There are many reasons why children may have to share a bedroom while growing up. And, while this can provide a great bonding experience, oftentimes kids also need their own space. Although it may not be possible to give each child their own physical space, there are a number of ways in which they can still have their “own” little piece of their bedroom:
Creating a Private Area for Each
One great way to offer each child their own space is to split the bedroom into two different areas. This can easily be done by placing a bed on each side of the room as well as by splitting the room in two by using either a long curtain that is hung from the ceiling or putting a large screen in the center. While doing so, however, be sure that each child has equal access to the bedroom door and/or bathroom and other necessities.
Store Items to Give the Room More Space
In order to give each child more actual space, be sure to store items in different storage containers. These bins could even provide a great “barricade” if placed in the center of the room, thus giving each child access to the items that are stored, while also providing a dividing line between each child’s own space.
Individual Décor
Even though two children may share one room, each child may have their own ideas regarding “decorating.” In this case, it may help in giving each their own space to allow them to decorate “their” side of the room the way they would like. This could even include having each of the children decide on a wall color in order to make each of their areas more personal.
Clothes and Such
In most cases, even though the children sharing the room may have their own space, there is likely to only be one closet. In this case, be sure to allow for equal space for each to hang his or her clothing, store shoes, and place toys and additional items. With today’s popular closet organizers, it is easy to come up with an even more customized solution to fit any storage related situation.
Apart Yet Together
Although each child may want their own space, there will be times when they will also want to play games or do other shared activities. Therefore, it is important to also have an area of shared space in the room. This area could include a table or desk as well as a place to store board games, books, or other items that the children may share.
In any case, it is always a good idea to ensure that the room arrangements are safe for each child. With this in mind, be sure that free standing items such as bookshelves are not placed in the middle of the room unsecured as these types of top heavy items could easily be knocked over or fall.
Otherwise, even if the décor may not be your idea of a Martha Stewart house, allowing the children to have a say in their bedroom space and arrangements will surely avoid other issues and make your overall home much more harmonious.
About the author: Kelli McDonald often gives advice to her friends with kids using her expertise in interior design. Her area of interest as of late has been bringing new ideas to dining furniture and kitchen decor.