How to Organize a Big Kid's Room
Hi friends! Have you ever noticed that as your kids grow their stuff does too? Not only that, but they suddenly have an opinion about what their room should look like. Sometimes corralling the stuff and creating a space your kid is comfortable living in can become a balancing act.
Your big kid’s room probably serves multiple functions. Not only is it a space for sleeping, but it also serves as a study space. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated playroom, it also serves as a play space, or for your teen, a hang out space. Organization is key to keeping your big kid’s space livable and as clutter free as any kid’s room can be.
The Bed
While the bed is obviously for sleeping, it can also become a sofa during the day. Pile pillows and soft coverings on it, and your big kid will have a lounging space for reading or hanging out with friends. Placing the bed strategically against a wall reinforces the idea of it being a lounging spot.
Now, you can purchase beds that are more than a simple frame and mattress set. You can make the largest piece of furniture in the room help you control the clutter in the room. Twin beds can be purchased that offer built-in storage solutions. From bookcase headboards to under bed storage drawers, today’s furniture options add both a pleasing design element and versatile storage.
The Shelves
A traditional storage solution is shelving. Bookcases and floating shelves are two of the many shelving options available for your big kid’s room. Depending on the look you want for your space, you can choose open shelving or shelves that are hidden inside cabinetry.
Once you choose the shelving that fits your idea of the perfect space the fun begins. Now you can decide how everything will fit on those shelves. Do you want to use bins or baskets? Or would everything look better in the open where it can be seen and easily accessed? Shelving can help you and your big kid organize all the stuff they just can’t live without.
The Closet
Don’t overlook the built-in storage in your room. Your closet can hold so much more than just hanging clothes. Take a close look at your closet space. If it’s like most, it’s an empty floor space with a rod for hanging clothes and maybe a shelf over that rod. Perhaps you can put a chest of drawers or dresser in there. Or, maybe a free standing bookshelf will work in the space to house toys, books, or games.
There are a variety of closet organization systems on the market these days. Do-it-yourselfers can buy and install their own system, or it can be professionally installed. Either installation method has the potential to add more useful storage space. A combination of shelves, bins, and hooks can give you more options for stowing your kid’s stuff in a way that is convenient, aesthetically pleasing, and hidden from public view.
The Pegboards
Vertical space is often overlooked when you think about organizing a room. The fact is your walls provide you with a plethora of storage options if you think a little outside the box, or even if you don’t. One way to use your wall space is to hang pegboards. Pegboards make great storage space for either a boy’s or a girl’s room. With the variety of pegs, hooks, and other gadgets you can find for a pegboard now they are not only functional, but also decoratively appealing.
A pegboard can be painted to match the wall color, or it can be painted an accent color, or even left in its natural state. Pegboards make nice display areas for jewelry, hats, jackets, or backpacks. They also nicely hold items like racetrack pieces for cars, Frisbees, or water toys.
The Bins
When choosing storage bins, think outside the proverbial box. While there are many options available to purchase for storage, you don’t have to choose something from the storage container department. Consider repurposing common household items instead. Even food containers can be cleaned to use as storage bins.
If your kids are like most, they probably love foods like chips and cookies. Some of those containers, like the big plastic ones for cheese balls, can be cleaned, labelled, and repurposed for toy storage. Any toys that include small parts, like Legos, could easily fit into those containers. Coffee tins, and chip cans can be covered with shelf liner, or artwork your child creates, and used to store items like pencils, pipe cleaners, and other small toys.
The Baskets
Laundry baskets are more versatile than you might think. Obviously, baskets can be used for getting clothes off the floor. Don’t limit yourself to that usage, though. Again, think outside of that box.
Laundry baskets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They make great containers for stuffed animals, dolls, or any toys that come together as a set. You can even use the smaller ones to organize art or school supplies. Larger ones, or square ones, can hold boxes of puzzles or games.
Conclusion
When it comes to organizing your big kid’s room, there are a multitude of ideas that can help you tame the chaos. Thinking about the overall design and use of the space is a good starting point for deciding which storage elements will work best for your kid. Think outside the box, let your kid be in on the planning, and, most importantly, have fun designing their space for them!
Emily Palmer is a caffeinated blogger who loves talking Decorating, Travel, Yoga, Parenting, Self Development, and more. She can be reached at twitter if you can’t find her at the local café.