According to a recent survey, 85% of students live in accommodation outside of the family home. With these new spaces to explore and make your own, such as University-provided accommodation or private renting, making sure you’ve got the right study space is essential for those late-night essay rushes.

Chris Martin, Sale’s Director at Skip Hire, provider of skip hire in Glasgow, says: “Finding a place to study, even in a packed student house, is essential for your studies. Getting the right grades or even just passing an assignment – where you write that next essay must be clean, clutter-free, and motivating.”

But how do you maximise your student accommodation to get you the best grades this academic year?

Drag your desk

Plenty of student housing comes fully furnished, but whether you have your own furniture or it comes with your room, making sure it’s in an arrangement that is conducive to your productivity is essential.

Your desk is your assignment sanctuary. When the pressures of late-night deadlines are looming, making sure you’re not procrastinating by moving your space around is key. So, ditch the excuse that the room isn’t “quite right” and make sure you’ve set up your desk correctly to start off with.

Putting your desk near or even directly beneath a window is a great way to boost your motivation. This way, you can use natural light for longer – meaning that there is no need to keep raising your electricity bill by relying on overhead lighting. You can also have access to fresh air while studying, helping you breathe easier even when you don’t have time to leave the room.

Making sure your desk is at a right angle to your window can ensure you’re not becoming too distracted by what is happening outside, as well as limit the likelihood of damage or accidents happening when the window is open. This will also help keep too-bright sunlight from getting in the way of your work.

A large desk can also help to collect all your books, sources, and samples together. This way, you can still complete your assignment with ease while having access to all the research you have done. A large desk can also be the best place to store a printer, perfect for editing.

Ditch the clutter

Another distractor in your room can be clutter. You might’ve moved the odd sentimental piece with you to university as a reminder of home, but this could be distracting you. Make sure it’s out of arm’s reach of your desk so you can concentrate on your work.

If you’re finding it difficult to study as there are too many books on your desk, investing in a bookshelf can help. This can be in your room with a collection of your course books, or, if your room is too small, you can put it in the communal area as a space for everyone’s books to collect.

In fact, clutter could be increasing your stress, making it more difficult to sit down and complete that all-important assignment that your degree is resting on. Relieving stress, where possible, during your studies can help you maintain a good study rhythm. Whether you’re taking downtime seriously or removing the birthday cards from collecting on your shelves, clearing your space and mind can only help your productivity and grades.

Make use of the walls

Not only should you have the space to work effectively, but motivation is needed to keep you on track. This can be done through mood boards or inspirational quotes dotted around your room. If you have a corkboard, you can attach photographs of your family or achievements you want to unlock for the year.

This can also be a great place to put your schedules and calendars. Rather than taking up space on your desk, invest in a pinboard which can be leaned against or attached to your walls. This can help you keep all your important documents in one place and give you a quick overview of your to-do list for the day.

You can even invest in one for the communal area, making leaving notes for your flatmates that bit easier. Whether it is a reminder to pick up milk or letting everyone know there is a social event at the university, this can be a good place to make connections and keep track of all household essentials.

Remember, if you want to attach something new to your walls, check with a landlord or your tenancy agreement before doing anything permanent.

Whether you’ve got an important deadline coming up or want to get ahead of a tough assignment, making sure your space is optimal for productivity is essential. When you’re living in a small student accommodation, it can be difficult to find the space to work. But by ensuring you’ve got a sturdy desk, enough natural light, and no clutter, finishing any assignment will be a breeze.