We’ve been doing a lot of living in our living rooms.
Since March 2020 homes have gone from being the place that people can relax and unwind to the place that people live, work, eat, and do school. They’ve been through a lot, and for some people, they really are starting to show the signs that they have seen better days. How exactly does one kid-proof without losing the mature vibe of a living room?
Parents will know that there’s a happy medium between having evidence of children living in the home and having all of their stuff take over. It can be a real headache to find the balance. How do you make your kids feel safe and happy? And then also make sure adults can get the downtime they need after being parent, teacher, and XYZ all day?
Here are some ideas on how they can strike the balance.
Start from the ground up
All parents will know that kid mess can create utter chaos in the home. Most surfaces can be wiped or easily covered, but flooring is a whole different area.
Carpets can be prone to attracting dirt and stains from spills and accidents. Wooden flooring may look nice but can be a little too tough on little feet, as well as being impacted by the amount of cleaning. In this case, good quality vinyl flooring is a great solution. They’re durable, easy to keep clean, and can even be made to look like wooden floorboards!
Rugs can always be added for a softer addition to the flooring. They can be used as a design and practical feature that doesn’t just scream ‘I HAVE KIDS!’
Put it away
For such little people, kids have a LOT of stuff. Stuff tends to make its way everywhere throughout the day and takes over the living room. It can feel like a never-ending battle to find places to put things to make the living room look half presentable and feel relaxing.
Storage is key when you kid-proof a room.
Save brightly colored draws for their rooms or a playroom if you have one. Get your hands on a large bookcase or storage unit and use chic baskets to put their stuff in (or teach them to tidy up!) This way, their toys are easily accessible and simple enough to tidy away.
Storage ottomans are excellent for every living room because not only do they all come with hidden storage, they can also be used as extra seating when you have guests–they don’t need to know that they’re sitting on top of piles of puzzles, blocks, half-eaten apples or whatever!
Make it a feature
At the end of the day, parents chose to have kids. With that choice comes the responsibility that they feel like a valued member of the household. While yes, it can feel as though our little one’s belongings can take over, they need to be able to enjoy the space too.
Make sure to include some of their creations in your home décor plans when you kid-proof. This can be as simple as making canvases or collages of their paintings and drawings.
