decorating
How to make your decor kid-friendly without sacrificing style. Decorating when you have kids is certainly possible when you adopt the right mindset, choose where to spend and where to save, and get them on board to help!
I get a ot of comments like "don’t they stain things? Get fingerprints on the walls? Break things?" Yes, they do. However, these things would happen whether my decor was “nice” and “light” or not. The biggest thing I’ve found about decorating with kids is that you just need to do it anyway. I do try to keep in mind if they break something, that it was put in their path to begin with. Kid-friendly decor requires letting things go.
I don’t actually have a ton they can break, or that would be irreplaceable if they did break it. I also opt for indoor/outdoor fabric as often as possible, and to add the stain-proof coating upgrade to rugs and carpets. Go as durable as your budget will allow or get something inexpensive that you aren’t as worried about the outcome of after it serves its purpose.
One thing I’ve found is that they’re more likely to be respectful if they feel invested. Even my boys, who are not big on noticing these types of things, are kinder to the throw pillows they’ve helped to pick out.
My kids are a bit older now, ranging from 8-15, and I do get that it’s trickier when they’re really little. We did have to take the coffee table out of the room for a while when they were toddling, etc. I love the idea of an inexpensive tufted ottoman for those years! Safety is something you definitely have to use your judgment on.
Yes, you can. You just have to relax and accept the outcomes (whatever they happen to be), choose where to spend and what isn’t worth it, try to get them to take pride in their home, prioritize safety, and overall embrace imperfection.
I’m trying to show a bit more behind-the-scenes in my Instagram stories this year! Come on over and join the fun @ninahendrickhome! Tap the link below to read the full post. Happy decorating!
ORGANIzING
decorating