Arranging Childs Bedroom

Can you put some of the bulkier items in a laundry basket on the top shelf of his closet? In a year or so, he won't care about the fire hat anymore. Well...he might.. but you won't. And he won't want to take it with him when he moves out for college, right? So don't end up storing it for 20 years and then giving it to him expecting he's still going to want it.

He's young still, but it's a different perspective to consider when you are filling those totes for the basement.

Why don't you get a coat rack, with pegs, that can be hung on the wall. Then you can put his fireman hat and lion mask on the pegs and they will be up out of the way, but still able to be reached to play with when he wants.

In small spaces it is important to use the vertical space you have as well. Check out www.ikea.com for some ideas on how to utilize the space you have effectively. I live in a 2 br condo, but it's small, and I find a lot of inspiration from IKEA.

We used to live in a small house with 4 kids so I would rotate my kids' toys. They had a ton of stuff. About 1/3 of it was out and easy to play with. The other 2/3 were in large totes and stored out of the way. Every couple of months, we'd switch totes and voila, it was like having all new toys. My kids kept their favorite toys and stuffed animals in a separate box that never got rotated out. I organized the totes so that they always had some art supplies, books, building toys, puzzles and active toys in each rotation.

Each of my children has one large underbed tote for memorabilia. In it is a newpaper from the day they were born, favorite outfits over the years, special letter from grandparents, a few awards and photos and favorite (small) toys from childhood.

Important stuff like what? Art projects, toys, ?? My kids are still pretty young (3, 1) but I take pictures of their art projects and keep them on my computer. Then I'm going to make a photo book of their art so they can see it but it won't clutter my basement up. I have kept a few really adorable things, but seriously only a few. If you're talking toys and clothes, I say purge. If he's not playing with them and you don't NEED to keep them for any reason, get them out of the house. I fear a bigger room with only keep more stuff around, not that you shouldn't move him, but just be prepared for even more stuff! ;)