Kids Bedroom:
· I love when kids have a bedroom that inspires creativity and is conducive to a learning environment. Depending on the age of the child, I like to do something fun that is reflective of the child’s personality, but also something that can grow with them as they get older. I love adding a fun wallpaper as an accent wall to liven up their room.
· Adding task lighting to the side table for any late night reading or studying.
· Create a comfortable space for work and play by having some extra pillows, along with a really comfy chair and small side table that can swivel over the chair. This allows a space for writing or a laptop without having to put a desk in their room when you are short on space.
· If they are into math or science, try putting up some framed periodic table posters as art.
· If they are really into art, put up a cork board on the wall to display their drawings or use magnetic/chalk paint for an entire feature wall
Closet:
· Whether your child wears a uniform or not, getting some organizers for their closet is really a big helper during the school year. Having a closet that is easily accessible for young children to dress themselves, as well as knowing where things are.
· If you really want to get a head start, getting a unit with 7 drawers so you can already put an outfit together for every day of the following week. That way all they have to do is look at that one drawer.
Entry & Garage:
· With the start of School, there is a lot more gear that gets hauled around. Backpacks, sports gear, shoes, etc. For homes with not a lot of space in the entry way, I always suggest finding a place to put hooks and baskets. Lots of LARGE baskets. These can provide storage so that things don’t end up on the floor and an easy way to carry that stuff to another part of the house to put away later. You can also use tubs in the garage as a dumping zone for the same reasons.
Kitchen & Dining:
For kids old enough to make their lunch or for yourself, have some set spaces that act as a lunch station. For the refrigerator, keep a drawer dedicated to lunch items that require refrigeration such as cheese sticks, pre-made veggie packs, etc. Keep all of these in that drawer for easy grab and go to stuff in their lunch box.
For items that do not require refrigeration, have a dedicated drawer in the kitchen or shelf in the pantry with storage boxes. Keep these filled with chips, granola bars, and other snacks. If you are tight on space and have a pantry, you can use an over the door organizer to dedicate to lunches along with hooks to hang lunch boxes.
· A good place to do homework usually ends up being the dining table or kitchen island for a lot of families who don’t have dedicated work spaces. To help keep these spaces looking their best get a storage caddy. Use this to store pens, pencils, markers, erasers, rulers, note pads, and anything else you might need for those school projects. Store the caddy in a drawer in that area. This makes clean up easy for when you have dinner guests coming over in 5 minutes.
Whatever you do, always try to have some fun and interest in the spaces in your home.
