5 Tips on How to Make Your Home Kid (and Family) Friendly

Home is supposed to be a haven for anyone. It's the place that will take you in whenever you need comfort, love, and shelter. Parents want to create this type of safety net for their children, as well as for the whole family. But unless you can participate in the very design of your home, you will find an environment that is not so kid-friendly. Moreover, making your home kid (and family) friendly doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on the aesthetics and functionality. Check out these 5 tips that can help you design a home that is safe, attractive, and comfortable to live in.

1. Deal with corners

Corners are not only problems for kids, but also adults. Just recall how many times you have bumped on the sharp edge of the coffee table with your shin. These troublesome spots are especially dangerous for small children that can injure themselves easily by hitting them with their heads, arms, and torso. Arranging your furniture differently so it leaves enough space between the pieces to comfortably walk through without bumping into anything may help.

While childproofing your home is one way to go, an additional one is to buy rounded furniture that has no sharp corners at all. Also, use upholstery on anything that will fit it to make the pieces more soft and comfy.

2. Create a play area

Even if you have a small place, you can create a play area for your kids so they don’t improvise by themselves and get injured. Foam mats are a great solution to spread on the floor and create an instant and safe playroom for kids. Once the kids are done with playing, you can store them away for tomorrow, and even take use them on other spots, like patio or balcony.

Another good spot for a play area is underneath the beds in the bedroom. Raised beds are a wonderful way to make more room for improvised forts and secret hideouts. Moreover, these are ideal areas to store toys that would otherwise be all over the house.

3. Use the outside space, too

If you have a backyard, then it may be a perfect place to create space where your kids can play and you can all have fun as a family. The first thing to do is to make the space safe and clean to use it as a second living room. Start by decluttering and doing some landscaping, like mowing the lawn and setting up a garden.

Installing a fence, if there isn't one, is a great way to increase your family's safety and create a true oasis to relax far away from the prying eyes. Make sure all the trees are trimmed so there are no dried out branches that can fall on you or your kids. A roofed pergola is a wonderful way to create an outdoor living room that will keep you sheltered from sun and rain.

4. Highlight on the comfortable

Feeling comfortable in your home is one of the most valued things for the whole family. This can include commodities, like soft rugs to sit on or windows with double glazing to prevent cold air from getting inside your home. A large sofa is a great spot for kids to do their homework while you prepare lunch in the kitchen or tend to the garden outside.

It's also a perfect place to have quality family time watching movies, playing games, or sharing a snack. The comfortable aspects also include pleasant wall colors, like warm colors which bring coziness and happiness to space.

5. Always have enough storage

The best way to avoid clutter is to plan for enough storage space right from the start. Children like toys and you will probably always trip over them or step on them and get hurt. And if you can, your kids also can. While boxes are helpful, you will still need to think of the creative approach to make them appear nearly invisible in your space.

Try wicker boxes that you can place on the bottom of your bookshelf or use a large wooden chest that can also serve as sitting furniture. If you have a staircase, turn the area underneath it into storage where you can place everything that can potentially harm you or your children. Multifunctional furniture will also help you keep the space clutter-free and stylish at the same time, as well as suitable for kids.

At the end of the day

Having a kid and family-friendly home is the ultimate goal. Although it may seem like a large investment, there are ways to make it both within a budget and looking great. With just a little bit of imagination and moderate effort, you can give your family a home that will make everyone feel safe and loved.