Getting Your Children To Share A Bedroom With Less Stress

I have always wanted a family with several children, even when I was a child myself. I didn’t know what sort of parent I would be at the time and it’s only since I have had children that I have really started to understand myself. It’s often when you see your behaviours reflected in your children or hear your words coming out of their mouths that you stop to think about your good, and bad, habits. Sharing a room and frequently arguing with my older sister I have never been under the impression that families are perfect, but it’s only really as an adult with a growing family that I have realised just how much clutter, mess and noise comes with having children. Having a happy family requires sacrifices and constant work from everyone. With (soon to be) 5 people in a 3 bedroom house sharing a room is a necessity and this can lead to lots of fights, but with patience and some handy tips you can make sure children in a shared room don’t feel they are having to compromise.

Image source

Smart storage and made to measure items

I’ve written a few times recently about making sure you get the right furniture when you are short on space and when children are sharing a room you definitely need to be picky about your furniture. For standard rooms, IKEA is one of the most affordable places to get space-saving items, but if the room is awkwardly shaped, you might have to look for custom-made alternatives. I have found that having the right furniture gives us more floor space and helps keep the room tidier as there is enough storage for everyone’s toys, clothes and other bits.

Can your children share furniture?

If you have a small amount of space then sharing pieces of furniture might be essential, but you need to be careful about how you do it. Each child has a personality of their own so if they share a desk, for instance, you need to make sure that each side of the desk is tailored to their individual tastes and requirements. Clothes storage is something else that takes up lots of space, but choosing a large enough wardrobe with sliding or hinged doors and other customisable options like these from Rauch wardrobes can be a good solution. Finally bunk beds are great because they take up the same amount of floor space as one bed but sleep 2 or even 3 children, those on higher bunks should be at least 6 or 7 years old for safety though.

Get everyone involved in the decor

Ultimately a shared bedroom means shared decor in a space where other children get to stamp with just their personality. Depending on the children’s interests it might not be easy to combine both of their preferences, but you should be able to get them involved to pick a common theme that they both like. From shabby chic to futuristic design, there are plenty of options. You can then tailor the space around their beds to reflect their personality with variations of the theme in the bedding colours and prints. You’ll find that a little effort on the interior style can pay in the long term and reduce arguments. After all no child wants to feel like they’re sleeping in their sibling’s bedroom. Getting agreement on the choice of colours and finding themes that they will both enjoy is crucial.

Growing up in a large family should be fun, but small homes can add stress for both parents and children. You need to tap into your creative mindset and organising skills to make it work for everyone.

***This is a collaborative post***