CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Laura VanSickle, the co-owner of Closets By Design in Charlotte, said their phones have been ringing off the hook lately. Their business has more than doubled since last year, with the desire for a home office renovation top of mind.
With people all across the Carolinas working from home still, many people are realizing their home office is not cutting it. The same realization is occurring for parents whose children are on fully-remote learning.
It's not just professional organizational businesses seeing an increase in demand — online products are either sold out or shipping months out.
According to a leading e-commerce analytics firm, searches on Amazon for child-related office furniture are through the roof. On Amazon, the keywords “kids desk” is up 3,783%.
“People are home and trying to organize their space better because they are all in one place," Van Sickle said. "When you are organized it makes for a much more harmonious living time.”
She also touched on the fact that many families are setting up shop for virtual school at the kitchen table or kitchen island, and how that is not the place that will best benefit your student at-home.
“When my kids were younger the kitchen table was the place we went to do homework because I’d be making dinner and I could answer questions," VanSickle said.
Sound familiar?
"But now that children are home and need to have a quiet focus area, I think it’s important to have a place separate from an area of a lot of activity," VanSickle said. "You’re doing this every day now, so you have all your papers out and you have to constantly clean everything up. It’s really a good idea now to have a dedicated space.”
VanSickle said you would be surprised at how affordable bringing in a professional is to look at the space you have to work with and make something out of nothing.
“We can do all different levels of product for you and a small desk for a child is not going to be more than what you’ll find online," she said. "And with shipping, things are so backed up so we can get in there quickly and build a really simple space.”
You don't have to have an extra office to create a small space for your children to learn. In fact, VanSickle says it's the linen closet that a lot of people are transforming, and it's an office you can do yourself.
“A really popular option is turning little reach in closets into little offices or desk areas for kids.”
One of the perks of this option — when the school day is over, you can simply close the door.
To learn more about what Closets By Design in Charlotte can do for you and your virtual school student, click here.