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It's possible to keep your child's
decorated room neat, tidy
Q. I’d like to decorate my ten-year-old son’s
room this summer, but I need help with clutter control.
He is a sports fanatic and has lots of interests, and
as a result his room is full of things he loves. How
can I have a nicely decorated room when the clutter
is taking over?
A. Yes, clutter is a problem. But fortunately there
are ways to tame the clutter in kids’ rooms. The
first thing to do is help your son go through his things
and determine which can be donated or sold at a garage
sale. I’m sure there are toys he has outgrown.
After the clutter has been minimized, then you can see
what is left and plan accordingly.
One way to get started in decorating is to pick a theme.
You mentioned sports. Have him pick the sport he loves
most and use that as the theme. Let’s choose baseball
as an example. For instance, if he likes a particular
team you might decide to use those team colors either
in paint or accessories. A young friend of ours painted
the lower third of his walls orange, trimmed in black
molding, in honor of the San Francisco Giants. It is
a colorful and fun room. The top two thirds of the walls
are kept white in order to keep the room light. My own
son’s room is painted a tan color, which I called
“Baseball Mitt Brown.” It kept the walls
neutral so he could display his vast collection of sports
posters.
Having a theme helps limit the items that are on display
in the room. It doesn’t mean he can’t have
all of his things, it just means they don’t need
to be on display. However, that means that you need
to find ways to accommodate all of the little accoutrements
that seem to multiply.
Consider purchasing an organizing system for the closet.
With a combination of shelving, drawers and rods you
can create space for a multitude of toys, games and
clothes. Place seldom-used items high up in the closet,
reserving the lower half of the closet for frequently
used items. For easier access to the closet, consider
replacing the sliding doors with bi-fold doors or curtains.
In small rooms it is important to use every inch of
space wisely. To take advantage of the vertical space,
hang decorative shelving on the wall. These shelves
can be used to display trophies, stuffed animals, Lego
creations, or just about anything.
Purchase large, shallow plastic bins to store shoes,
sports equipment, or out-of-season clothing under the
bed. If necessary, elevate the bed using specially designed
risers found at bed and bath stores.
Use decorative storage boxes to house small miscellaneous
items. Cover shoeboxes with baseball-themed wrapping
paper, or purchase boxes in colors to match the room.
With the boxes neatly labeled and stacked on bookshelves,
items are contained, are easy to locate and also look
attractive. Your son will love his newly decorated,
neat and tidy room.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on June 11, 2005.
Go
back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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