is free from distractions
has a chair and a music stand or something to display your music
has good lighting
instrument and bow
rosin and cloth
tuner
pencil for marking sheet music
check your strings & fingerboard & clean off any rosin dust
tighten your bow (clockwise to the right): a pinky sized space should be between the stick and the hair in the middle of the bow (about 1cm)
tune your strings with a tuner (first check the tuning videos on the home page)
play at the same time each day
try to practice some every day (regular short sessions are better than one long session)
set a goal for each session
tune your instrument with a tuner
work on the most challenging spot first
break down the music into small sections
repeat the small section 4-5 times (If you keep making the same mistake, mark something in your music--a fingering, an arrow up or down for tuning, a notename, etc.)
repeat the passage several times AFTER you get it right
before you end the session, play through the entire passage
remember to loosen your bow and clean rosin from your strings before packing up