We are in the midst of decorating our little girl’s bedroom and there are a few things I’ve picked up along the journey that I thought were worth sharing with you. So, if you are looking to decorate your toddler’s bedroom anytime soon, here are just a few things you might like to consider first.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
DIY or professional?
If you have the budget to spend on a professional decorator, I would strongly urge you to do so. This will minimise the amount of time your toddler will be out of their room and will be done to a much higher standard. If you are a working parent family, fitting in decorating around work commitments, cleaning, cooking, washing and looking after your child can seem impossible, so if you can- get help.
If your budget won’t allow- it’s important to plan in time for this as it can’t be done while your toddler is around- it’s just too risky.
Be realistic and set aside some time and map out what you will do on each day. Can you take some time off work while they are in childcare? Can you do a few hours each night once they go to sleep? Do you need to split up and one of you watch your toddler while the other does the bulk of the decorating?
Be mindful of materials and tools
Toddlers are curious beings, so be sure to keep anything used to decorate their room at a height they can’t reach and behind closed doors. Paints, wallpaper steamers, sandpaper, scrapers are all potentially dangerous in the hands of a toddler so when they are back in the house, put everything away, which includes anything a professional might leave in your house overnight. Even something as simple as leaving out a roll of their new wallpaper could end badly if they decide to tear it up- leaving you to make another trip to the DIY store to get a replacement.
Sleeping arrangements
While decorating your little one’s space, you need to have an alternative sleeping arrangement in place. Decorating can stir up dust and involves moving furniture which could be a potential hazard for your child if they were to pull it over so they need to have somewhere to sleep where the air quality is good and there are no obstacles. Do you have a spare room? Could they sleep with you in yours or do they have a sibling they could share with while their room is out of action?
Things they will need
If their bedroom is going to be out of bounds for a few days make sure you remove anything from it that they are going to need- underwear, clothes, favourite toys and shoes etc. Make a list and add a couple of extra day’s worth of stuff in case the job runs over. Once you’ve covered everything over with protective sheets, you don’t want to be popping in and out every day for something you’ve forgotten.
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Past habits and behaviours
If your toddler has torn paper off the walls in other rooms of your house, you may want to opt for paint instead of paper on the walls of their bedroom. Taking it one step further, if you’ve found crayon marks in places there shouldn’t be any- you may want to pay a little more and go for a paint that is easily wiped down should they get ‘artistic’ in their space.
While it’s sensible to ban colouring equipment from their room to stop this from happening, they may well sneak some in there, so it’s best to play it safe.
Accident proofing the space
If they are still prone to a few accidents both in the day and the night because they are potty training, you may want to think about laminate floor instead of carpet. This is much easier to clean and can be warmed up with a colourful rug if you feel it lacks the cosiness of carpet.
If you are set on carpet, a large washable rug could help you to keep the carpet in a good state of repair if any accidents were to happen.
Neutrals
One thing I know from having a two year old is that toddler’s tastes change rapidly and this will likely continue throughout their childhood. With this in mind if you want to get as much bang for your buck, opt for neutral colours in decor and textiles so their room will grow with them. This way you won’t need to change their bedspread and curtains every year or have to undo all your good work from this decorating marathon.
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Sometimes it’s too much hassle to leave the house: If you have a baby, it can take you just as long to pack everything you need as the trip is going to be. Similarly if you have more than one child, getting them outdoor ready can feel like a mammoth task. Some toddlers think it’s a game and let you chase them around the house to put on their coat... so sometimes it’s just easier and more convenient to stay at home and have things brought to your doorstep by a nice delivery man or woman... to read more click HERE
Tagged in DIY decorating Toddlers