Learn To Organize

yowza says:

Hmmm… several options.

1) If all three girls share one room, I would get a set of bunk beds for the 13yo & 9yo, and then get one twin bed for the 16yo. This would allow for more space so they’re not bumping into each other, and/or space for another dresser for all their clothing.

2) If you & your bf take the basement, then let the 16yo have her own room. She’s becoming a young woman & deserves some privacy & independence. Then when your stepson comes to stay, he can either have a cot in the 16yo’s room or in the basement with you.

3) what about putting all of the girls in the basement?

As for decorating – since the living situation is such a drag, at least try to make the decorating fun for everyone involved. Everyone should get a say in the paint colors – and if everyone wants something different, paint stripes.

Jessica C says:

well if the room is big enough for three twin beds, create sections. Give them all a bed, and there own "section" create a similar room theme – (just an example, not suggesting this for their age)- like princesses. Then if one girl likes purple use that for her bedding and area and if one girl likes blue use that. Or just have them all pick something different. one pick the wall color, one pick the decor, ect and have an eclectic room..

Here is some tips/articals
With two siblings sharing bedrooms, we’re finding it difficult to organize the rooms never mind decorate. Do you have any tips?

Siblings sharing a room can be a nightmare but it doesn’t have to be.

The first step is to have a private conversation with each child to discuss their likes, dislikes, needs, problems and desires such as color preferences.

The absent child’s interests should be taken into consideration when addressing issues. For example, after asking the child at hand, “What color would you like your room to be?” you then need to ask, “What color do you think your sister would like?” This will help prepare each sibling sharing a bedroom to understand that final decisions will require joint approval.

After each child has received an opportunity to share their vision of the room, bring them together to share their ideas.

If the children agree on similar issues, praise them for their good ideas and help them negotiate a compromise for issues they disagree on. Hammering out all the details will likely require a number of discussions over a period of time. Let the siblings sharing bedrooms know that if they can’t agree on an issue, the ultimate decision becomes yours. Your ability to offer solutions and help the children make compromises will be very valuable during this stage of negotiations.

The following are some issues siblings sharing bedrooms may be confronted with, along with some possible solutions:

Space:

Personal space is a huge issue with siblings sharing bedrooms. More often than not, there is too much stuff, not enough privacy and a lack of personal style in shared bedrooms.

Consider these ideas to help siblings sharing bedrooms happily co-exist.

Bunk Beds

Kid bunk beds certainly help maximize space and keep arguments to a minimum since each child has a cool place they can call their own.

For two siblings sharing a bedroom, a futon bunk bed or double kid bunk bed is great for children who enjoy entertaining friends in their room or having sleepovers.

Divide The Room Into Zones

Try to arrange the room in three distinct zones – a zone for each sibling’s activities & belongings and a third zone to be shared. In her book, How To Makeover Kid Rooms In A Weekend, Sherrie Le Masurier reveals why it’s so important to divide kid rooms into zones. She also provides some great ideas to help you quickly, easily and inexpensively organize & design children’s bedrooms. Be sure to grab your free Organizing & Decorating Kid Rooms Magazine to glean some of Sherrie’s great tips.

Cheap Room Dividers

If you have two single beds, consider using folding screens to decoratively separate areas, creating a sense of privacy. You can easily make your own cheap room dividers or try surfing the net for stylish, inexpensive room dividers.

Colors

With siblings sharing bedrooms, sometimes it’s a challenge to get them to agree on a color scheme. Try not to lock yourself into thinking the colors absolutely must co-ordinate. If you keep an open mind you might be surprised at the results.

When painting kid rooms, try to keep favored colors closest to the child who chooses them. For example, the siblings sharing bedrooms in our house received their desired colors when we decided to paint the rooms in half horizontally. Further, by giving each kid bunk bed wall its own color, each bunkmate enjoys a sense of individuality & style.

We weaved each child’s favorite colors throughout the room by:

Allowing them to choose accessories and storage bins in their favorite color.
Allowing them to choose their own bedding.
Painting each child’s dresser drawers in their respective colors.
Having the children place their handprints on the wall using complimentary acrylic paint colors to create a decorative rooms the boys love.

Kid Room Storage Ideas

Privacy and taste aren’t the only issues siblings sharing bedrooms have to address. Color-coding as well as labeling storage containers helps keep each child’s belongings organized and separate.

Consider giving each child a box that locks to store small treasures.
Give each child a shelf close to their bed if there is not enough room for bedside tables.
Maximize space by giving each child an under-the-bed storage bin on wheels.

Getting Kids To Clean Up

How many times have you heard, “I didn’t make the mess, it’s not fair!”?

We used to spend a few hours every weekend getting the kid rooms back in shape but it never worked. It took too much time and energy to complete the job and the children’s bedrooms rarely stayed that way for any length of time anyway.

Here’s a few of the things that worked:

Providing them with the storage items & cleaning tools they needed.
Motivating them to keep their rooms clean and helping them learn how to do it quickly.
Implementing a 5 to 15 minute clean-up routine at least once per day.
Helping them purge outgrown, unwanted or broken items regularly.

Life with siblings sharing bedrooms is not always easy. That said, the bonding and negotiating skills that develop from the shared room experience can last a lifetime. These particular skills learned from sharing a room also come in handy when sharing a dorm room, a marriage bed or even a or joint workspace.