| There is one thing that you can count on when | | | | cumbersome) artwork. You can also stack stuff |
| trying to sell your house: the kids' bedrooms | | | | under the stairs, in the attic or in a dry |
| will always look disastrous! If you do have a | | | | basement area. Some people even go to the |
| 'creative' child, one way to balance this is | | | | extreme of hiring a short term storage space |
| to ensure that the rest of the house looks | | | | to get some of the clutter away from their |
| spick and span. | | | | home. |
| | | | |
| The real estate agent may explain all about | | | | When you move into your new home, plan |
| how to 'home-stage' our house for a viewing, | | | | storage into the design of your child's |
| but there is never enough time to get around | | | | bedroom. Include lots of lower level storage |
| to every corner of the house. | | | | space. Look for beds with large and easy to |
| | | | open drawers underneath. Use chests that |
| Kids have loads of 'stuff', but perhaps that | | | | double as a seat when a cushion is thrown on |
| is not the real problem. The biggest | | | | top. |
| complication is that they want all the | | | | |
| 'stuff' out on display at the same time. They | | | | You can be creative with storage space - a |
| think this looks great and very interesting | | | | child's rocking cradle can be used to house |
| and we think it looks like a cluttered mess! | | | | all her dolls/soft toys. Another way to store |
| | | | toys that can look fairly cute is to hand |
| How to solve the problem and still keep the | | | | paint a wooden rocking chair and keep all the |
| peace? Just for the duration of the sale | | | | soft toys on that. A toy box (with a hinged |
| time, perhaps you could push some extra | | | | lid) can hold all manner of toys. |
| shelves inside the closet. The closet doors | | | | |
| could be left open with all the toys and fun | | | | Stacking boxes with very large ones at the |
| jumble on display - but it is quickly | | | | bottom of the pile can look great. Paint each |
| closeable! This way the 'interesting' stuff | | | | one in a different bright color and use each |
| is out of sight. | | | | box for only one type of toy, e.g. building |
| | | | blocks, model cars, doll clothes, Lego |
| Book shelves can look untidy, and they will | | | | bricks, etc. Sets of six boxes can be bought |
| always be on display. Keep only books and | | | | with the largest box being about eighteen |
| 'book shapes' on the shelves. This means | | | | inches square. |
| boxes or storage tins can be stacked on the | | | | |
| bookshelf, but keep them all together. A good | | | | These blocks can be painted in more subtle |
| idea is to use the lowest shelf and stack | | | | tones to match more sophisticated color |
| them with the large books. Stack all books | | | | schemes as the child ages. This way the boxes |
| according to size - it helps! | | | | could always be a part of their bedroom |
| | | | furnishings. (I.e., eventually becoming |
| One of the newer ideas that seems to work is | | | | filled with art and craft accessories, CD's, |
| the 'hammock' that spans from corner to | | | | stationery, make-up, hair accessories, etc!) |
| corner with a selection of stuff crammed into | | | | |
| it! At least this is not taking up floor | | | | Some of these ideas may help to allay that |
| space, so it does not reduce the spacious | | | | panicky rush to the kids' bedroom after the |
| feel of the room. | | | | realtor phones. If the rest of the house is |
| | | | immaculate, it is okay to have one room |
| Find a space in your garage to keep seasonal | | | | looking like a disordered jumble. It makes |
| clothes, sports equipment or treasured (or | | | | the rest of the house look impeccable! |