13 Back-to-School Home Ideas From HGTV Magazine

Whether or not your kids are looking forward to heading back to school, there are plenty of easy (and affordable) ways to help transition from summer fun to an autumn full of activities inside your home. These designer- and parent-approved ideas will help streamline the morning rush, homework time and all the after-school events on your calendar.

First up: Consider turning your basement into the ultimate homework station. Floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves provide plenty of space for books and school supplies galore in this refinished basement. Two desks within the built-ins are the perfect spots to hit the books after school. And when homework is done, a plush, blue velvet couch offers a comfy spot to hang.

Kids will run right to the pantry when they get off the bus — unless you have your snack station ready. Transform a standard bar or kitchen nook into an organized after-school snack shop. Decorate spare counter space with healthy treats. Stock a mini fridge with seltzers and other kid-friendly pours.

The cooler the desk, the more incentive to do homework. Designer Jo Gick tricked out her son's study area. She used a laser cutter to make those wooden sunglasses frames, painted them green (Meadow Green by Rust-Oleum) and got custom-fit mirrors. As for the accent wall, it's covered in cassette tapes from eBay and Craigslist. Jo spray-painted clear cassettes with bright colors. She glued them all onto plywood, then attached that to the wall. The chair and desk are both from HomeGoods.

The key to conquering back-to-school is staying organized — and it all starts in the entryway. Avoid clutter and chaos by creating a cohesive entry where every item has a designated spot. Hang backpacks and jackets on hooks. Line up bins for shoes, basketballs or other knickknacks. Suspend a pegboard, then add shelves so kids have a place to leave water bottles, sunglasses and keys. Every item has a home, and your life just got easier.

This lofted bed doubles as a study space, complete with a bookshelf (perfect for displaying sports trophies!) and a desk. Plus, there's so much extra room to play, relax after school and do homework.

Here's how: Designer Chelsea Bieber bent thrift store spoons to make hooks, then attached them with screws. Now, it's the coolest after-school drop zone around — coats, hats and backpacks have a creative space to live on this handmade coat track.

Ample desk space, handmade art and lots of drawers for craft supplies? Check. If you want to make like these homeowners and level-up your kids' at-home schooling space, turn an empty corner into a colorful little library. Rows of Ikea picture ledges keep reading within reach without hogging floor space. A graphic rug from Ikea and a navy beanbag chair from Target offer fun sprawl-out options.

If you don't have enough space for an entire school room, you can still create a distinct study spot — even in your smallest bedroom. All you need is space for a desk and a chair. Allow your child to pick out fun desk accessories as they would their own bedroom decorations. Think colorful globes, pretty pencil holders, desk calendars and more.

Kids need a place to unwind after a long day, too — and there's nothing cooler than a treehouse. This 10-by-10 pine version is a mini Craftsman. Pom-pom garlands and a slide kid it up. And the gloriously green lawn is artificial turf.

Relax with coffee and your kids before a hectic day of school and work — even if you only have a couple minutes to spare. Heart art and lots of cozy pillows make this breakfast spot super serene.

It's the ultimate one-stop-shop for pencils, paper, laptop chargers and other imagination enablers. This one from World Market has lots of drawers for extra organization. Our pro tip: Get one with wheels and use it anywhere in your home!

If your dining room is a hub for after-school art projects, play dates and snack times, benches may be a practical alternative to dining chairs. They'll maximize seating (no need to store extra chairs elsewhere for when guests visit). Plus, kids can slide in and out of benches with ease — no scratched hardwood floors. Finally, they're so Scandinavian-cool.