Decorating your child's room can be fun for you, and your kid, but how can you make it functional too?
One of the hardest parts about designing a child's room is organizing it and keeping it organized. Kids throw things. Everywhere. All the time. So here are FIVE suggestions to try and maximize their creativity & minimize their clutter.
1. Decide What You Want To Display
What have your kids collected that they are proud of, or want to show off? Think of books, trophies, academic awards, or even rocks. Rocks can be pretty cool too! Whatever motivates them to get out of bunk bed and tackle their day. It'll help you get them going in the mornings, and it'll teach them to appreciate their successes.
How often do they actually use/play with/need the thing? Anything that your child reaches for regularly, should have a place that’s exactly that—within reach. Anything else can go on the top shelf.
3. Functional Furniture
Furniture is the foundation that the room is built around. These pieces will probably last through several decor changes, so you’ll want to spend some time thinking about what you’ll really need (a bunk bed, clothing storage, seating, toy storage, writing desk, etc.) and what is right for the room size. The most important piece in the bedroom is obviously the bed.
Sleep is SO important, for kids of all ages - but so is storage! It doesn't need to be shaped like the Millennium Falcon or Rapunzel's Tower, but it does need to keep them comfortable and safe.
The current trend for Kid's Bedrooms include beds with built-in storage drawers and lofted spaces. This extra storage is brilliant for children's clothes, toys, or crafts. Being able to keep things tidy and out of sight, while minimizing the amount of space taken up by bulky furniture items will be appreciated by both parents and children alike.
When your kids are really little, they don’t require much to keep them occupied. Squishy objects or cardboard boxes will keep them entertained for hours. But as they get older, they learn about markers and crafts, glitter glue, & silly putty. And as hard as you try to keep them from learning about crayons and walls, just know you will inevitably fail.
Once a child begins to show an interest in something, their environment should help them foster that interest. A kitchen or coffee table isn't necessarily the right height for a growing child - and unless you enjoy weight lifting, there are only so many times you can bear with hoisting them up and down before your arms give out. Luckily, there are some really amazing things on the market right now that will grow with your child. Not only that but (as mentioned above) functional furniture pieces will help keep their creativity behind closed doors.
5. The Black Hole
This is where ALL THE THINGS that don’t go into any other piece of furniture belong. I've heard it referred to as a toy box, tickle trunk, or treasure chest! Basically, it's where every little missing piece, dress-up costume, barbie shoe, plastic doo-dad & wooden thing-a-ma-jig end up... It’s also the first thing that gets dumped out when friends come over.
Every kid’s room NEEDS one of these, for one simple reason. It makes cleaning up so much easier. You grab everything on the floor and just toss it in. In a minute you’ve managed to clear the floor, and you won’t have to worry about stepping on Tickle-Me Elmo's or Lego Bits in the middle of the night when you check on your sleeping angel. Again, these don't have to be fancy - a canvas bin, a thrift store find, or a plastic tub would all suffice.
Well...There you have it! These are simply suggestions to help you create a functional kid’s room - you don't have to listen, but thanks for reading and making it this far! Ultimately, I’ve learned that children can make your life wonderfully crazy, and getting them into a room that meets all of your needs and theirs can make you wonderfully crazy. Remember to check out our Patio Furniture inventory for summers and Remember to have...
