Anatomy of: A Shared Kid’s Room
When envisioning a shared space that would functionally work for 2 kids (a 3 years old and a newborn), I wanted a space that felt calm and accessible to my littles. I considered the functional aspects that would support the current routines of my 3 year old, and the foreseeable routines of my newborn. Creative considerations had to be made to create storage that supported these routines within the limited space, all while attempting to achieve my desired calming aesthetic.
Function
The main priorities of the room were to serve the following routines (in priority order):
Sleep
Clothing & Kid Gear Storage
Diaper Changing
Reading
We are privileged to have a beautiful sunroom as a playroom, so we did not need to leverage the bedroom for toy storage. I also wanted to be realistic about how much the space could accommodate. These priorities will certainly change, but I wanted to organize the space and storage solutions around current life needs.
Storage Solutions
Sleep
The room needed to fit both a single bed and a crib. Our crib was a family hand-me-down, so the goal was to make that work (with no storage space underneath). When purchasing a new piece of furniture for the space (the single bed) there was some consideration to future needs (bunkbeds? trundle bed for sleepovers?). We landed on an Ikea twin bed, which would be able to serve current storage space needs, that also has a trundle bed or drawer add-ons that could be purchased in the future. The crib is in our primary bedroom for now, but I wanted to be sure that there was an intentional space for when we are ready to move the crib into the shared kid’s room. For now, this temporarily open space is great for tucking away the car seat and diaper bag.
Clothing & Kid Gear Storage
The closet, dresser, and four bins underneath the single bed act as storage in this shared room.
The top two drawers of the dresser belong to the youngest making them easily accessible during diaper changes. The bottom two drawers belong to the eldest, making them accessible to him as he is develops a sense of independence for picking out his own pyjamas, or quickly grabbing a pair of socks before we head out the door.
Each child has a bin under the bed for their “next size up” (see image in diaper changing section). I have a note in my phone that tells me how many of each item is in each bin. The visual of the bin, as well as list in my phone helps with avoiding over purchasing as well as have an idea of clothing needs when I am shopping.
The closet was originally wire shelves (sorry no before photo), and received a full custom makeover for the 2-kid transition. I wanted to be able to tuck away the laundry basket, but still have it accessible for the eldest to pop in his own clothing, so the first shelf was built tall enough to accommodate a hamper, Ubbi diaper pail and garbage can. On top of the first shelf, the 3 bins are currently serving the following purposes:
Right Bin - Clothing that has been outgrown. Once the bin is full, I sort it for donations or hand-me-downs.
Middle Bin - All things breast/bottle feeding related (pump, pads, backup formula) as well as back up soothers.
Left Bin - This is a bit of a misc. bin, which is currently used to tuck away the door frame jolly jumper, and has the diaper pail bags in it.
The clothing rod is only housing items that current fit both kids, with the exception of a couple of special items that could be worn oversized (ex. Signed maple leafs jersey).
The shelf above the clothing rod has one basked of kid’s toiletries (medications, lotion, sunscreen, etc.) and the other basket has frequently used linens (change table pad, muslins, bath towels). Back up linens, such as blankets, bed linens, extra sleep sacks, are kept in a bin under the bed.
The top shelf has a basket for Misc items, currently housing a travel blackout curtain and mesh/rain covers for the stroller. There is a backup bin in the basement for Misc kid items. The top shelf has the baby books and birthday books. Once these are completed, they will go into the personal memory boxes for each kid.
Seasonal and future clothing items that are not stored in the room, are all located in one basement storage area divided up as:
Jackets & Snowsuits - hung up by age range.
Shoes - one bin for boots, one bin for shoes/sandals
Summer Gear - hats and swim suits
Winter Gear - hats, gloves, neck warmers
Future Clothing Bins
Diaper Changing
The dresser serves as the perfect height for changing an infant, and having the drawers right below means everything is super handy. A quick reach away, tucked away in the closet, is the diaper pail and garbage can. The dresser has been kicking around since our college days, but adding some Ikea kids collection handles gave it a little spruce. I keep a bin under the bed to store the extras diapers and wipes, so they are very accessible.
Reading
Reading is fundamental. We read every night before bed, and I wanted to create a cozy and inviting spot to do that. It was important to me that this space was super accessible to littles, so the Ikea book shelves are low, and the hooks and mirror are kid height. Polished Playhouse blog has some fantastic resources for creating kid friendly spaces.
Aesthetic
The major changes going from a nursery to a 2 kid bedroom were:
Changing the long drapes to Ikea’s roll up blackout curtains provided the space for the ideal furniture layout.
Moving the larger furniture to the back of the room gives the illusion of more space, as you enter the room.
The colour palette (green/white/wood/grey) is gender neutral and carried throughout any new accent pieces.
Breathing space was created by containing items in the closet and drawers. Breathing space was also achieved by creating a secondary space for the seasonal items, avoiding over crowding in the room. Additionally there is room on the top shelf of the closet to tuck away items temporarily. Check out my blog post about my 80/20 Philosophy for why breathing space is important in my organizing process.
Check out my Pinterest Board for more inspirational ideas for shared kid’s rooms.
