Kids are busy bees, running around having fun, getting school work done, and eating you out of house and home. So you have probably noticed that their rooms can get a little messy. Sure, you have chores for them including picking up their messes, but what can you do to keep everything contained? Good news! There are plenty of ways to add storage spaces, plus you can pick some of these items cheap. Of course your kid’s needs and belongings are going to change as they grow up. There are smart options you can choose that will grow with them.
Getting Started
The most important part of getting your child’s room organized is to involve them. Take the time to engage with them to see what is and isn’t important to them. This way you can see what items you can get rid of. Don’t forget to make this process a game for them, not only are you going to help your kid feel included and listened to, but it will also help associate keeping their things organized as a fun, important part of their life.
Storage that Can Grow With Them
Obviously the biggest reasons for buying storage that can last for years is to save money and get full use of these items. This means buying neutral cubby shelves, book shelves, dressers, etc. Basically anything that can stay as other decor changes as your child grows up.
Storage that Is For Them Now
Certain storage items, such as bins, can and should be made for who your kid is now. This means buying that bright pink bin or that T-Rex toy box. These items won’t last through their teenage years, but if these things are still in good condition later, you can donate them, or hand them down to the children of friends and family. It’s important to have your kid express themselves through their room.
Setting Everything Up- Toddler
This is going to be the phase of bright colors, favorite cartoon characters, and toys everywhere. And this is when you should be reinforcing a sense of your child’s room being theirs. As well, this means making sure they can reach their toys, books, clothing, or anything else. If you have shelves, put them down lower and make sure that they are securely attached to the wall. If you are buying a tall dresser for one of their “grow with them” items, use the lower dressers for now. This way you can include you kid in their day-to-day clothing choices. But for the most part, focus of ground-level storage choices. Include under-bed storage, a toy box, a small open clothing rack (for dress-up time), etc.
Setting Everything Up- Adolescent
It feels like your kid is growing up faster and faster everyday, but it’s all ok! Their interests are changing drastically from Disney princesses and G.I. Joes to reading, gaming, DnD, and more. If you painted their walls in a bright color (cause they begged and begged for teenage mutant ninja turtle green, or barbie pink), your kid is probably ready for a more grown-up change. So work with them to see what their newly budding likes and dislikes are. If you have items that are still at a toddler friendly height, readjust the heights. Maybe even completely rearrange their room. This means rehanging shelves and moving all that heavy furniture.
Setting Everything Up- Teenager
Your kid is blooming into the wonderful (yet still cheeky) person you’d always dreamed of, and adulthood seems like it’s right around the corner. Your child is testing the waters and their interests show that. They are ready to feel like the adult they soon will be. So if they want, help them go through and clean out all the things they no longer want. If they have a job, encourage them to save up so if they see something they’d love to have in their room, they can buy it. But remember they are still your kid, and if they feel that their room still shows too much of their likes for when they were 10 years old, help them figure out how to express themselves through their room. Maybe they’ll just want to purge all those “childish” things from their room. Or maybe they have been watching HGTV and want a shabby chic oasis. Since you already have items that can still be used, get new bins, boxes, etc that can be used in and around these items.
Take Away
Your kid is going to change many times as they grow up, they are going to want to express themselves in many different ways, including how their room looks. So just listen and help them out through the unknown waters they will traverse through the years. By creating a room where they can stay organized and express their interests, they will (eventually) appreciate that you have taught them that keeping their space clean and organized is indeed actually an important part of their life.
Looking to organize other rooms in your home? Check out our Laundry Room Organization blog to get one more room closer to a well organized, beautiful home.