Tips and trick for organizing kids' room!

February 2, 2008 9:18 AM

I'm helping a friend with her baby room this weekend and am looking for tips about working with a limited space and organizing it for two kids!

My friend has a step daughter who is 9 and visits them every other weekend. This room has been a combo craft/sewing room for mom and bedroom for the little girl. Now she's got a baby (girl!) on the way and needs to reorganize the room so that it can be baby room and accommodate the 9 year old. It's a narrow, small room and I'm trying to brainstorm all the ways we can make it work for both kids (I think the crafting is out).

Her husband is planning to make a crib so we know the size of that but everything else is up for debate. We've thought about buying the step daughter a different bed that would have more storage but what are some other ways to deal with all her kid stuff? And, what's the best way to keep baby stuff to a minimum? Is it a good idea to use a bureau for a changing table or do you need a traditional changing table? What are you pressured to buy for baby that is really not necessary and that takes up too much space? This is my friend's first baby so she is starting from scratch on all this.

posted by amanda to home & garden (11 comments total)

We use rolling drawers that fit under my daughter's beds to help store the inevitable pile of stuffed animals.

We also find that bins work better to store things than exact placement on a shelf. Varied toys into the various bins allows for quick clean up.

The biggest change will be baby proofing the room of a 9 year old with that of a toddler. A bunk bed is a good thing to make the best use of space. When the infant moves to a bed from a crib, you can put side guards up. Until then, the 9 year old gets a special place (the new top bunk).

We used a bureau that had a changing table on top that came off once the diapers were done. It worked well. Once we were done with diapers, I unscrewed the top and we had a good set of drawers for the girls. The changing table does have the advantages of lip to keep things from falling off.

Last thing, we loved having a Diaper Genie next to the changing table. I'm sure things have improved in the last 7+ years since I used one, but the value of not having to walk outside after each diaper is huge, especially when you are tired.
posted by Argyle at 9:29 AM on February 2

You can get a changing pad, with slight sides, to put on the bureau.
posted by caddis at 9:30 AM on February 2

I had changing tables with both of my kids but don't think they are completly necessary. I tended to use a blanket on the floor or my bed more than the changing table. It is nice to have diaper/ wipes/ destin ready and available. You can avoid that by having a few small baskets in various places in the house with 5 diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, pacifier, burp cloths...etc. Keep one in the baby's room, one in the master, one in the family room or whatever.

I never used my bassinet. My MIL bought it for my first. I used my pack-n-play minimally. It was nice to have when baby #1 was young and we would go to friends' homes who also had babies. It was nice to have a portable place for her to nap/ sleep while we hung out in the other room.

You can never have too many books. Just try to keep the board or cloth books for when she's a baby. Put the paper ones away until she's older. You can have too many stuffed animals. People tend to give a lot of toys. I gave a ton of new stuffed animals to charity. They take up a lot of room.

I liked having a small book shelf for books with two baskets for plush toys. I don't know if this helps. Good luck!
posted by beachhead2 at 9:31 AM on February 2

I have two children in a room that is 9x9'. Tight, but doable. I have bunkbeds, two tall bookcases, a wardrobe (no built-in closet), an under-the-window storage unit for toys, and under-bed clear containers for more toys and a really tall dresser. Drop the change table immediately (like beachhead I just use the floor/bed/couch). Bunkbeds/loft beds are definately the way to go. Please make sure the 9 year old is heavily involved in the decision-making process. The baby doesn't care what the room looks like but if you want the 9 year old to have ownership and not feel displaced by her father's new baby you need to be sensitive. Baby's don't need to accumulate too much stuff in the first year, but you may get special gifts that you want to display but not necessarily have within grabbing distance. A shelf positioned a foot or so below the ceiling can display a lot of the knick-knacks out of the way.
posted by saucysault at 9:57 AM on February 2

I also think bunk beds or a raised bed with storage underneath would work. I know my 9yo would probably trade her entire stuffy toy collection for a raised/bunk bed.

I want to second saucysault's point that they should keep in mind that the 9yo step-duaghter will likely be having mixed emotions about the addition to the family. Even though she's only there every other weekend, she might be feeling 'pushed out' with the baby moving into what was previously 'her' room. I'd encourage them to include her in this process, involve her in furniture selection (within the space parameters), let her choose the decorations for 'her' part of the room, etc.

It's also possible that asking a 9yo to share a room with a newborn is too much, especially if she's a light sleeper. Think forward a few years ... will a 13yo want to share a room with a 4yo? Are there other options - perhaps a futon in the basement or something that could be 'her' space when she visits? Or if the room is long enough to divide, put a ceiling-to-floor curtain across the room to allow the older girl some privacy.

Ikea and other places sell hanging storage baskets that can help keep things (stuffy toys + much more) in order, and can be hung wherever needed. Just be careful when baby grows in to a toddler that they're hung where they can't be pulled on (or are securely attached).
posted by valleys at 11:38 AM on February 2

I don't know what the space issues are, but if there is any way for the 9 yr old not to have to share the baby's room, I hope they'll expore it. (I understand this may not be an option.) That said, are they able to involve the older child in these changes so that she feels part of this new family, rather than her showing up one weekend to discover that she is now a guest in her own room? Also, I would say they shouldn't change diapers on the 9-yr-old's bed or dresser. If I were a 9-yr-old suddenly forced to deal with dad's new baby, I think the ick factor of diaper changing would be a huge nonstarter. Put the changing table in the bathroom, where everybody understands that poop is appropriate. This may be inconvenient, especially in the middle of the night, but you can't be changing the baby in a shared room in the middle of the night anyway-- too disruptive to the other sleeper. Plus, you don't want a bin full of dirty diapers in any child's room, even a baby's.
posted by nax at 11:50 AM on February 2

Being somewhat, ah, "familiar" with the situation, the answer to the questions about whether or not the step-daughter will be totally psyched about this will likely change every other weekend. Seriously. She's nine. She's gonna be totally pumped one week, and completely bitter the next two. Consistency is not a trait for which children are known. But the friend has been reading like crazy about these situations. To say she's hyper-aware and dedicated to being both kind and firm is an understatement.

Three additional factors:

1. I expect this friend will not be in this house for more than another year or so because...


2. The house is tiny. Like under 800' sq.


3. The daughter-in-law will occasionally sneak out on the couch anyway because there's TV out there. Expect more of this as she gets older.

I love the idea of wedging the bed into the short end of the room with lots of built-in shelves and what-not, then putting a little curtains up so she can have a princess room-within-a-room.

Bonus: Brand new IKEA right up the road!
posted by thomsplace at 1:17 PM on February 2

Nax, the step-daughter will be there "helping" and participating. Great advice.
posted by thomsplace at 1:20 PM on February 2

Lot's of great advice here -- I really like the idea of sectioning off the 9-year-old's area of the room with a big curtain. We showed her some beds (both loft and regular) and she was psyched about a loft bed from IKEA that will just barely fit. I think the advice to let her pick out accessories is great. I wish that there was some other way to do this in their house that would be a little better but there really is nothing. Thomsplace, up above, knows this person too but I think their house is smaller than 800 sf. They are really maximizing their space but this less than ideal situation will have to suffice initially.

Would love to hear more about how to organize and keep baby stuff and kid stuff under control.
posted by thomsplace at 10:37 PM on February 2

Whoops -- that was my comment above. I should've double-checked that it was me logged in. Sorry for any confusion.
posted by amanda at 10:45 PM on February 2

When my daughter was little I bought an expedit storage unit from ikea because they sell storage cubes that fit it perfectly and it is an awesome piece of that can be used for years. My plan was to use some of the compartments for things like a bin with socks, or nappies, and others for toys. It can also be used to display special things higher up and look nice. Unfortunately it turns out that the expedit 12x12" cubes are the perfect size for storing vinyl and my husband appropriated it. I still think it is awesome and nice-looking for storage at a good price though.

Warning, it is the hughest PITA piece of ikea furniture to put together but as long as you have more than two arms you should be able to get it together.
posted by saucysault at 11:45 AM on February 4