I’m starting to realise that having kids makes you think about moving house a lot. As they grow and develop and change, it feels like the house just isn’t that flexible. When the kids are newborn, you probably wish you could wheel the pushchair straight into a utility area out of the rain. That’s so much easier than standing in the rain battling to fold it down. But what if you don’t have anywhere to wheel it into?

The next thing you know your newborn is starting to crawl around. That hardwood floor suddenly becomes a hazard instead of something you loved about the house when you moved in. Toilet training with no downstairs loo is a challenge too. The list of what’s not ideal about the house can quickly get very long!

Whether we take the plunge to move or not, there’s no harm in having a look at houses on the market. If nothing else, it gives you a good idea about what’s out there. It also gives you a peek into how other people live! I know one of these days I’m going to view a house and fall in love, though.

When I’m looking at properties, I tend to look at places that are listed by agents I know like Redmove. I’m always a little bit wary about properties being sold by the owner direct. It’s a big investment to buy a place, so I would prefer to go with a reputable company. If you’re looking to buy a new place but you have to sell your home too, it can often be easier to use a single agent.

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Many agents suggest you get your home in good decorative order before trying to sell it. That makes sense. You want your place to be seen in the best possible light to make sure it sells for the best possible price. I’ve been told it’s important to dress the rooms for the intended purpose. I’ve seen a few dining rooms with exercise bikes and old boxes in the way. It did put me off a little too.

I’m always on top of the decor for my children’s room. I think it’s important it looks fresh, clean and cared for. Decluttering and tidying feels like an endless task at times. Kids grow out of things so quickly! But accidents happen occasionally. A wipe down of the paintwork after some art attempts is usually enough, but sometimes I have to get creative too! A lick of paint or well-placed poster helps.

I don’t know that I will move house. But with a growing family, I know I might not have a choice one day. It would be nice to have more room. And it would be very nice to have a more functional place to suit my ever-changing lifestyle. It might be the stuff of dreams, but I still enjoy browsing the web for places for sale.

It’s quite nice to view properties looking their best for a sale. You can certainly pick up some nice ideas for decor. For now, I’ll just hope my home is flexible enough for us all.

As your children grow up, you can often find your house in a mess. Our kids grow out of their clothes and grow tired of their toys so quickly. If you often find the kids’ rooms are in more of a mess than you can bear, it could be time to start again. Planning a new room for your child isn’t easy, though. And you just know that your ideas for the decor aren’t going to be what you end up with!

As kids get older, they get bigger. They need more room for themselves. If they have started school and regularly have some homework, now could be the perfect time to prepare a little study area in their room. Perhaps their books are usually in a pile in the wardrobe? Having them all organised neatly on the shelf makes it easier to select one.

Start by figuring out what furniture they are going to need. When you are ordering kids furniture, it usually takes a few days for the delivery to turn up. Then you will need a couple of days to assemble everything. This gives you plenty of time to clear the room out and decorate before the furniture comes in.

A bigger child needs a bigger bed. Perhaps you are thinking about getting a bed with storage underneath. You can also buy a bunk bed style bed with a little desk and closet underneath. Kids love climbing, but this kind of arrangement will only last a few years before they are too big for it. If you want something to last right through their teens, you may have to look at a divan.

Storage is really important to keep a room neat and tidy. Plenty of hanging space and drawers for clothes are essential. Shelves for books and cupboards for toys and games will help keep everything in its place. A bedside cabinet provides a spot for the bedside lamp to sit. It will need to be situated close to the electric socket.

Once you have ordered all the furniture, it’s time for the big clearout. It’s up to you if you want to involve your child in this process. Sometimes it’s easier and quicker to manage on your own. To save tears, it might be an idea to ask your son or daughter to put their most treasured possessions into a special storage box for the day. That way, you won’t accidentally throw anything out they will be upset about.

Charity shops always welcome donations of toys, games and clothing. For anything that is no longer useable, you will have to arrange for it to be thrown away. You can find companies like Paul’s Rubbish Removal to help with this. You will be charged a fee for the rubbish to be disposed of appropriately. It saves you several trips to the recycling centre yourself.

It’s easy to get nostalgic about some of the things you find when you are clearing out your child’s bedroom. You may want to hold onto some items yourself for sentimental reasons. Be careful not to fall into the trap of saving every little thing, though! Once you have emptied the room completely, it’s time to get out the paintbrushes.

Your children might enjoy the idea of helping you paint their room. Often, it can become a tedious chore for them, so their input may be limited to choosing the wall colour. The ceiling and skirting boards will also need a coat of paint. Once it is dry, you can decide if you want to replace the bedroom carpet. A good bedroom carpet can be expensive once you have factored in the cost of underlay and fitting. Instead, why not choose a well-placed rug and a carpet wash?

Many children’s bedding sets include curtains and light shades. If you are buying one of these, then you might also want to add some posters or wall art to match. If your child’s room is often sunny, you could add some Venetian blinds to deflect the sun rays. But be wary of the dangers of the cord. Blackout roller blinds can pose the same threat. Store the cord higher up and out of reach if necessary.

Once the furniture is built, you could be ready to start rehoming your child’s possessions. If you ask your son or daughter to do this themselves, it might encourage them to keep their things in place all the time. Designing a good children’s bedroom is about maximising the functionality of the room. You want it tidy, so it’s easier to clean. The kids need it functional so they can find what they want quickly. If they choose where their things live, they will always know where to put it away again.

Image courtesy of Flickr

Now it’s time for the finishing touches. Once your child has moved back into their bedroom, they might want to invite a friend over to see it. This is a good sign they are taking pride in their new room. Pull out the container of all their treasured items. Your child will probably want some of these out on display. Posters, pictures and other decorations help to complete the room. Now it’s ready to be shown off!

Image courtesy of Flickr

Kids love spending time in their rooms, especially when they have friends over to play. Now they are a little bit older, they might like to take more responsibility for keeping their room clean and tidy. Perhaps they would like to vacuum the carpet at the weekends? Dusting and tidying are jobs that you might have had to do for them before. Now they may be keen to take ownership of those tasks.

Don’t worry if their interest in maintaining a perfect room soon dwindles. It’s natural. Try to keep the mess to a minimum with clever storage solutions and regular clear-outs. It will make life easier for you. Having friends over encourages a child to tidy up a little. Regular invites might help them take more pride in the appearance of their room. Enjoy the tidiness, while it lasts!