How to Have a Magazine Worthy Home and Still Let your Kids be Kids.
“This is why we can’t have nice things”. Have you ever thought that to yourself while watching your kids color or wrestle in the living room? I’m right there with ya girl! I have some tips though on how you can have the home you see in magazines all while letting your kids be kids.
Let me just perface, that kids will be kids and sometimes ruin things. This has happened to be in the past and I’m sure it’ll happen again. 😝
Use a round coffee table in the living room. Take my word for it, horseplay and wrestling is inevitable, as least in my house. With a round coffee table you don’t need to worry about any harsh corners. Also great for when your kids are really little and learning to walk.
Avoid tables with veneer or glass on top. Veneer is thin and will scratch pretty easily and we all know someone will take a fork to that table the first day you get it. Glass surfaces will show finger prints and in general is harder to keep clean. Also depending on where the glass in on a piece of furniture, it could break…
When purchasing furniture, make sure you select the right fabric. Look and ask for performance fabrics when selecting fabric for your everyday seating, etc. Leather for instance can be easily wiped and is timeless, but take a sharp toy or utensil to it and its ruined. Don’t be afraid to by that warrenty when they ask. Outdoor fabric is also a good upholstery option to allow spills and can be easily cleaned. Another favorite option of mine is using dark colors. They just have a little more give than lighter colors. I have had a charcoal gray couch for years and it truely hides all the things!
Use a patterned rug! Solid rugs show just about anything and everything from food crumbs or stains for your kiddos shoes. When you purchase a rug with pattern and color this will camouflage any crumbs or stains. And in my experience tiny toys…make sure you check around for those small lego pieces or just keep those somewhere, because ouch!
Another idea when design a home with small kiddos, is to use easy-to-move furniture. When you have kids you need a life full of flexibility. For example instead of one large coffee table, use multiple smaller tables. Kids use their imagination so much more than adults do. My kiddos are constantly playing floor is lava with the furniture, pillows, etc. Using easily moveable furniture for everyday can keep their imagination high and keep them entertained.
Add built-ins to your home! This adds function, beauty, and value! Built-ins are an investment but the value they add to your home when you’re ready to sell just might be worth it. You can use them for so many things as well. Some can store items like extra blankets and pillows but you can also use built-ins to hide and store toys, which we all have laying around, right mamas?
Lastly, purchase wipeable dining chairs and barstools! Mealtime with kiddos can be a disaster, let’s be honest here. So having leather, wood, or molded plastic dining chairs will make your life easier when it comes to clean up time!