Creating A Family Friendly Home
Posted by Babies - 07/02/12 at 01:02 pmEven if you have small kids, it’s still possible to have a home that’s tastefully decorated. Below are great tips to creating a child friendly environment without locking everything away in your cabinets.
When You have Toddlers
Many people have the wrong assumption that, when they have toddlers in the home, everything that is breakable must be locked away until it’s safe to put them on display again. All you have to do is rearrange a bit - glass and porcelain items and collectibles may be moved to make sure they are unreachable by placing them on a higher shelf or atop a piano. Meanwhile, baskets, silver, metal objects and wooden boxes can take their place on lower surfaces like coffee and side tables, on lower shelves, or any other surfaces that happen to be toddler-height.
In the toddler’s bedroom, it is possible to put books and soft toys on your low shelves where they will be accessible, and display your breakable keepsakes and picture frames on the top shelves where they cannot be reached. Always be sure that all furniture pieces with tip-over potential are securely connected to the wall in order to avoid unfortunate accidents.
If you like cute picture frames, your child’s room is a wonderful place to display some, including sweet heart picture frames or cute baby picture frames.
When They Grow…
You can easily convert your baby’s room into a more grown-up looking room with just a few easy changes: Replace a rocking chair by using a comfy upholstered one for reading.
If the changing table is the type which is set on top of a complete dresser, then you can take off the changing table top and put some wall shelves above it for many more years of use from the dresser.
Replace “baby” fabrics and also designs with a lot more mature ones like plaids or stripes which are in the same general color scheme so that they’ll still complement the remainder of the room (walls and floors).
When it’s time for you to move past large floor toys for babies, replace these with a tiny table and chairs set (make sure the chairs are sturdy) to get a nice place for your child to color, play games with friends or enjoy a “tea party.” It’s always nice to provide a young child a place of their very own to play both alone and also with friends.
If the walls are covered with “baby” wallpaper, remove it and change it out using a simple light colored vinyl paper that washable - pick one that coordinates with the fabrics within the room.
Enclosed Storage
Whether you have children or otherwise, it can feel like there’s never enough storage space. One method to extend the space is to store clothing that is out of season in closed storage bins where you cannot view it, and place on the top shelf of your closet.
Regardless of which room you are working with, when you wish to keep your son or daughter’s playthings it is nice having open shelving for such things as toys and books, but it is also helpful to store some things away from sight for less overall mess and a less cluttered look. A trunk of some type is desirable for many people, but take care with this particular option since the lid might slam down on your child’s little fingers. A better choice for closed storage will be cabinets with either sliding doors or drawers or doors that open out, or perhaps a combination of both. You can easily find such storage cabinets that will fit within a closet, too.
So, if you have a toddler in your house, don’t despair. Try these tips and you and your child can enjoy your house.
