No matter what amount of housekeeping you exert, kids have ways of messing-up everything. If your living room is the designated playroom, you might as well prepare yourself for heaps of cleaning and mending that follows every play session.
Unless you make your living room child-friendly. If your living room is child friendly, you make it not only easy for the child, you also make it easier for you. You being the one who cleans up after the kids' wake.
Here are five easy steps on making your living room child friendly.
1. Floor
Always opt for washable flooring. Go for those surfaces which are easy to wash such as wood, tiles, vinyl, or even linoleum. As much as possible, go for smooth with no raised patterns or designs.If carpet is unavoidable, go for tile carpeting which will allow certain sections to be removed or replaced rather than taking out the entire floor carpet.
2. Walls
Kids will write on walls, no matter how many times you forbid them to. Instead of trying to impede on your child's creativity, change the wall paints instead. Choose washable paints which are now available commercially in any paint store. Go for light colored flat paints that allow damp sponge clean-up.
3. Couch
Go for dark-colored leather couch. Leather is durable and does not stain easily. Best of all, it is easier to clean, just wipe it with a damp rag. You may also opt for sunbrella fabrics to cover up the couch and other furnitures. Washable fabrics are way to go. Note: although darker colors carry stains and dirt well, light colors can be bleached.
4. Coffee table
Kids just love coffee tables. No matter where you put it, the coffee table is always knocked out. Somehow, it always get in the way. Instead of putting the coffee table in the farthest corner, rendering it totally useless, try covering the surface with upholstery and lowering its legs. When you do this you convert the table into an ottoman. It can be a couch extension, where kids are allowed to climb on and just enjoy.
5. Accessories
Here are some kid-friendly accessories every kid can relate to.
- Gallery wall- a section in the wall where kids can display their artworks.
- Toybox- a colorful toybox is a delight. Kids would know right away where the goods are and encourages them to return the toys after playing.
- Kid bookshelf- it's always a good idea for the kids to have their own bookshelves. It encourage reading.
- Rug- go for natural fiber rugs because they are easier to clean.