Parents outgrow their homes by the time their child turns five years old, according to new research.
Self-storage company, Space Station, polled 1,000 parents to discover how much space in the home children take over and how soon after becoming a parent they feel they have outgrown their homes. Partnering with professional home organisers and offering its own storage knowledge, Space Station has also provided tips for reclaiming more space in the nursery and playroom.
Whilst the average age of children that parents will outgrow their homes is five years old, almost a third of parents said they felt the squeeze before their child turned two years old.
Families are longing more for space with many parents wishing they had more space in their home, with kids claiming over a third of the space as their own. For those who aren’t ready to upsize or extend their homes or just want to keep the clutter to a minimum, experts at Space Station have shared top storage hacks to make efficient use of space in your nursery or playroom.
- Folding baby grows
The most effective way to maximise storage space, is using a Marie Kondo inspired folding technique for clothes. This fool-proof technique will ensure you can store all your baby grows in one drawer. By folding the legs and arms in towards each other before folding in half, they can be tucked together in an upright position. This will take up less space and they can be organised by colour.
- Maximise your door space
We often forget about key spaces that could be used for storage. The back of the door can be well utilised by hanging a shoe organiser. This makes an unused part of the room useful and can divide items up making it a well-organised system. Higher-level storage is also key for items such as nappies, muslins and items that need to be kept out of reach of little ones.
- Utilise rolling carts
Keep any mess contained by using rolling carts for items such as nappies, wipes or dummies. It will also act as a changing station and can move around the room freely, so you can pop everything back on the cart when you are finished. Adding labels to the cart will help you remember exactly where everything belongs, so nothing gets jumbled up.
- Keep nappy bags tidy
Nappy changing isn’t the most glamorous of jobs, but it must be done. A useful hack to make this task less stressful is using a reusable tissue dispenser for storing nappy bags, so that they can be accessed easily in the midst of nappy changing chaos. Not only does this make them easy to reach but keeps them stored away neatly for next time round.
- Walls are a source of fun
Inevitably, your child is going to draw on the walls in permanent marker at some point. They mean no harm but need an outlet to express themselves. Using blackboard paint, you can turn any wall in the house into a little blackboard wall for your child to get creative. They can draw pictures as well use it as a tool for learning, such as how to write numbers and letters.
- Double up hangers
An excellent trick for those with minimal wardrobe space, is a DIY hack using aluminium cans. Remove the tab from the top of the can and file any sharp areas so it’s safe and won’t cause any scratches. Loop the tab over your clothes hanger and then you can hang another hanger from the other hole in the tab. This makes the clothes hang closer together so you can fit more on the rail, as well as being able to pair up outfits for ease when dressing.
Professional home organiser, Lucy Mansey explains the benefits of organising your nursery: “The birth of a baby is both the happiest, yet most hectic time of your life. So having a serene nursery environment for yourself and your baby is hugely beneficial. Some simple storage and clever categorising will help put a system in place to encourage a clutter-free lifestyle.
“Being a mum of three small children, it always amazes me how much tiny humans need. Clunky changing stations are a thing of the past, with streamlined products being perfect for smaller spaces. Clever contraptions that fold smartly into a wall, over-the-cot options or a simple inexpensive mat that slides neatly under the cot will all do the trick!”
Vlatka Lake, Marketing Manager, at Space Station commented: “While children will always remain a priority in a parent’s life, it is important to ensure you have time and space for yourself. It’s easy to let children and their belongings take over the home, but a few simple hacks can help keep that to a minimum.
“If you have a small nursery, or have multiple children sharing one space, focus on how you store items and make the most of spaces you would normally leave bare. Create a space that is fun for the children as well as practical, so everything can be kept neatly in one room.”
For more tips and advice on how to make efficient use of your nursery or playroom, visit: https://www.space-station.co.uk/blog/storage-tips-for-keeping-your-nursery-items-in-prime-condition
