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Unless you are lucky enough to have a separate playroom for your children's toys, creative and attractive storage is a must for their bedroom. I have invested a lot of time and effort into making my little girl's bedroom a beautiful place for her to rest and play, but after all that effort was dismayed at how the whole look was ruined by the clutter of plastic toys. Not only that, but unless you have things well organized, those expensive toys with all their tiny parts (think Polly Pockets, Bratz dolls, Sylvannian Family) can never be played with properly.

Start with your child's furniture. If you are creating a room from scratch, now is your chance to buy furniture which is not only attractive but also practical. Consider how long you want the furniture to last and how your child - and their storage needs - will change over time. I opted for a full-sized wardrobe for my daughter's room. It has a hanging rail and two adjustable shelves which can be removed as her tiny clothes get longer and need more space. It also has a large, deep drawer which is perfect for storing out of season clothes and bed linens. I also chose a full-sized chest of drawers to see her through from tots to teens and a blanket box - perfect for storing board games and jigsaws. The final touch was a book case in the shape of a dolls house. It stores all of her books and also is great for showing off some of her trinkets. The bookshelf was the one item that I have to admit may not stand the test of time, and she may wish to replace it as she enters her teens - but I will still have had ten years out of it, so still not a bad investment.

Next, compartmentalize the furniture with baskets and storage trays. I bought painted white wicker baskets of different sizes for the bottom shelf in the wardrobe. I lined these with pink gingham and pretty floral fabrics to stop clothes from snagging. I use these to group smaller items together. For example, I keep dance clothes in one and swimming stuff in another - gone are the days of frantically searching for her pink leotard and ballet tights five minutes before leaving the house on a Saturday morning! I use a larger basket for old play clothes. This gives her a degree of independence so that when she decides to help Daddy with the gardening she can go and select appropriate clothes without me worrying whether something will get ruined. I also compartmentalized her top drawer and separated out socks, pants and vests. You can choose from wooden trays for

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