So, the time has come to admit that your baby has grown into a toddler. While it might be a tad bitter-sweet to say goodbye to the adorable nursery you created, it’s a whole new fun and exciting stage you’re entering into with your child.
However, if you were limited in space for the nursery, the bad news is that the room doesn’t grow with your child. And, if you have a small room to work with, you might be concerned that your child has outgrown it, leaving you unsure on what to do.
The good news is that I am going to share some tips so you can make good use out of every square foot in the room, so it’s functional, practical, and can still be adorable.
1. Storage Under the Bed
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to get extra storage would be to get a toddler bed with drawers underneath. This will help with storing toys that might otherwise be lying on the floor making the room appear smaller than it is. If the drawers are large enough, it could replace the need for a dresser.
You might be able to store some items in another room, which could help eliminate the need for a separate toy box, which takes up space in the room.
2. Consider a Loft Bed
When we turned our son’s nursery into a toddler room, we considered a loft bed. We decided to go with an inexpensive toddler bed until we knew for sure he would stay in bed. But, that didn’t take long before we were comfortable in purchasing his loft bed.
What the loft bed can do is remove the bed from the floor, allowing for more space on the floor to either play, or set more furniture. We opted for a bed with a desk and drawers, as well as multiple drawers in the steps going up to the bed.
There is more than enough room underneath to fit a twin bed…which is the extra space I was talking about. His toy chest in under there now and it still offers plenty of room for him to make a camp. The point is, you can store things under the loft bed, give your child more room to play, or both.
3. Storage Doubling as Décor
Shelves are often used for displaying art and decorative items. However, if your space is limited, use shelving for storing toys, books, or stuffed animals. This way, you are removing clutter from the floor, making the room feel more spacious…and using the items as wall art, if placed properly.
Also, I am sure you have seen them by now, but if you haven’t, there are storage nets that you can hang from the ceiling of the room. Hang one in the corner to store lightweight toys. You can interchange them once in a while to give your child ‘new’ toys to play with…bonus!
4. Decorating for a Small Room
Sometimes, the appearance of the room being larger can help as well. There are a few decorating tips to consider when working with a small space. Here are a few examples of what you can do to make the room appear more spacious:
- Vertical Stripes – Painting vertical stripes in a room will draw the eyes upward, giving the illusion of higher ceilings. We did that in our dining room, which already had a vaulted ceiling to begin with, and it seems that it goes up forever.
- Color Blocking – If you want to use two colors, it could give the appearance of depth, especially if you paint just one wall a different color.
- Color Choice – You should avoid using dark colors on the wall, window treatments, and bedding. It can make the room seem smaller that it is. If you want to use a dark color, use it as described above, on just one wall to give the room depth.
- Wall Design – There is nothing wrong with painting a design on one wall. If you keep it to just one wall, it shouldn’t close up the room at all. For example, if you want to have an adorable Disney princess mural for your little princess, go ahead. Just make sure it’s on one wall, to keep the room from closing up. Also keep in mind, if you have a mural it is probably one less wall you will have to put furniture up against…unless it’s a loft bed, or the mural is painted above the bed.
- Going Vertical – You could consider using taller pieces of furniture such as an armoire, or shelving units, rather than wider pieces that would take up more real estate on the floor. It’s best to take up space vertically and on the walls, than on the floor when working with a small space.
There are other things that can help when decorating, such as a high border or crown molding that lifts the eyes upward. You could also consider hanging some toys on the wall as decorative elements.
In Closing
While a small space might be a challenge, it certainly is possible to provide a great space for your toddler, that they can call their own.
About the Author:
Melissa Cameron is a freelance writer, who was able to turn her passion for writing into a career. She was inspired, when researching Disney cars room decorations for her son, to write a series on nurseries and toddler rooms. When Melissa is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, researching, and photography.
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