CHARITY'S CHALLENGE: create a playroom and reclaim adult space

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CHARITY'S CHALLENGE: create a playroom and reclaim adult space

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Started 2 years ago by Charity
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Charity
Member

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74484964@N00/4245531128/
This is my living room at 6pm today, after the kids (who turn 5 and 2 in February) have been in it all afternoon. I pick up the floor every evening, but still as you can see the whole of one end is stuffed with toys etc. The area behind the camera has the dining table and fish tank, and is pretty nice, but the heaps of kid stuff are really getting me down. My husband's precious TV and assorted electronic boxes underneath are really ugly too. I'm going to start working in that room later in the year - I'm currently training as a childbirth educator (NCT teacher, for any UK readers) - so it needs to be more respectable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74484964@N00/4245533456/
I also have this room available. It is currently the junk/storage room. The plan is to turn it into a playroom, or at least a giant toy cupboard.

Step 1: We have ordered a small bicycle shed to go outside to store the kids bicycles and scooters. It should arrive in the next couple of weeks we hope.

Step 2: We are going to order the TV unit in this picture
http://www.hyperion-furniture.co.uk/Webpages/LivingRooms1.asp It will hide all the ugly boxes and wires and provide space to store DVDs/games and to display phots and nice items.

Step 3: Replace those cube shelving units with something else from the company we are getting the TV unit from. But what? My husband wants shelves; I think he is mad and want cupboards. A lot of the stuff in the junk room is mine - work items that I need easy access to (dolls, model pelvis, baby carriers and so on) plus a reasonable stash of yarn and sewing items.

Step 4: Put the cube units in the playroom, clear out the rest of the stuff in there (some paintings, some china, some stuff for recycling), and make the room nice for the kids.

Wish me luck!

Posted 2 years ago #
Lehcarjt
Member

The TV unit is gorgeous! Your room is going to look really nice.

I have the same 'kid stuff' problem. I can't wait to see you project in action, and I'll definitely be taking notes!

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

Ditto on the TV unit! It is lovely! I am anxious to see how it goes! I like the idea of a separate playroom!

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

It's unlikely to be styled as wonderfully as the one in the picture! But yes, it is lovely. I've been walking past it in the store window every day for months :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Kaz in Oz
Member

I'd definitely repurpose the shelving to the playroom. It looks great with kids' table and chairs.

Could you do a half cupboard/half shelves look similar to the entertainmewnt unit? We have the same problem here. We have 3 Ikea Billy bookcases i9n our study that I'm just itching to put door on!

Looking forward to seeing your work!

Posted 2 years ago #
stagepin
Member

I just noticed that you're storing baby carriers. If you're anything like my wife, you may as well look into a wine shelf/cabinet. With the way she rolls up kangas, becos, and mei teis they would fit perfectly into storage designed for wine bottles.

Granted, I'm sure we could have a wine cellar full of carriers that would make an oenologist jealous.

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

I have a Billy with glass doors - bit pointless IMHO but it does keep the dust out I suppose.

Have made a little progress. We have an appointment at the furniture store on Saturday, and have just about agreed on half cupboards/half shelves for the new alcove units. I still think it is too many shelves though - I could easily fill them with books if I suspend my one in one out policy, but I'd rather not! I guess I could put my zillion work books (pregnancy and babycare topics) there so my clients can browse during their coffee breaks.

I moved a coffee table out of the playroom-to-be into the living room, and I've moved the no longer used baby/toddler bouncy chair upstairs ready to go into the attic.

And I have got a Freecycle taker for a coffee grinder that was lurking in the junk room and it should get collected tonight, weather permitting (we have a lot of snow).

Baby steps.

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

Way to go, Charity! Baby steps get it done!

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

Furniture is ordered :) 8 week wait now!

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

Oh and the playroom-to-be now contains a dismantled changing table. Slight step back as we can't ebay it till we find the instruction book (somewhere in the black hole that is my husband's desk), but at least our son's bedroom is now completely finished and looking lovely.

Posted 2 years ago #
akcorcoran
Member

Hi Charity -

One suggestion before you meet with furniture store and may spend more money! We have an Ikea set of shelves (they come in either 4 x 2 or 4 x 4 or 5, I think. It is a very nice solid feeling shelf set, not those flimsy feeling shelves. They sell baskets then that FILL the slot in the shelf. Nothing visible - sort of like a cupboard, not just a basket where you see junk hanging out. But, the great thing is you can mix it with open shelves (books, videos, etc.) And, kids can still put there stuff away in a realistic way. (Perfect example: Barbies live in one basket, barbie "stuff" like chairs or random little things live in another - and I DON'T have to see it!) I think it's very difficult for children to master cupboards and even shelves at that age. There's a reason schools use bins and baskets too!

Tall version: (4 x 4)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80071357

Low version - comes in light woods and white too: We turned it on it's side (there aren't any feet, etc.) and use it horizontally.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50103086

This size basket (we have natural wicker) fills the entire space - nothing can be seen:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30086605

Total investment, $200 total. Peace of mind and unclutterer accomplishment: Priceless.

They are NOT expensive and can be converted later to all books or more "grown up" options. In fact, the post that was shown here yesterday has the shelves (or a similar type but it looks just like 'em) as books in the office. Take a look on the right! I actually emailed to my husband and said, "Here could be the future for our Ikea shelves."
http://unclutterer.com/2010/01/08/workspace-of-the-week-honoring-mementos/

Just a suggestion from a gal who has the same type clutter problem! We converted our little laundry room (washer/dryer in closet) to a play and artroom with this and it's the kids fav room in the house. :-)

Alexa

Alexa

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

Thanks - we have the Expedit already! 8 x 2 horizonally in both kid's bedrooms. Yes, they are really great. At present we have similar cube-based units in the lounge and will move these into the playroom. The new furniture is for the living room and will be for our things.

Posted 2 years ago #
akcorcoran
Member

Ah, gotcha! Best of luck then! It's funny - we have a lot of built ins given the age of our house (almost 100 years old) and sometimes I find myself wishing for all that flexibility of the cubes and baskets for me!

;0)

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

I lived in an older house for awhile, Alexa, and I loved the built-ins. I didn't like the dinky kitchen though.

Posted 2 years ago #
akcorcoran
Member

Ah, you're preaching to the choir. Preaching to the choir. :-)

Posted 2 years ago #
Brontide
Member

Looking at the original photos I could suggest a possible alternative layout. Pull the shelves into the room to form a boundary wall and turn the carpet to make play area in the corner of the room. The play room is a nice idea, but the living room is where they like to play much of the time anyways.

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

I couldn't do that - the toddler would climb the shelves! Or they would crash into them when running about madly. It wouldn't be safe. I did have a sofa in that position when my oldest was small, but we didn't like it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

More good progress - the bike shed was delivered today. If the snow clears up, we can build it at the weekend amd remove the bikes/scooters from the future playroom. Also, the changing table is now the subject of a bidding war on eBay :) So that will definitely be gone within the week. The rug will go to the dry cleaner on Saturday and eventually get put back where it belongs - it is hiding in the junk room as one of the cats was sick on it and caused a nasty stain. I hope we will also get to the charity shop and recycling centre on Saturday as well.

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

Oh and my husband has decided that his current TV speaker system is too old and bulky, so is upgrading to very small ones and everything should fit in the new unit now. His giant woofer is going, hooray! I can't tell you how pleased I am!

Posted 2 years ago #
Charity
Member

2 bags full to the charity shop today :) Rug to dry cleaner. Changing table sold and awaiting pick-up. Bike shed still waiting for assembly as although the snow has gone it poured with rain all day. Maybe tomorrow.

Junk room is getting there, slowly. Most of the stuff that is left will need to go into the new cupboards as it is for work or hobbies (yarn, mostly, but also a yoga mat and a mini sewing machine). There are a few paintings to go somewhere but nce we have the new furniture we can decide.

Posted 2 years ago #

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