Storage solutions are very important for kids rooms. This is not just storage for toys, but other belongings such as clothes and books. Isn't it amazing how much clutter a small person can accumulate, needing efficient organization and plenty of smart storage solutions?
Kids rooms are almost always smaller than other rooms in a home, making organizing and storage more difficult. Very often there are no built in closets either. But effective storage solutions are within easy reach with just a little planning.
Basic Considerations
There are several basic considerations for storage in a kids room to make it more useful and effective. For the storage to be useful and effective, your child should be able to use it with ease.
- One very important consideration is to provide height appropriate storage that is easily accessible. Your child should be able to put his things away after he is done playing, or working on a project. The ability to reach the storage area without much effort may go a long way towards keeping a room uncluttered.
- You may also want to avoid miniature chests and toy storage wardrobes. A child will outgrow them in no time, and they will not prove effective over the long run.
- Safety features are important in all children's furniture. Make sure the storage solutions you purchase have safety features that make them safe to operate and use.
- Sometimes your child may inherit chests, drawers or other furniture as hand me downs. Or you may find some great deals at a garage sale or flea market. Always inspect them for safety and check to see that they function correctly.
Under the Bed Storage Solutions
You will find plenty of wasted space under the bed. It makes sense to put it to good use.
Many kids beds come with under the bed storage options. Sometimes these are built in or you can opt to add them. Many children's beds come with the option of adding under-bed drawers. Very often these drawers are on casters, making it easy to pull them out.
An affordable way to create under the bed storage is to store bins, boxes or baskets under the bed that can be pulled out and pushed back as needed. There are plenty of choices in all price ranges, and you can coordinate style and color so that the room looks put together.
Use Walls and Doors
The best thing to do when faced with a small space is to think vertically. Install shelves on the walls, freeing up useful floor space. A door can be fitted with hooks or over the door hangers to hold clothes or hanging pockets.
Utility ropes tied to hooks can be used on the walls to create display areas for artwork or pictures with the help of clothespins.
Utilize Fitted Storage
Fitted or built-in storage such as cupboards, closets, or shelving can be incorporated into different areas of the room. If there are doors on them, even better, as they can be closed, helping to hide any clutter.
The insides of cupboard or closet doors can be fitted with hanging pockets to hold smaller objects, and baskets or boxes can be placed on shelves to make organizing even easier.
Find Functional Furniture
It is easy to find children's furniture that provides storage. Very often you will find that it does double duty. Headboards come with shelves, or have hidden storage areas. Changing tables, once outgrown, can be used for storing a child's toys or other belongings. Desks come with drawers and shelves. A window seat can provide seating as well as storage.
Re-purpose Items for Storage
You may find that re-purposed items can serve nicely as storage in a child's room. Office storage items, for instance, can serve nicely in a kids room. You may want to paint or re-paper them, but the functionality is always there. Small kitchen islands on casters can also find a second life in a child's room.
Metal tool kits can act as great receptacles for children's objects. They are practically indestructible, too.
Once you start looking around the possibilities for re-purposing may seem endless.
