Use an Ikea Wall-mounted Drop-leaf Table as an Occasional Extra Desk

If you’ve managed to make the jump from dorm living to renting a student house or apartment, you’re surely pleased with all the extra space you have. Truth is in most cases, even when you’ve got your own place, your bedroom still works double duty as an office. We all drool over the idea of doubling our desk space, but making room for a super sized desk in an already crowded space can be a challenge. Wouldn’t it be good if you could only have the extra work area when you need it? You can with Ikea’s Norbo Drop-leaf Table.

I happened upon these wonderful creations during a recent trip to Ikea. Resembling the kind of kitchen table you’d find in an RV camper or a small boat, Ikea’s Drop-leaf Table reveals itself only when you need it. Mounted on the wall, when not in use the table protrudes a few inches to make a cute little shelf. When you need the extra space the table rises to make a second work area. You’ll need some solid mounting hardware and a good wall stud to ensure your magical workspace doesn’t tumble to the ground when you inevitably bang your head off it in frustration with Biophysics 254.

At $29.99, the Ikea Norbo Drop-leaf Table is perfect for students looking to stretch out in times of intense work.