DD(7)'s bedroom - can it be tidied?

[CheshireSplat]

I'm looking for advice on any successful children's bedrooms.

I've managed to Kondo a fair bit of the house. I'm really struggling with DD1's bedroom. She's has fairly typical random stuff (hair things, drawings, pens, rosettes, ribbons and random things) and we're really struggling with keeping it in order and tidy. She's asked me to help her sort it (she's well into folding stuff!) and I'm stuck.

The size of room is a small double, she has a mid-sleeper bed with a mattress under for DD2's "sleepovers" so no space under there. A bookshelf full of books. A chest of drawers and cupboard (both full and upto waist height) and a small wardrobe with hanging rail only. Not a lot of other space. Most of the clutter congregates on the floor on the top of these two waist high units.

I just don't know what to do. Stack the cupboard on the drawers (safely of course) and put some more storage in? Or buy storage to put on top of these units?

She's probably at the age where she'd be happy with a desk to do homework and projects and stuff so there is the option to start again and give her until to DD2. We can't have a higher bed as the ceiling slopes on that side.

I'd be grateful for all tip, from tiny tweaks and hacks to complete overhauls. Thanks!

Wardrobe as tall as possible with shelves instead then hanging rod.free a couple of drawers for random stuff.

Could you put a box or two on the floor of the cupboard for t-shirts, etc?

In my experience it's very difficult to get a minimalist room at that age - they really like their knick knacks!

Can you reduce the clothing at all? Other than that I would completely empty the room and reconsider carefully before putting it back in (with DD of course.)

I wouldn't spend any money on storage until you've decluttered - you may not need to.

Old drawings/school work can be photographed and recycled. You can make a nice little photo album of them...

Some nice baskets. 2 on top of the bookshelf, one on the floor, 2 or three on top of the drawers. They could be cute boxes with lids. Then she can just throw in whatever category of item she likes. One for hair things, one for keepsakes etc. You know Kondo likes her boxes.

It would look less cluttered if everything was taken off the walls and you got a recessed blind in a neutral colour. I appreciate your DD might not want to do this though!

It would help if you painted the furniture all the same neutral colour. Do you really need the mattress under the bed, or could this be stored somewhere else? You could put the small bits of furniture under there which would leave a lot more room.

Can you declutter any further? I made my 5yo watch the Kondo show and he got really into it...

Following, because this looks like a tidier version of my DD's room.

Everything needs a home. So, either, less stuff, or more homes for it.

If she's ready for a desk, why not make it into a thing where she gets a bigger wardrobe, a desk and some shelves or grown up storage and she can keep as much or as little as she likes so longs as it all has a home.

I recently did dd (7) room ... I had cupboards like yours; I went to ikea and got one of their Kallax shelving units the 4x2 and also got a shelving rack with open boxes placed on top i then labelled all the boxes and put in Tupperware containers for the smaller bits (lol dolls etc) she's done really well at keeping it clean! I'll see if I can find some links ...

I got these

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6007320?&cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:480-316-7430%7Ccid:1629793121%7Cagid:64692633520%7Ctid:aud-484139256461:pla-293946777986%7Ccrid:311837617380%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:431321607721210985%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o2%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9044936&gclid=CjwKCAjwm4rqBRBUEiwAwaWjjE-G8vD52NhWZgr4mHQfBk3OO1rjWuCFsgqfaNa60iFW14KVXyweBBoCGBYQAvDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

And

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/kallax-shelving-unit-white-80275887/?cid=gb%7Cps%7Cpla%7C%7C%7C%7C&gclid=CjwKCAjwm4rqBRBUEiwAwaWjjBWaJUqQYcQZynXY42PO3Rk4dgOZ0oH9daBm234NlEcwcpL0226WfhoCfm0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Went through everything - it took us together about 3 hours, 2 bin bags of charity shop stuff, 1 bin bag of rubbish

You have lots of ‘bits’ of furniture.

I got DD 4 sets of shelves from ikea and they now line one wall of her bedroom. Top shelves are for knicl knacks and ornaments etc.
Bottom shelves have boxes full of bits, some shelves have books, one shelf has hair stuff etc etc but because it’s one big block of furniture it looks much rider than one she had various different size furniture even though she probably has just as much ‘on display’
It would look a lot better if you had 2 large wardrobes ideally Ikea pax so you could have various shelves/drawers/having etc where the wardrobe currently is so as much as possible could be stored in there

Thanks everyone. Appreciate all the responses which I'm reading carefully. sawyers this was after tidying!!!

We have kallax in the playroom and they are so useful.

I think the advice about bigger furniture or boxes on top of current furniture is good - there is a lot of wasted space at adult head height.

Hmmm, time to do some virtual furniture browsing.... 😀

Thanks all.

I definitely recommend ikea Kallax then some ikea shelf's with nice baskets on with the kallax you can get all different colour boxes to go in them you can fit loads in the boxes aswell

Yes brie you've nailed it. We do have lots of bits, none of which fit together that well. And which could all be taller...

Just wanted to add compared to my dd (6) bedroom this is positively minimalistic! I wish my dd would have motivation for a nice room!

The space behind the door where the mirror is you could probably get a kallax unit in? with lots of baskets to put all the pens, papers etc that's on top of the units? That's what I would do, my house is by far not clutter free, it's just hidden well 😂😂

It doesn't look that bad.

IKEA Kallax storage with boxes in!! Looks great and you can design how you like.

I've just realised my suggestion wasn't very innovative based on previous posts!

Do you have any budget set aside? If so, IKEA would be your friend here.

Is look at the pax corner unit so you could have wardrobe along the side of the bed and along the current wall. If you have shelf's for the sections either side of the corner unit, and just hanging in the corner you'd be able to remove the chest of drawers along the wall opposite the bed.

I'd look to remove the storage in place along the wall (if budget allowed, can be done over time) and replace with something along the IKEA kallax. It would be higher than the current shelfing, and there are desk attachments, which depending on size could go in front of the window.

I'd also look to remove the mattress under the bed. It's not great having a mattress on the floor due to lack of air circulation, things get moldey very quickly. Replace with a folding soft futon chair instead. This would give her a nice lounge area and the option of more storage if you go for something slim, maybe the IKEA picture ledges for books etc along the wall. That would still allow for the bed to be folded.

You can then use storage boxes inside the kallax to organise. Have fun and create colourful labels to jazz it up

Can you tell I love IKEA

How about the ikea ivar range.

It's pine so you can paint/varnish/wax as you like. The units come in different heights so could be a good use of vertical space.

I really like the pull down desk as a space saver.

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ivar-2-sec-storage-unit-w-foldable-table-s99248554/

IKEA pax range is fantastic as you can customise it to suit you. I bought my DD the biggest one they had: 2 double wardrobes attached side by side with sliding doors. It's really tall (well over 6'). You can have shelving, drawers, sliding baskets, hanging rails (multiple if hanging T-shirt's). The choice is amazing and you can get TONS in them!

This name ooh, thank you so much. We do have a little spare cash - I'm not going to stay up way past my bedtime looking at desk attachments etc! Fantastic, thanks.

Another vote for Kallax too! You can fit one where the mirror is next to the wardrobe. You have room for a taller wardrobe also.
Where the chest of drawers are maybe 2 of the Ikea Malmo one you can fit a lot in there?

Another idea is maybe get a slide door instead as I think the door opening in the room is taking up some space?

Also something like this www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/moppe-mini-chest-of-drawers-birch-plywood-40216357/
For all the small bits, great for organising desk stuff

Thanks ArDali we have one of those actually, thanks. They're great, as long as stuff is actually put away in them. It's just peeping out of the right hand side in the third photo!

I'm thinking we make do for a little while, save up and buy some bigger furniture, including a kallax unit with desk.

This has been so helpful, thanks.