Create Your Teen’s Room with These Steps

When it is time to decorate a teen’s bedroom, each room must be as unique as the teen who lives within those four walls. Each teen has a specific personality, interests, likes and dislikes. They need a place to integrate the thoughts and opinions of the influential people in their lives: parents, other caring adults, and friends, into their own likes and dislikes. This helps them establish their identity, one of the most important tasks of adolescent development. The eventual outcome is a teen who has a clear sense of their values and beliefs, occupational goals, and relationship expectations. People with secure identities know where they fit in their world and also where they do not want to fit! How can a teen’s bedroom help with such a task? Here are six tips for a teen bedroom they will love.

Make it a Multipurpose Space.

Teens pack most of their living into a single room, much like they will in a college dorm room. It serves as a sleeping space, a study area, a work niche, a place to hang out with friends, and a place to be alone with thoughts and dreams of their future. If a teen bedroom is comfortable and meets their needs, they are more likely to spend time in their own home instead of hanging out at a friend’s house where those needs are met.

Fit their Organizational Style.

Try to think like a teen. Think of organization as positioning something for its next use, rather than putting things away. This may mean adding a coat-type rack or pegs on the walls for placing those clothes they change into after school, or for that favorite pair of jeans that gets worn multiple times a week. A designated spot for dirty clothes is a must! This could be a hamper, a laundry basket, or a large laundry bag. Treat the bed as the sanctuary it is by positioning it for use every day. Spending three minutes each morning to tuck and fold the bedding will help develop a habit of keeping order in the room, which may translate into motivation for picking up the pile of clothes on the floor. Developing a respect for private space helps to develop pride in their possessions.

Think Vertical.

When you look for extra space consider vertical levels within the room. Creating additional footage in the room is easy when you use under the bed storage, shelving a foot from the ceiling, or a lofted bed. Flat box storage under the bed or under the bed drawers can be used for seasonal items like clothing, shoes, and sports equipment. Be sure a label the side so it is easy to determine what is stored in each box or drawer. Extra blankets and sheets can also find a home there.

A long shelf or even one that stretches around the corner of the room positioned seven feet off the floor (a foot from the conventional 8 ft. ceiling), provides display space for collections, trophies etc. to personalize the room but not take up precious space on a dresser or desk top. This also requires minimal dusting at that level.

Lofting a twin-sized bed and using the space underneath as a study center can generate the most extra space in a small bedroom. Not every teen will relish the adventure of climbing upward for that “good night’s sleep”, so a frank discussion on the pros and cons of this bedding choice is warranted. This also limits bedding choice, not allowing anything that has an extended overhang off the bed.

Maximize the Closet.

Shoes can easily overtake a closet so purchasing a shoe rack is a must. Be sure to select one with enough space for the volume of shoes needed by this teen. A rack positioned on the closet floor is the preferred choice since a hanging shoe bag takes up valuable rack space for clothing which is usually at a premium. Check out closet organizing systems which maximize hang space by using double rods for shirts and pants or open shelves for jeans, sweatshirts and sweaters.

Create a Study Space.

To help encourage a teen to complete their homework, it is necessary to provide a space conducive to studying. This space should include good lighting, a place for supplies and books and a comfortable chair. Computers are a must for the serious student, but need to be monitored according to age. Some families prefer to place the computer in a more public area of the house in order to monitor the social network and gaming aspects of the computer. An option is to create a reading nook or writing desk in the teens bedroom instead of a computer desk. Pros and cons on this topic provide enough data for a separate article!

Bedding, Creating Design Focus.

The bed is the design focal point of a bedroom, so choosing teenage style bedding is a must. Perhaps the teen bed set reflects a hobby or interest, a geometric print or solid fabric in their favorite color. The teens bedding should fit their organizational style. Meaning, how much time and energy is this particular teenager, willing to invest in the organizational task of bed-making, clothes storage etc. Selecting a bed quilt or comforter with a bed skirt makes for quick and easy bed-making. Is your teen likely to replace a number of decorative pillows on the bed or will the pillows live on their bedroom floor? If so, shams are the better choice. Remember, the larger the bed, the more effort it takes to make it. Choose wisely. For ideas on teen bedding styles refer to the site addresses in the author’s box.

In Conclusion, remember, each room should be as unique as the teen who lives there. Keying in on the multipurpose use, organizational style, vertical space, closet and study spaces, and creating the design focus around the bedding choices can let you create a unique room fitted to your teenagers adolescent needs. Providing a teen with space to work on establishing their identity can help them find how they fit into their world and yours.