Kid’s rooms revisited – the floor doesn’t have to be a Lego graveyard!

Everyone has a memory of treading unexpectedly on a Lego brick when tiptoeing across a child’s bedroom floor – either as that child, sneaking downstairs for an illicit biscuit or as a parent or babysitter trying not to wake the child with unwisely loud cursing. And it does hurt – a lot! Keeping kids on message when it comes to keeping their bedrooms tidy is a bit of a mission, though – tidying is boring; playing isn’t. But most children – except the real tinies and of course the ubiquitous teenager – like to have a neat environment. It is more calming and certainly most people of any age would rather live in a tidy room than in a pigsty. So, how to make them keep their room looking good, all the time?

Buy some new stuff and they will want to look after it

If their room is just full of tatty bits and pieces inherited from older siblings there is no earthly reason for them to keep it neat. Would you? Instead, gather them round the laptop and go shopping – set them a budget and tell them that they have to stick to it. Also make sure you retain power of veto – kids can be weird. A nice bedroom rug will immediately appeal to the girls, especially if it is fluffy and a bit princessy. For the boys, there are lots of children’s rugs for sale which are in football colours and if they are not sporty, you can also get some that are printed with roads or other play scenarios. For the really little ones, you can perhaps run to several children’s rugs in different colours, for playing farms or zoos. Whatever you decide, let the child in on the decision-making.

Big kids get homesick too

When your eldest is going to university, there is a lot of emotion sloshing around the house. He or she is bound to be playing it cool and pretending they don’t mind leaving home. Mum and Dad are probably in bits. But here’s the secret – they don’t want to go any more than you want them to, but it has to be done. They will be feeling a bit cut loose in their room in halls or in a shared flat or house so buying them some bits and pieces to make it feel like home is a good plan. A bedroom rug chosen with Mum or Dad will always be a reminder that the family are still there and best of all, it doesn’t look quite as childish as a teddy sitting on the bed – boys in particular will really appreciate that! A bedroom rug is also a handy purchase, because it can go from digs to first flat to a first real home and will keep some continuity – kids need that more than they will ever let on. So whether you are buying a bedroom rug for a toddler to hide his Lego in or a student about to fly the nest – make it a family affair.

Nursery furnishings for your new rug rat

When you have your first baby, it is easy to get a bit carried away with buying stuff for the nursery because there are just so many gadgets out there in the marketplace and they all manage to persuade you that you won't be able to live without them. Some things are important of course and anything that enhances baby’s safety is essential buying, but some of the items costing quite substantial amounts of money are only appropriate for the first few weeks and so you have to wonder whether you really do need them or not.

Cot or crib?

A great big cot is perhaps a bit overwhelming for a small baby but you can buy a carry cot that will fit inside it for the early months. Some of the high end price cots can be adjusted for different bed heights so you can make the same piece of furniture do for years and if you have the cost of one of these in your budget it will certainly save money in the long run. But most people need a carry cot, so the other option is perfectly okay. As long as the nursery is clean and quiet, with some attractive decor such as a bright modern rug on the floor and some pictures on the wall, there is no need to pay a fortune.

Pink or blue?

With scans being pretty accurate these days you can decorate with confidence if you choose to go down the traditional road. However, many baby items come in very bright colours these days so you could take the ‘neutral’ idea and use just a few spots of colour such as lime green or cranberry. This will give you more scope later when baby becomes a toddler becomes a teenager (and that doesn't take as long as you think!) and all you will have to do is change the natural rugs for something more grown up for example a shaggy rug in a bright colour to change the whole look of the room.

When it’s time to share

Not everyone has room to have nursery separate from another child’s bedroom and in these cases it is important to keep territories separate. Using furniture to divide a room is a handy way to stop baby invading an older sibling’s space and that way you won't have tears before bedtime.