Here’s how to decorate a playroom on a budget.
- Determine the child who will use the room. Do you have a boy or girl? Take note of your child’s age. When designing a play space, it has to be something a child can grow into. If more than one child will use the room, make sure that all ages and both genders can be accommodated. As much as possible, use furniture that is made for their size. Keep shelves low so things can be easily reached.
- Set a budget. Before you can get started, you need to know how much money you can spend. If you’re short on cash. Put your money towards the paint to dramatically alter the look of the space. You’ll also need to get creative and decide to make things yourself or go to flea markets and garage sales to find cheap finds.
- Choose a theme. What is your child into? Don’t limit yourself to popular characters. Remember, their favorite character this year may not be as beloved next year. Unless you plan on changing the room yearly, it’s best to stick with something timeless. Instead, use your imagination to foster creative play. For example, paint an outdoor woods scenery so they can pretend to be campers. Or paint a castle on the walls so your young girl can be a princess and your little boy can be a knight. Check out decorating and parenting magazines to get ideas.
- Choose bright colors. Leave the pink and blue for their bedrooms. You want to make the room look fun and inviting. Use yellow on the walls and red for the cabinet doors. If you can’t choose one color, make a mural on the wall. Have the kids help out if they like.
- Have ample storage space. The playroom is the place for their toys. Make sure there’s enough storage space to keep their toys organized. Have a shelf for their completed Lego sets. Buy organizer bins to group toys together. If you don’t have a lot of room, use multipurpose furniture, such as a storage trunk that can double as a seat. If you have a day bed, let it double as seating, and hide bins of toys under the bed.
- Have safety in mind. Make sure you make the room safe, especially if the children will be left to play unsupervised. Cover any exposed outlets with safety plugs. Make sure to use rounded corners for the furniture. Leave a clear space in the center for play. Use soft mats or a rug to cover your hard word floors to cushion any falls. Secure any shelves on the wall so it doesn’t topple over in case a child tries to climb it. You want to have the peace of mind that any child in the room will be able to play safely.
- Divide the room in zones or areas. Help your kids stay organized by dividing the play space into specific areas. Pretend area can be where all their play and dress up clothes are kept. Another zone can be for toy trucks and other vehicles. One shelf can be designated for stuffed toys. You may even place an art area if you have the space. This way, everything is organized and easy to find.
If money is tight, use items you already have in the home. You can even sell some of the toys to raise cash for their playroom makeover. Get the children involved in building the room. Once you have put the room together, let your children enjoy endless hours of play.
