Home Classroom Setup: 8 Online School Essentials

August 20, 2025 byKristina Cappetta

7 min to read

An online school student writing on a piece of paper

When you look around your home, you might think learning how to create a home classroom setup for your child is going to be a challenge. But the  transition to online learning  can become a lot easier when you know how to make the most of your space.

Why a Dedicated Space Helps Students Learn Better

Does an at-home classroom really have to be a full, dedicated “room”? No, it doesn’t! The important part is to have a dedicated learning space whether it is the kitchen table or a home office.

Having a designated place to attend class or do homework cues your brain that it’s time to switch into learning mode, even if your study space is in the middle of a room often used for another purpose. Our brains love association. A dedicated learning space also helps students focus and reduces the risk of distractions. By designating one spot in your home for school, students can remain productive and engaged in their learning throughout the day

Productive Home Classroom Essentials

When it comes to organizing your classroom setup at home, there are a few essentials that will keep your space organized for maximum learning impact.

1. An Organized Desk

Your student needs to have an organized desk or work area where they have everything they need at their fingertips. If you don’t have the space to make a full-size desk work, you can think outside the box by building a desk out of what you have on hand: 

Two filing cabinets with a strong, flat surface can work in a pinch. Plus, the filing cabinets provide organized storage for papers, books, and other school supplies.
Tight spaces can be made more flexible with a wall-mounted folding desk, otherwise known as a Murphy desk, that comes down when you need it and can be stored away when you don’t.
For smaller kids, a short, wide-topped play table can provide enough space for their learning materials and any craft supplies they’ll need for activities.
When all else fails, a clean space at the kitchen table or counter can work. Keep school papers and supplies in a backpack or binder to stay organized and use the time to set everything up in the morning and put it away in the afternoon to ease the mental shift from school to home again. Just make sure that chores in the kitchen aren’t being done while your student is in a class or studying.

2. Comfortable Seating

What your child is sitting on during the school day is just as important as where they’re sitting. Opt for something comfortable but that still provides enough support.

3. Age-Appropriate School Supplies

Even if your student is taking online classes, they are still likely to need basic school supplies like like notebooks, pencils, a calculator, highlighters, or paper and crayons ready for taking notes, drawing, or anything else that comes up during class.

4. A Laptop, Tablet, or Desktop Computer

If you’re tight on space, a laptop or a tablet that can go wherever your student does will work just fine. Otherwise, a desktop computer with a monitor, webcam (if one is not already built in), mouse, and keyboard can make a perfect virtual school setup.

5. Adequate Lighting

How much light you have in your student’s study space can impact their eyes, their concentration, and their overall academic performance. If possible, choose to set up your at-home classroom in a place with lots of natural light. If you don’t have much natural light, consider adding more lamps throughout your home, or use an adjustable desk lamp that can be moved around easily.

6. Headphones

This one may seem optional, but headphones—especially noise-cancelling ones—can make a world of difference to a child who’s learning at home. Noise-cancelling headphones not only block out distracting sounds from other people in the home, noise from the TV, music, or noise from outside, they allow you to listen to audio at lower levels without losing quality.

7. A Whiteboard

A whiteboard is a great way to create to-do lists, keep track of upcoming due dates and assignments, or work through math problems in real time. It’s also a way to be creative and interactive while learning. Kids can draw on it to help make schoolwork more visual, or they can use it as a drawing pad to express themselves and keep their school space feeling interesting and fresh.

8. A Cozy Corner

If you have room, try adding soft seating like a beanbag chair or some cozy blankets to a nook in your house so your student can take a well-deserved break, get some reading done, or watch an educational video.

Design Tips for Small Spaces

Setting up a classroom inside your home doesn’t have to be a major project—you can get creative with the space you have by repurposing the space underneath a lofted bunkbed, or you can even buy a screen or room divider to section off a corner of your living room while your child is in class or doing assignments. When you start to think about your space more fluidly, you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with for storage as well.

Tuck Away Supplies That Aren’t Being Used

When you’re organizing your classroom at home, a hall closet or kitchen cabinet can be a great place to keep school supplies that your student doesn’t use every day. By installing inexpensive wire shelving from top to bottom or utilizing plastic storage bins or drawers, you’ll be able to neatly organize school supplies, reduce clutter, and free up space. Make sure to label them for easy access when needed!

Use the Backs of Doors for Storage or Educational Tools

When you want to organize supplies you use frequently, use an over-the-door shoe organizer and store supplies in each of the pockets. If possible, try to find a clear version, which makes it easier for you and your student to see what’s in each pocket.

Attach a dry-erase board to the top half of a door and paint the bottom with magnetic paint to turn it into an instructional area and a place to display great work. You could also use the space to hang maps, the alphabet, or other educational materials.

Think Vertically

If you’re trying to find new storage spaces, think up! Often, we think we need free space on the floor or counter to make things work, but you can do a lot by utilizing the vertical space throughout your home. Add storage on top of underutilized surfaces, on the walls, or in tall bookshelves. Installing shelves or buying some that fits over your student’s desk can make great use of that space while providing easy to reach storage.

Keeping Your Space Flexible

If you can’t corner off a separate area for online school, here’s how you can make the most of a shared space.

Utilize Multiple Learning Areas

Your brain is flexible enough to identify multiple locations as learning spaces—think of it like moving between classrooms for different subjects. If studying from a single room is challenging for the space you’re working with, consider spreading out to multiple spots across a few rooms. One could have a reading nook, the other could be a classroom spot with a laptop, the third could be a place to work on assignments that require a pencil and paper and just need a hard surface like a coffee table, kitchen counter, or floor. By using your imagination, you can maximize the space you do have while providing your student with a change of scenery during their learning time.

Explore Connections Academy

Learning from home can be easy with online public schools like Connections Academy. With certified instructors specifically trained to teach online, you can feel confident that your child is getting the education and support they need. Download our free eGuide or speak to an enrollment representative to learn more.