Kids' Stuff

t was time. I had been promising my son for the past year that I would do something about his bedroom and I could put it off no longer. I was going to have to try to make that little 9x9 foot bedroom look as big as his sisters'! Not an easy task.

Two walls were covered with painted paneling. It had to go and I decided to go ahead and redo the entire bedroom, making choices that would help him to easily organize and keep it organized.

Finding extra storage space

The first idea we had was to eliminate the need for a dresser by finding an elevated bed with drawers underneath. He needed more room then a single layer of drawers so we chose to spend the extra money and get a bed with a double layer of drawers. Many people prefer a loft bed, the kind with the dresser and desk under it. After eyeing the size of his bedroom, I realized it would take over the whole room.

Perhaps the most effective way to organize a child's room is to redo the closet. Most closets come with a rod and one shelf with a lot of wasted space above and below. Think about your child's needs. I can't imagine that my son will ever have any clothes that need hanging so we plan on shelves that will go from floor to ceiling. There are many different closet kits you can purchase according to your needs. For younger children the upper shelves can hold art supplies you're not ready to let them have free access to yet.

While doing a child's room think of the tote is your best friend. They are versatile and come in many sizes. If you are really artistic you can decorate the outside with pictures of what it holds. Get your wee ones in on the fun and let them decorate with handprints. My son, being eleven, wants nice neat labels on his. Totes come in many colors making it easy to match your color scheme.

Think vertical

Debbie, from Organized Times, gave me a great space saving tip I hadn't thought of. She says, "One of the key rules in organizing and decorating is to utilize vertical space. Often we place furniture around the room with nothing above it, forming a nice horizontal line. There is a ton of unclaimed storage and visually appealing space right above the furniture line!"

This gives plenty of room for hooks and shelves. Not only can hooks be used for coats and hats, but for stuffed animals (with ribbons), lightweight totes filled with various things, and book bags.

Another tip from Debbie is to keep on the look out for old pop crates or to purchase similar cubbies from a craft store. They are great for those collections of rocks, shells, twigs and other kiddy booty.

To help your child keep their newly organized room clean, purchase them a laundry hamper. You can kill two birds with one stone by training them to pick up their own clothes and getting them ready for the wonderful day they will be responsible for their own laundry!

I would like to tell you that I am all finished with his bedroom and that he is living in a well appointed, organized space, but I'm not. At the moment we are waffling between wainscoting and wall paper. But I do have my totes, shelves and hooks ready and perhaps, just perhaps, this will help my son to keep his things in order.

Teri Brown is a freelance writer and the homeschooling mother of two. Her book, Christian Unschooling: growing your child in the freedom of Christ, is now available.

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