Bringing up children and managing to keep our homes clean, stylish, and well-organized can appear to be mutually entirely separate tasks. Children can be little storms of annihilation, wreaking havoc on our homes. Many parents respond by childproofing their homes but at the expense of style.
So, what if we told you there is a way to ensure your home is both childproof and trendy without the two interfering and clashing with one another? It is possible; all it takes is a little bit of smart purchasing and design decisions.
Let’s take a look at some ideas.
Careful use of accessories
If all surfaces are simple to clean, you have solved your first issue. It is best to choose easily cleanable walls and hardwood flooring with wool rugs for softness and sturdiness. Spills and dirt can be quickly cleaned up on wooden flooring, and cleaning a rug is far easier than cleaning a carpet. Select patterned fabric over plain fabric for any soft furnishings as stains will be less visible. There are some great ideas on homedude favorites if you need inspiration!
Even sofas should be covered in long-lasting materials like high-quality faux leather. These will be easier to clean, but they will also be less likely to be damaged if children play rough on them. After a messy meal, high gloss dining room furniture rather than antique wood and upholstery is simple to clean – those ketchup and tomato stains can be wiped away much more easily!
Avoid silks, velvets, and other fabrics that are sensitive to baby spittle. It is also a good idea to keep beautiful ornaments high up on shelving units and make wall art a focal point of your home’s style, so it is all out of reach of the kids.
Be smart with storage solutions
Kids appear to have so much more stuff than they need, and without a place to live, that stuff can make a home appear cramped and poorly organized. Smart storage solutions are the way to go, so it is time to get creative. Those peculiar alcoves in the lounge that appear to serve no purpose can be furnished with cupboard doors to hide board games. Buy a bed with ottoman storage for seasonal stuff and spend some time clearing out the attic space – every little bit of added storage space helps. An ottoman, rather than a coffee table, is a huge asset to the living room; not only is it ideal for storing toys, but it is also much safer when babies begin to walk and want to pull on the furniture.
Open it up
Families often find open-plan homes to be more convenient than houses with closed doors and separate rooms. When the kids are playing in the living room and there is a clear line of sight from the kitchen, it is a lot easier on the parents. If your home is adaptable to the modifications, it could make life much easier for you and your family.
