out. My daughter is finally visiting her grandparents (go away covid!), and hasn’t seen it yet, but I just know she will love it just as much. It was important to me to create a space that was highly functional, organized (of course ;-)), and that was pretty and inviting for her considering how much time she will be using it during virtual learning. 

 

Here are most of the products I used to organize this space. If you don’t see a product, it is likely from HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Ross. And of course you know it’s the luck of the draw when you shop at those treasure troves.

I was originally going to organize the school supplies on a cart, and then decided to go with drawers instead. I simply ran by my local Container Store, grabbed the components I needed and added them all by myself. I promise you, customizing and adjusting this system is super easy! And I do not consider myself to be handy at all. 

 

On the top row I used these Smart Store Recycled baskets to store extra notebooks, paper, and other supplies so she can grab them when she runs out in her drawers.

That’s it! I hope you got some inspiration for you or your child’s home desk/office area. Big thanks to The Container Store for gifting me with the Elfa system I designed. Be sure to check back next week when I show you another setup for smaller kids!

 


 

I recently updated my own office, at the beginning of quarantine, and blogged about it. Click below to check it out.

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