With more than one child, sharing a room is inevitable. Ideally, each kid should have their own room, but sometimes it’s not possible. Alternatively, it could have nothing to do with lacking space but wanting them to get that room-sharing experience. Whatever your reason, getting your kids to share a room drama-free seems like a fantasy; however, it’s possible. Here are several ways you can make this work.

Maximize the space

Sharing a room means that things double or even quadruple in number; for instance, the number of toys, clothes, books, and so on. This also means the clutter increases, and the room can start feeling cramped real fast. For this to work, each child must feel like they have enough space for all their stuff, and thankfully, there are several ways you can work around this.

First, get bunk beds as beds eat up most of the space in a room. You want to place them next to the wall, so they are out of the way and don’t pose any danger. Similarly, you can get trundle beds sets since the second bed can be stored underneath and pulled out at night. Secondly, get wall shelves to make use of vertical storage in addition to under-bed storage.

Create personal spaces

Each of your kids needs their privacy. If they had their own rooms, this would be their sanctum, a place where they can get away and relax. However, this is a lot harder to achieve if you are sharing a room. To give them a sense of privacy, you can get a bed tent or canopy to give the illusion of being separate from the rest. A bookcase or a divider can also help create these individual spaces. Additionally, you can give them a place, such as a bedside drawer, to keep their belongings.

Think about sleep times

Your children all have different sleep routines and needs. If your kids are close in age, chances are they have similar sleep needs. So it’s best to combine sleep routines. However, older kids have later bedtimes. You don’t want the sleep needs of one child disturbing the needs of another. 

Designate cleaning duties

With more than one child in a room, things can get messy. However, simply telling your kids to clean their room doesn’t mean you will have a clean room afterward. When giving instructions to kids, you want to be as specific as possible. For instance, everyone has to make their own beds and put away their toys; however, who vacuums the carpet or takes clothes down to the laundry?

Giving your kids specific duties means there is someone to ask if the task is not complete and this avoids quarreling as well as ensuring everyone helps out. Also, ensure you switch up cleaning duties to avoid monotony.

Lastly, be patient. Sharing a room won’t be easy at first, so expect a transition period where things might seem like they won’t work. However, remember this is normal, and you might have to try things a couple of times before finding what works for you.    

Writer: Shalom Kamau