by Raven Lebeau

Created on: July 27, 2008   Last Updated: September 18, 2008

When decorating any room, it is vital to consider how and by whom the room will be used. This is especially true with regard to kids' rooms. Some children are relatively neat and calm, but most are hard on their rooms and belongings and have trouble keeping things organized. When decorating for kids, try to imagine how the room will look on a typical day, when its occupant has been behaving normally, rather than how it will look right after you finish decorating, or how it will look when "cleaned up".

Storage solutions are a must! Kids will not, on a daily basis, go to great lengths to store and organize belongings. Its important to find ways to keep toys and clothes accessible and easy to put away. Try hanging a net from the ceiling to store stuffed animals. Use drawers under the bed to hold the child's shoes, toys, and other items. These drawers will be handy and easy-to-reach, making it more likely that your child will use them.

For schoolwork, it is nice to have a desk area with plenty of room for school supplies like pens, pencils, tape, and so on, as well as ample room for books. If your child does not enjoy sitting up to work however, I can tell you from experience that fighting that losing battle is not worth it. My hatred of sitting at desks is only one of many reasons I cannot work at a "real job" and have chosen the life of a trader and web writer. Forcing a child to sit at a desk when he or she does not want to will only make homework even more unpleasant. Go ahead and have a desk in the room, but it's ok if the kid only uses to for storage. Be sure to have a lap desk available so your child can work in a chair or on the bed and still do quality schoolwork.

Make sure to give kids a say in what their rooms will look like. Keep in mind that kids do not think in terms of budgets, and they aren't always practical. If your child picks out something silly or expensive, don't react with exasperation and say, "We can't afford that!" or "You'd ruin that in a week!" Instead, be constructive. Try to find out what the child likes about the item, then point him or her in a more pragmatic direction. Is it the color of that thousand dollar bedspread that caught your daughter's eye? Perhaps your son loves the built-in bookshelves on that elaborate wooden desk. Now that you know what it is your child likes, you can look for alternatives that work for your budget and will hold up to the challenges children place on their furnishings.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.