Children's bedrooms are an entirely different category than bedrooms in general. Why? Because of the toys! Finding good storage for toys is always a challenge for parents.
Children's bedrooms store clothes, shoes, toys, books and dreams! Finding a place for all of these things can be a challenge, especially if the bedroom is shared with a sibling.
Closets are not always designed for children's clothes and may have to be reconstructed to effectively use the space. Closets can house clothes and toys, with the addition of storage units, crates and boxes. If it's large enough, it may also house a dresser (or shelving units with baskets) - leaving much needed floor space for play. Or you may need to create your own space for clothing.
Wall mounted shelves can hold books and display those fragile toys that may break in toy boxes, as well as art projects, framed photos, board games, etc.
When a room is shared with siblings, it's even more important that personal space be respected and that each child has their own space to store their things. When the siblings ages differ greatly, it's even harder to design a space that fit both children. Also, whether the room is shared or not, it must "grow" as the child grows to keep up with the changes in their life.
Parent's must insist that children don't touch, use or take things that don't belong to them without the owner's permission. My father taught us to treat things that we borrowed with more care than our own things - and to return it in the same, or better, condition. A very important life lesson.This attitude will diminish so much friction and create a more harmonious environment - both in and out of the shared space.
Everything should be designed with your child's age and interests in mind. Storage should be reachable so that children can put their things away easily. Don't forget, they're watching you to see if your room is clean - "do what I say and not what I do" does not work. Children are much smarter than that. When we teach our children the importance of doing everything with decency and in order, we teach them a very important life lesson that will trickle over into everything they do.
Take Away: A child's bedroom is a very special space. It's a place that your child should have some control over so that they can learn control. Bedrooms also house dreams and hopes and should reflect the personality of that child or children. Remember that we all have up days and down days, so every room cleaning will not be as thorough as we may like - children are no different than adults. Just make sure the effort shown is equal to the mood - and not just they would rather be playing video games. This is a good time to teach time management and scheduling skills! Tomorrow is Senior Day!
About the Author: L. Sidney Irving is the owner of Sidco Properties, a real estate company dedicated to educating and assisting those that want to buy or sell a home, Sidney loves to organize herself and those around her because she believes that an organized space brings peace and fosters creativity. May the power of organization be with you!
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