If you were to take a look at anyone’s home, you’d clearly see that it was designed for adults only. But adults aren’t the only ones living in those homes. It may not make sense to put a light switch low on the ground so your toddler could reach it, but the fact is that some homes simply don’t make growing up any easier.
You probably want your kid(s) to one day look back at the home they grew up in and see mostly happiness. Every parent with a functioning brain wants that.
So, what can you do to make sure (more or less) that that’s what happens?
The Home Features Everyone in the Family Will Appreciate
Here’s how a few features can make everyone’s lives easier AND more pleasant (which is the entire point of living, right?).
What You Need Is A Point Where All You Can Gather
The first and most important thing you need in a house is a point where all of you can meet and gather. If you were to focus on one single thing, then THIS would be it.
Typically, family and friends gatherings tend to gravitate towards the kitchen. Depending on the size and type of kitchen you have, this might be around an island or a dining table. If this isn’t an option, then a comfy living room is the next best thing.
The most important thing here is that it’s comfortable to hold 4-6 people, which is usually the sweet spot.
If you just don’t have enough room inside the house, this ‘central gathering spot’ could also be outside the house (e.g., backyard fireplace, a porch, a deck, etc.). And this is actually also preferred since you’re more in tune with nature when you’re on the outside. There are fewer TVs, fewer mobile phones (especially if your internet WiFi doesn’t reach it well). And while some might read this and think “YIKES! That’s horrible!!” to themselves, this is actually a good thing. A bit of dopamine detox and a bit of space/time to gather your thoughts instead of constantly being bombarded by brainrot does wonders for your mental health.
So yeah, a deck would actually be more beneficial as your go-to spot here. The thing about decks is that they need to be designed well to work.
For example, a custom deck builder Pegram TN residents would hire, will pretty much always advise you to choose materials that can withstand a lot of humidity, and they’d also explain how
important good drainage is. But if that same deck builder were in Phoenix, AZ, they’d focus primarily on decking materials that do okay with the insane amount of sun and heat.
If you do this part right, your deck will last a lot longer.
Flexible Rooms That Serve More Than One Purpose
A room that works for a toddler won’t work for a 6-year-old, and a room that works for a 6-year-old would be all wrong for a teenager. That means that you can’t lock a room into one purpose forever because, sooner or later, your kids will outgrow it.
You probably don’t want to spend a ton of money on new furniture every few years, so choose something adaptable.
For instance, a sturdy table that can work for building blocks on it, but that’s also a good study desk. Shelves that hold toys today could hold books tomorrow.
Kid-Friendly Storage
On one hand, you teach your kids to clean up after themselves, and then on the other, they can’t put their toys away because the shelf is too high. It makes no sense, and what’s worse, it causes clutter that stresses everyone out.
The fix here is super simple.
Low shelves and bins with labels on them that kids can easily use. If you want to make this more fun, then you can turn cleaning (chores) into a game. This teaches them to live in a clean house/room, and it teaches them responsibilities, while also being super fun (which chores usually aren’t; let’s be real).
That’s a very proud moment for a parent.
Comfortable Outdoor Space
Kids love being outside so they can run around, jump, dig, and just generally burn off extra energy. But they can’t do that if your backyard is just a patch of grass. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to change that around.
Throw in a few lawn chairs, a table, and a basket of chalk. This would enable you to eat lunch or dinner outside, and then instead of dispersing/scattering, the adults can clean up the table and relax a bit, while the kids can stay out and play (provided there’s enough shade, of course; we don’t want sunburns).
The entire point here is to make your outdoors feel inviting. You want to be drawn there. And in order to get there, you need to keep it neat/tidy, clean, and it needs to be well organized.
A Quiet Place to Read or Study
As your kids get bigger, they’ll want a little corner where they can go to get away from everything and everyone.
That can be a whole room, of course, but it can also be a window seat with their favorite cushion or a small nook under the stairs.
What’s important is that this is a space that’s away from the main areas, where the rest of the family spends most of their time. Also, there should be no distractions, like a TV, because that defeats the purpose.
This tells a kid that you respect the fact that they need peace away from the noise sometimes, and it gives them the chance to recharge.
Conclusion
Did you think you’d have to take out a second mortgage to make your home more comfortable for your kids? Well, now you know that’s not necessary. In fact, you don’t have to buy anything new, except maybe a few plastic bins at the Dollar Tree.
You already have most of the stuff; it’s just a matter of making a few tweaks.
