Decorating and organizing your child's room
Tired of having piles of toys in every corner of your home? The key to decorating and organizing your child’s room is storage space. Children need accessible designated areas to store their favorite toys and books. When planning your kid’s bedroom layout, include trunks, footlockers, decorative boxes, baskets, and shelves. Incorporate only those options that match your child’s age and style. Your number one goal in decorating a child’s room is achieving comfort and personality. The bedroom should be a welcoming and inspirational place for a child.
Work hard, but play harder. A child’s room is a place for fun and games, given that you do not have an additional play room. However, it is also the room where your child does their homework. Accommodate the room so that it can satisfy both needs. Try dividing the room in half (one half for the play area and the other half for studying). Include a desk for homework, but that can also be used for sketching, writing stories, or playing computer games (depending on your child’s interests). Display your child’s pencils and markers in glass or plastic jars. In addition, place individual shelves above your child’s desk for added storage space. The array of colors that can be seen through the jar will add a colorful touch to any desk. Cube shelves with canvas storage bins and crates are ideal for organizing small toys and art supplies, plus they are available in fun colors that your child will love. If your child enjoys reading, make sure to provide plenty of bookshelves and a kid’s stool for them to reach. Designate a corner of the room to be their mini library complete with a comfy chair and cozy throw.
Buy versatile furniture. At the age of 7 or 8, children usually want a "new room." They want to move past their preschool years and have a big kid’s room. If you are in the process of replacing your child’s race car bed, purchase new furniture that can adapt to their own development. Invest on a piece that can be used at age 7 and at age 12. For instance, sleigh beds, canopy beds, or daybeds are great choices.
Accessorize. You can turn your child’s room into an exciting space by incorporating the right accessories. For instance, substitute the drawer knobs on the nightstand, dresser, and desk with animal shapes or other themes. Apply wall stickers depending on your child’s interests. If your child likes animals, turn the room into a small-scale jungle by applying stickers of trees and their favorite animals. You can even hang mobiles from the ceiling. A cost-efficient and fun way to add mobiles is to buy wooden models in your local crafts store. Then have your child paint them and hang the final piece on ceiling hooks.
Decide on a theme that represents your child’s interests and personality (remember, it is their room and should define them, not you). Base the décor on your child’s favorite colors. Accentuate the theme with decorative pillows, designer flat sheets, toy collections, and wall stickers. Add fun accent pieces such as hammocks, vanity dress-up sets, or doll houses. When your child outgrows these furnishings, replace them with other items more fit for their age such as bean bag chairs or screens (keep the hammock as it can still be a fun accessory for a teenager).