Give the kids some space
PARENTING EXPERTS OFFER LISA SALMON TIPS ON CREATING INSPIRING, TIDY CHILDREN’S ROOMS
A CHILD’s room is rarely a tidy one, and if anything, it only gets worse as they get older.
New research by Habitat (habitat. co.uk) has found almost half (41%) of parents say tidying their child’s scruffy room is their biggest bugbear, and on average, parents spend £729 on their children’s bedrooms every year trying to spruce it up.
Habitat Kids spokesperson Emma Worrollo, a play expert from The Playful Den (theplayfulden. com), which runs a community, blog and courses to help encourage parents and children to be more playful, puts parental investment in children’s rooms down to an increased understanding of the link between play and wellbeing.
And The Mummy Concierge Tiffany Norris (themummyconthey cierge.com), who aims to help mothers figure out the best way through pregnancy and motherhood, says: “Furnishing your child’s bedroom can be fun, but also daunting. There’s so much to think about – from colour schemes and safety to themes – and these need to appeal to you as an adult, as well as to your child.”
Here, Emma and Tiffany give their tips for creating a stylish bedroom that’s easier for parents and kids to keep tidy...
1.Safety is paramount
“Always consider safety when it comes to your child’s bedroom – make sure chests of drawers are attached to walls,” Tiffany stresses.
2.Make use of walls
Emma suggests putting up accessible bookshelves, hooks and whatever else works to spread out the organisation options.
“Bulky storage concentrated around the floor is going to overwhelm the room quickly,” she warns.
3.Try a whiteboard wall
To reduce the use of bits of paper that end up on the bedroom floor, you could turn one of the walls into a blackboard or whiteboard, so your child can write homework reminders, their sums or spellings, advises Tiffany.
4.Decorate the ceiling
If you and your child are at odds about decor – they want a space theme, you want something more subtle – compromise by decorating the ceiling, suggests Tiffany.
“You could add stars and moons on the ceiling, so when your little one lies in bed they can see it,” she says.
5.Create a work space
We all like our own space, especially older children and teens, so make sure you have an area in their room for a desk, where they can keep all their school bits tidy (in theory) and a lamp.
“Let them help you choose the style of their work space, so enjoy sitting there,” says Tiffany.
6.Make display zones
If a child builds a model or makes a piece of art, think about reserving some areas of their room for display purposes, Emma suggests.
7.Small things equal small storage
For older children who collect and play with toys that have micro pieces, use portable containers that have a variety of compartments.
“Sorting and organising is a play pattern in itself,” says Emma, “so with the right tools, your kids might fall in love with taking care of their collections.”