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Walking into my children’s bedroom reminds me of a compost pit. In short, the sight is ghastly and the ‘Clean House’ team would make a killing from this project. My 9-year-old daughter and my son aged 6 have literally turned their room upside down. Year in year out, the level of clutter increases and currently we have to squeeze our way in through the toys, piles of dirty (or clean) clothes and books that have taken over the space. One time, I attempted to spring clean the room and was rewarded with a nasty allergic attack that kept me down for close to a week. If I don’t get this room in order I will lose it. Some ideas for a bedroom face-lift on the cheap would really be helpful.
Eva Light
Dear Eva Light,
There is no better time to bring up this topic than the post-Christmas season when because many of us went on holiday, heaps of luggage lie dormant in our homes and stay unattended for months. If you ask me, many parents in your shoes are wishing for a ‘Clean House’ miracle. Getting rooms in order is a challenge for a good number of people in fact, few of us would comfortably let guests into their private rooms. It has been said that a disorganised room signifies a disorganised person (no disrespect intended). That said, cluttered rooms also attract unwanted guests like mice, snakes and cockroaches. Eventually, neglected rooms may very well then thrive as a hub for diseases. So while you wait for ‘Clean House’ to come to your rescue, here are easy makeover tips sure to give the room much needed breathing space and a vibrant new face.
Get to sorting
The first step is to distinguish what you really need from clutter. In the absence of a laundry basket, a big carton box or a cracked bucket can be an effective substitute. Dump the dirty clothes in the laundry basket or preferred substitute and hang up as many clothes as possible. The rest of the clothes should be neatly folded and stored in a chest of drawers or on old bookshelves. Also, consider donating any clothes, books, furniture and toys that are lying idle. Alternatively, you can hold a yard sale. Books should be arranged on shelves and toys in containers or cabinets. The aim of this exercise is to achieve a leaner wardrobe and more space without feeling a pinch of loss.
The cleaning exercise
Once everything is kept at its rightful place, clean the room thoroughly using lots of soap, bleach disinfectant and water. Prior to this phase, the room should have been stripped off the bedding and curtains for laundering. Mattresses should be dusted or in the worst case, aired in the sun. The room should get a thorough wash and ventilation before it is fully rearranged. One point though, to maintain the look, this cleaning routine must be done at least once a month – as you well know, postponing the unpacking, sorting or storing clothes results into a messy room. Fix the mess as soon as it is noticed.
Repainting
Although this is not necessary, especially for relatively clean walls, the room will look better if it gets a new coat of cool colours. Green and blue are common choices, but the market offers several alternatives lately. Modern styles and types of paints may work to capture the personalities of the occupants of the room. The whole idea is for the children to fully connect with their space and enjoy spending time there. If this is achieved, they will take it upon themselves to maintain the ambiance of their room.
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