<div type="image" title="home office classroom messy clutter" height="2649" width="3974" msid="79538707" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider asked interior designers for their best tips for creating a peaceful home environment that functions as a classroom, office, and more. </li><li>Use dedicated workstations and space dividers to keep work and home life separate.</li><li>You can add soft surfaces to reduce sound or invest in noise-canceling headphones.</li><li>If you have the option, turning your closet into a tiny office could be a smart, space-saving move. </li></ul><p>Over these <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-support-new-parents-during-covid">past few months,</a> a lot of people have been spending time at home — which has become a lot more than a place to relax. For many, homes are now also serving as classrooms, office spaces, and so much more.</p><p>With all of the clutter and chaos, it can be difficult to maintain a <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-your-home-peaceful-interior-designers">tranquil environment</a> that is also functional.</p><p>So we consulted interior designers about their best tips for optimizing a home for work and school without sacrificing a calm living space. </p><h2><strong>Give each family member a dedicated spot</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="baskets" height="2680" width="3573" msid="79538709" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p><keyword id="6466632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="interior-designer">Interior designer</keyword> <a href="https://www.twohandsinteriors.com/about">Rachel Alcorn</a> of Two Hands Interiors told Insider that <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-bedroom-look-better-for-free-interior-designers">carving out individual spaces</a> for everybody's work and schooling is key to keeping the rest of your home feeling calm. </p><p>"Giving each family member a dedicated spot helps contain mess," Alcorn said. "If you can't assign permanent stations, use a portable container to corral work or school items and move them when necessary."</p><p>Alcorn recommended using a decorative basket or tray to hold each person's items, and she added that allowing kids to decorate their own container may encourage them to use it. </p><h2><strong>Use room dividers to help everyone focus</strong></h2><h2><strong><div type="image" title="home dividers" height="2651" width="3534" msid="79538712" hostid="261"></div></strong></h2><p>Interior designer and educator <a href="https://www.karenaronian.com/home-1">Karen Aronian</a> of Aronian Education <keyword id="6373314" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Design">Design</keyword> told Insider that using room dividers is a good way to keep working and living spaces separate. </p><p>"The best way to create a calm study or office spot is to section the room using dividers," Aronian said. "You can use decorative floor screens or even a beautiful piece of fabric tacked to the ceiling."</p><p>Using space dividers allows family members to focus when working and also keep any office or school clutter <a href="https://www.insider.com/popular-trends-interior-designers-dont-like-get-rid-of">out of sight</a>. </p><h2><strong>If you're not able to physically separate from each other, consider investing in noise-canceling headphones</strong></h2><p>If there are <a href="https://www.insider.com/mistakes-youre-making-when-decorating-a-living-room-2019-11">multiple people using a given space</a> during the day, noise-canceling headphones could be a handy tool for increased <keyword id="23080" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="productivity">productivity</keyword>.</p><p>"I think it's important to have noise-canceling headphones available for people working or learning in shared spaces," Aronian said. "You might also want to play calm music to enhance focus and block even more sound."</p><p>Options that go over the ear are often better at muting distractions, but you can also use in-ear headphones with noise-canceling technology. </p><h2><strong>Post your schedule where family members can see it</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="house schedule" height="2565" width="3420" msid="79538714" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Interior designer <a href="http://www.level3designgroup.com/">Racheal Zuniga</a> of Level 3 Design Group told Insider that sharing your schedule is critical to maintaining harmony at home. </p><p>"Post a note card with your typical schedule or upcoming video calls in a visible spot," said Zuniga. "It helps others know when to be quiet and when not to walk into the room in their pajamas."</p><p>You can post this schedule <a href="https://www.insider.com/interior-designers-reveal-the-biggest-mistakes-to-avoid-designing-kitchen-2019-12">on your fridge</a> or door for easy access. </p><h2><strong>Add soft surfaces to reduce noise</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="rug" height="1918" width="2557" msid="79538717" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Filling your home with soft surfaces can reduce the amount of noise leaking into your workstation or video calls. </p><p>"If you're not lucky enough to have a workspace with a door, find creative ways to add soft surfaces to your home in order to absorb sound," Zuniga said. </p><p>Zuniga suggested using <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-furniture-last-longer-2019-12">floor mats or rugs</a> to muffle footsteps or using a cushion to block noise from under the door. </p><p>You can also try tacking acoustic foam to surrounding walls to further dampen any noise. </p><h2><strong>Create a 'cloffice' out of a small closet </strong></h2><p>Interior designer <a href="http://www.sundae.com/">Dalas Dodd</a>, head of the residential design team at Sundae, told Insider that it's possible to transform an unused closet into a tiny office. </p><p>"A 'cloffice' has doors you can close when it's time to stop thinking about work for the day and can usually fit a small desk and all needed work items," Dodd said. </p><p>If the added furniture means your closet <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-a-room-look-bigger-for-free-interior-designers">doors can't close</a>, consider replacing them with a curtain or large piece of fabric. </p><p>Dodd also suggested decorating the back closet wall with bright paint or self-adhesive wallpaper to make the space more cheerful. </p><h2><strong>Think ahead before buying extra furniture</strong></h2><div type="image" title="at home office" height="1867" width="2490" msid="79538719" hostid="261"></div><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/make-home-look-better-for-free-without-buying-anything">Rather than buying</a> dedicated office or school furniture for your home, you may want to invest in pieces that will serve your family in the long term. </p><p>"We may not be working and schooling from home forever," Alcorn said. "Be smart about buying new furniture and go for items that will continue to be useful when family members go back to their real offices or schools."</p><p>Alcorn <a href="https://www.insider.com/interior-designers-share-rules-you-should-never-break-2019-11">recommended using</a> small tables as temporary desks and buying open-shelving units that can hold school items now and decor later. </p><h2><strong>Take advantage of natural light sources </strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/home-design-rules-you-should-be-breaking-2020-1">The type of lighting</a> in your work or learning area can help or hinder your productivity. </p><p>"Natural light is usually best for your mood and for getting stuff done," Dodd said. "If that's not an option, opt for a shaded lamp and avoid fluorescent lighting, which is harsh on the eyes."</p><p>It's also important to be mindful of using computer screens and tablets in spaces with inadequate lighting, as this can cause eye strain and headaches. </p><h2><strong>Let go of the need for a perfectly tidy house</strong></h2><div type="image" title="clutter messy home tidy up organization spring cleaning 3" height="667" width="889" msid="79538721" hostid="261"></div><p>Alcorn told Insider that allowing your home to pull double duty as an office or classroom <a href="https://www.insider.com/interior-designers-things-you-should-get-rid-of-2020-1">means letting go</a> of the expectation of perfection.</p><p>"No amount of storage or organization is going to mask the reality that important work is happening at home," Alcorn said. "Take a deep breath, be thankful, and try to look past the piles and chaos."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/take-nice-family-photos-for-the-holiday-season-2020-11">How to capture professional-quality family photos for the holidays when you can't go to a studio</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/interior-designers-reveal-things-in-living-room-you-should-get-rid-of">Interior designers reveal the 11 things in your living room you should get rid of</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/only-things-to-spend-extra-on-in-a-home-2020-1">Interior designers reveal the 10 things worth splurging on in a home</a></li></ul>

How to make your home into an office, classroom, and more without sacrificing a calm living space

I'm a San Diego-based travel writer and I think these 13 hotels offer everything you've been dreaming about in a vacation

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59b828be9803c51e008b4ec7-2400/apple iphone 8 event.jpg" alt="Apple iPhone 8 event" data-mce-source="Getty" /><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p><p class="caption">The new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are waterproof, though you still probably shouldn't douse them with water like this.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Apple introduced a new iPhone on Tuesday, dubbed the iPhone 8. It comes in two different form factors - the standard 4.7-inch model, and a larger 5.5-inch "Plus" model.</p><p>Here's what you need to know up front: the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launch on September 22, and they start at $700. You can pre-order the phone starting this Friday, September 15.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59b824f438d20d1f008b4f84-1478/screen shot 2017-09-12 at 111644 am.png" alt="Apple iPhone 8" data-mce-source="Apple" /><p class="source"><span>Apple</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>As you might have already guessed, the smaller iPhone 8 is what starts at $700; the iPhone 8 Plus starts at $100 more, for $800. Both models come with 64 GB of storage space, though you can opt for a 256 GB model that'll cost a bit more.</p><p>Though visually similar to the iPhone 7, the iPhone 8 features a glass front and back - Apple says the glass back isn't just a visual change, but a means of enabling the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus to add wireless charging functionality. You can place your phone on a charging mat - at least one that uses the Qi wireless charging standard - and it'll automatically start charging without any wires.</p><p>Here's a look at all the tech changes coming to the iPhone 8, care of Apple:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59b824f19803c5df008b4e0d-1430/screen shot 2017-09-12 at 111546 am.png" alt="Apple iPhone 8" data-mce-source="Apple" /><p class="source"><span>Apple</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the newest versions of Apple's 10-year-old iPhone product line, and they're considered the base model. A third version of the newest iPhone, dubbed "iPhone X," was also announced on Tuesday - it's a more expensive, slightly different form-factor version of the iPhone. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-x-photos-specs-features-release-date-2017-9">You can read more about it right here</a>.</p><p class="tagline"><div id="categorypromo" style="border:1px solid silver; min-height:90px; padding:10px;vertical-align:top;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/thirty-big-tech-predictions-for-2017?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_content=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_campaign=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/588bab028d3eae7c079a16b6/30-big-tech-predictions-for-2017-report-cover-free.png" style="margin-right:15px;width:75px;float:left !important;" /></a><strong> EXCLUSIVE FREE REPORT:</strong><br />30 Big Tech Predictions by BI Intelligence. <strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/thirty-big-tech-predictions-for-2017?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_content=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_campaign=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions">Get the Report Now »</a></strong></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/panasonic-voice-activated-fridge-2017-9">Panasonic revealed a self-driving fridge - and it comes to you when you call it</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/GYgDkOFJ-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launch on September 22, starting at $700

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48868394.cms" />Do you feel like pulling your hair apart when you have searched for the car keys in every nook and corner of the house, only to find them in your jeans? Or even worse, fridge?<br />
<br />
And remember when you found that pen drive under your car’s mat; you had earlier put the blame entirely on your sibling for losing it. There are several small yet significant items that we keep losing. Now only if these devices could speak…err we mean had ringtones assigned to them, searching them would have been so easy. We would just dial their numbers to find them out.<br />
<br />
Here, we have compiled a list of 8 things that we wish had ringtones! Take a look. <br />
<br />
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48868457.cms" /><br />
<br />
(Images: Thinkstock)<br />


8 things we wish had ringtones!

<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/game-changers"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/53b169cb69bedd2a0d27e975-800-75/game-changers-future-food-article-banner.png" border="0" /></a></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><a href="http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/a-brief-history-of-bread"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52cc2aa66da8114c172e4218-1200-858/rtx12dv6.jpg" border="0" alt="bakery supermarket grocery store bread" /><p class="source"><span>Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters</span></p></a></div><p></p></div></div>Humans first started baking bread <a href="http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/a-brief-history-of-bread">around</a> 30,000 years ago. Since then, we have been trying to make it last longer.</p>
<p>As soon as bread comes out of the oven it interacts with bacteria, yeast, and fungi in the air. The most obvious bread-microbe reaction is growth of fuzzy bluish-green mold on bread left out on the counter.</p>
<p>Packaged bread on grocery-store shelves contains chemical preservatives to inhibit this microbe growth and extend shelf life.</p>
<p>But new, natural technologies will help us enjoy mold-free bread products, while cutting out the chemical preservatives that have been getting some bad press recently.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ewg.org/research/nearly-500-ways-make-yoga-mat-sandwich">Findings that nearly 500 commercial baked goods contained </a><a href="http://www.ewg.org/research/nearly-500-ways-make-yoga-mat-sandwich">azodicarbonamide</a> - also known as the "yoga mat" chemical used in the manufacturing of rubber products - have recently spurred the search for more natural alternatives to lengthen shelf life of breads. Here are a few new technologies that could become a part of your sandwich in the future.</p>
<h3>Edible Films And Essential Oils</h3>
<p>Instead of adding preservatives directly into or onto food, natural compounds can be added to packaging material, which then interact with the food to prevent spoilage - a technique called "active packaging."</p>
<p>These compounds can come from plants that have natural antimicrobial properties. For example, researcher Caio Gomide Otoni of the Federal University of Vicosa in Brazil is working, along with his colleagues, to harness the antimicrobial power of oregano and clove bud to preserve fresh bread.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53adad096bb3f7b01d3347bf-1200-1174/edible%20films_02.jpg" border="0" alt="game changers edible films infographic" width="800" /><p class="source"><span>Mike Nudelman/ Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Normally, bread is packaged in plastic bags to prevent it from interacting with oxygen in the air, which slows down the process of spoilage. Otoni and his team are creating "edible films," a super-thin packaging layer made out of edible plant material containing plant essential oils.</p>
<p>The edible film clings to the inside of the plastic bag, but also touches the bread and transfers the antimicrobial compounds onto it, Otoni told Business Insider.</p>
<p>Oregano essential oil has a pungent, bitter taste in its pure form, so the films are made with dilutions of the essential oil. Otoni and his team are trying to find the sweet spot - the highest concentration of the essential oil dilutions that can be used without affecting the bread's taste.</p>
<p>In certain dilutions, the team's edible films can slow down mold growth for up to 15 days. They detailed their findings in a new <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf501055f" target="_blank">paper published in May in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a>. <strong><br /></strong></p>
<p>Essential oils can also be released into the air inside the packaging from small pouches of porous plastic, called sachets. The team's 0regano essential oil sachets can also slow mold growth in preservative-free bread up to 15 days, according to a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfpe.12059/abstract" target="_blank">paper published in January in the Journal of Food Process Engineering</a>. <strong><br /></strong></p>
<p>In the sachet experiment, the packaging was opened at five-day intervals. "Though we have not tested daily openings, I would say they are still effective," said Otoni. Opening the package brings in air from the outside, which drives the diffusion of the essential oils from the sachet or film and into the air inside the package.</p>
<p>Otoni is optimistic that these techniques could be used on a larger scale, on different types of bread. For example, the edible films are great for vacuum-packed food, where the sachets wouldn't work. They are also doing research on applying these films to fruits - like papaya and guava - as well as meat products, dairy products, and even peanuts. Some other compounds they are experimenting with include papaya puree, mint, and cinnamon.</p>
<h2>'Zapping' As A Sterilization Tool</h2>
<p>MicroZap, a Texas-based company, has developed a method to keep packaged <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microzap-60-day-fresh-bread-2013-1">bread mold-free for 60 days</a>. Now, they are venturing into the preservative-free bread products market with an unnamed small organic tortilla company.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53a83546ecad04223b9abc75-720-540/slide14-61.jpg" border="0" alt="moldy tortilla" /><p class="source"><span>Don Stull, MicroZap</span></p><p class="caption">Control tortilla (untreated), Day 19. </p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>MicroZap CEO Don Stull told Business Insider how the partnership came about. The tortilla company was looking to expand but ran into a major problem: Even when kept refrigerated, the tortillas would begin to mold within days, limiting their distribution area.</p>
<p>The MicroZap technology shoots high-energy waves (like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-do-microwaves-work-2014-6">those in a conventional microwave</a>) at food for 10 seconds to sterilize it, without heating it. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53a835aeeab8ea5e6444b3c0-720-540/slide15-57.jpg" border="0" alt="microzap tortilla" /><p class="source"><span>Don Stull, MicroZap</span></p><p class="caption">Tortilla treated with MicroZap technology, Day 19.</p></div><p></p></div></div> Unlike conventional microwaves, Microzap waves spread out uniformly throughout the food, without creating hot and cold spots.</p>
<p>The pictures on the right show what untreated tortillas and MicroZap treated tortillas look like after 19 days in the fridge - you can see how disgusting the mold growth is.</p>
<p>The untreated tortillas began to show visible signs of mold after 72 hours. The MicroZap treated tortillas showed no signs of mold after six weeks.</p>
<p>However, in the experiment, the packages remained unopened. It might be possible that the tortillas would mold faster if the packages were opened and exposed to contaminants in the environment. </p>
<p>There are still some regulatory hurdles to get through before the technology could be used in the tortilla factory. And, of course, they still have to run sensory test to make sure that after six weeks, the tortillas still taste good. Otherwise, we could be heading toward a future with no more fretting over bread mold.</p>

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