Home Simplified: In the Kid's Room
Welcome to our Home Simplified Tour!
Over the next weeks, I hope you will join me on this journey through the home for some tips to declutter and organize each space. These ideas and strategies have come to be from my own experience. My hope is that these posts will inspire you to jump into your own spaces and simplify your home.
Home Simplified and my vision for this company is simple.... help people find freedom and peace in their homes. I will not be able to come to each of your homes...that is a reality but I can help still. I can answer questions...so send them! (rebecca@homesimplified.today) I can encourage. I can tell you of my own experience. I can support. I can give you a big "AMAZING!" when you text me saying you filled 5 bags of clothes to take to donate (Hi, Kim!). And truly nothing brings more joy to my heart.
Our tour is going to start in the kid's room or maybe rooms for you.
I have 4 kids. Zoe is 8...almost 9 which blows my mind. Evan just turned 7. Henry is 4 quickly approaching 5 and Owen is 2 1/2. And if you did the math...we have 2 bedrooms so all of them are in the same room. Bonkers...I know. But beyond the bonkers....there is also beauty.
When you have a smaller home, each space is used to the max and for multiple purposes. There were a couple different issues we needed to tackle in order to make our KID ROOM work and I want to share the tips I have learned so you put them into practice if you think they will help you. These tips can be used in all kid's rooms. In my kid's room, I really had to get creative with space, storage and organization. I would say on a day to day basis...it works pretty darn well, but if I haven't addressed the space in a week or so...it takes some time to get things back in order.
Separate Spaces
Moving, I was really nervous for Zoe...the oldest, only girl and she had only known a room to herself her whole life. It was always "my room" for her and that was about to be gone. I wanted to separate Zoe from the boys in some way and allow her to have a space her own. We solved the problem with a simple loft. Zoe helped me pick out her new sheets and she has a cute rug and shelf that are for her loft space. It has worked amazing for her, until her brothers try to invade but that is another story. By allowing her to make this space her own, it has helped her to care for the space. With having our own spaces, we also have to be responsible for our spaces. By giving Zoe her own space in this small room, I encourage her to care for it and keep it up herself. Our children are not entitled to their own spaces...there is a sense of responsibility that should come with them having their own space. If you want your own space, you have to care for it.
The big boys have twin beds and a trundle under one for Owen. The trundle is a fabulous space saver! At night, we pull the trundle out and in the morning, we tuck it away so the floor space is open for playing. Another great tip when having small spaces. My boys are not as particular as Zoe is about having their own space.
The only other issue we have faced is that our middle boy is an introvert. He loves being with people but definitely recharges alone. So when I see that Henry needs some space, I let him gather a couple toys and he plays in our master bedroom alone, door shut. Every space in a small home is used in many different ways...our master bedroom is definitely used way more than it was before in our other homes...but it has been a great solution for Henry to get some quiet time.
Organizing Stuff
Sleeping arrangements are one thing, but where do we put all their things! Well, let me start by saying...I purge weekly. I have to. You might not HAVE TO but I strongly encourage you to. These kids are little hoarders in the making but I really think it is just that they don't want to clean up so they stash things in all the places! I do a clean sweep of the kids room weekly and each time the cleanup is easier and easier because there is less stuff to purge and organize. We have 2 dressers and one small closet for them all to share. Under our second bed, we have 3 boxes that hold toys. That is it. It is quite simple. Keep it simple.
Your kids might not keep toys in their room, but if they do...have a specific place for the toys. Having specific places for all their things makes clean up so easy and fast! Also, organize your kids clothing drawers. One drawer for underwear, one for pjs, one for shorts, one for shirts...etc. Teach your kids where each thing goes....it makes it so simple when it is laundry day or toy cleanup time. Every thing has a spot and they just have to put that thing in its spot. Simple.
Helping Your Kids Let Go
This can be really hard. Heck...it can be hard as an adult, too. I think this is an extremely important practice to put into place young. I have had many opportunities to teach my kids the art of letting go recently and I really only struggle with this with Zoe. She is sentimental and super creative. Every creative drawing she does must be saved. Every piece of paper that comes home must be kept. Every single thing is THE THING for her. Her loft, if I allowed it, would be one big pile of papers and knick knacks. We together go through her loft weekly or biweekly and clean house. We make decisions together on what really matters and what should be thrown away. Some things that I would toss, I let her keep and I tell her there needs to be a place for this item...it cannot just be on the floor. If it doesn't have a place, it doesn't belong here. We also play the game....This or that. She can keep one but not both. She feels like she is winning in some way...and I say goodbye to one more thing that is cluttering the space. If you have a child that holds on to things like Zoe, spending time with them to go through these things is important. You can't expect them to do this on their own initially. Taking the time to sit with them and teach them is so worth it.
If you have specific issues that you can't seem to wrap your brain around...message me or email and I will try my best to help!
More tips to come for Kid's rooms this week so follow along! Subscribe up top so you don't miss the next post.
Over the next weeks, I hope you will join me on this journey through the home for some tips to declutter and organize each space. These ideas and strategies have come to be from my own experience. My hope is that these posts will inspire you to jump into your own spaces and simplify your home.
Our tour is going to start in the kid's room or maybe rooms for you.
When you have a smaller home, each space is used to the max and for multiple purposes. There were a couple different issues we needed to tackle in order to make our KID ROOM work and I want to share the tips I have learned so you put them into practice if you think they will help you. These tips can be used in all kid's rooms. In my kid's room, I really had to get creative with space, storage and organization. I would say on a day to day basis...it works pretty darn well, but if I haven't addressed the space in a week or so...it takes some time to get things back in order.
Separate Spaces
Moving, I was really nervous for Zoe...the oldest, only girl and she had only known a room to herself her whole life. It was always "my room" for her and that was about to be gone. I wanted to separate Zoe from the boys in some way and allow her to have a space her own. We solved the problem with a simple loft. Zoe helped me pick out her new sheets and she has a cute rug and shelf that are for her loft space. It has worked amazing for her, until her brothers try to invade but that is another story. By allowing her to make this space her own, it has helped her to care for the space. With having our own spaces, we also have to be responsible for our spaces. By giving Zoe her own space in this small room, I encourage her to care for it and keep it up herself. Our children are not entitled to their own spaces...there is a sense of responsibility that should come with them having their own space. If you want your own space, you have to care for it.
Organizing Stuff
Sleeping arrangements are one thing, but where do we put all their things! Well, let me start by saying...I purge weekly. I have to. You might not HAVE TO but I strongly encourage you to. These kids are little hoarders in the making but I really think it is just that they don't want to clean up so they stash things in all the places! I do a clean sweep of the kids room weekly and each time the cleanup is easier and easier because there is less stuff to purge and organize. We have 2 dressers and one small closet for them all to share. Under our second bed, we have 3 boxes that hold toys. That is it. It is quite simple. Keep it simple.
Your kids might not keep toys in their room, but if they do...have a specific place for the toys. Having specific places for all their things makes clean up so easy and fast! Also, organize your kids clothing drawers. One drawer for underwear, one for pjs, one for shorts, one for shirts...etc. Teach your kids where each thing goes....it makes it so simple when it is laundry day or toy cleanup time. Every thing has a spot and they just have to put that thing in its spot. Simple.
Helping Your Kids Let Go
This can be really hard. Heck...it can be hard as an adult, too. I think this is an extremely important practice to put into place young. I have had many opportunities to teach my kids the art of letting go recently and I really only struggle with this with Zoe. She is sentimental and super creative. Every creative drawing she does must be saved. Every piece of paper that comes home must be kept. Every single thing is THE THING for her. Her loft, if I allowed it, would be one big pile of papers and knick knacks. We together go through her loft weekly or biweekly and clean house. We make decisions together on what really matters and what should be thrown away. Some things that I would toss, I let her keep and I tell her there needs to be a place for this item...it cannot just be on the floor. If it doesn't have a place, it doesn't belong here. We also play the game....This or that. She can keep one but not both. She feels like she is winning in some way...and I say goodbye to one more thing that is cluttering the space. If you have a child that holds on to things like Zoe, spending time with them to go through these things is important. You can't expect them to do this on their own initially. Taking the time to sit with them and teach them is so worth it.
More tips to come for Kid's rooms this week so follow along! Subscribe up top so you don't miss the next post.
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