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I live in a cracker box
Hey! So my bedroom is a complete mess, mostly because it's on the smaller side. I have a double bed and two bureaus. No, I can't ditch them because I inherited them from my grandmother. Painting the room isn't an option either, even though the last time it was painted was when I was in 5th grade (I'm in the 10th now) and I just don't know what to do. There's mess under all the furniture and the closet is awful. Also, I don't have enough space on top of my bureaus which I find funny because they're so gigantic!!! I need cleaning tips and I don't want to clean it a little bit at a time and I'm really frustrated.
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Want to answer more questions in the Domesticity category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Home Decorating?
This is a job for more than one person. I think it best to ask your parents for advice. Some help may come in ideas of how to organize better if the amount of furniture, clothings and other belongings and keepsakes are a manageable amount. Otherwise they may recommend that you downsize what you own.
I know how painful that is though, I have had to move several times in close timing to each other and had to give up so many things I wanted to hold onto. And each time i Thought I couldn't possibly pare down any more on the next move, I had to, no choice and so found that I was able to, but not without a lot of crying and honey, I am talking about this occuring in my 40s and 50's. I still cry when I have to let things go.
I am sticking with the paring down thing because I had one daughter who held on to too much and had no room in her small room but then the size was something like 7 feet by 9 feet, pretty small for a room. You didn't give dimensions of your room. Sometimes a room can feel quite small if it has lots of furniture and things in it.
I am glad to hear that you treasure the bureaus because they came from grandma. Family treasures passed on, heirlooms and antiques were a favorite of my youngest daughter so I understand. So here's some things to consider.
Get some graph paper. This is something I do always before moving into a new place to know ahead what furniture will fit where and if I need more or need to get rid of some. Measure using each square on graph paper to represent 2 inches. You can always mark halfway thru a box to show one inch. So a foot is 6 squares. Measure out on one sheet the dimensions of your room. Then measure the dimensions of your bed, the 2 bureaus and any other furniture, like night table making sure to measure the length and width correctly. Then map the furniture out on graph paper using the same measuring system as for your room map. Then you just move around the bed and bureaus on paper to see if there is a better way to reposition them in the room and still have at least a 2 foot walk space. That way you'll know if there are other options before moving heavy pieces around or whether you are stuck with the current formation. It may help to have a closet organizer which can be found at many chain hardware stores and installed fairly easily by dad into your current closet making more efficient use of space. You may want at least battery operated lights in the closet for easier viewing if theres no electric light in there. In I know daughters who found it easier to access what they wanted in a closet by having the slider doors removed and hanging the fringe of beaded strands to cover the doorway openings to a door or two to cover the slider opening to closet. As for painting, it may be a hassle but is not outside the grasp of reality. If there is a garage, it is possible for the period of time that the room is being painted that the two bureau's are taken to the garage and the bed removed to be stored in garage also except for the mattress if the family can live with it on the floor of another room in the house until the room is totally dry and ready to move back into.
If the family wont even consider to put up with the little inconvenience to do this special thing for you, then perhaps try things to distract from the old wall paint by covering up portions with the easiest thing, large posters. If posters isn't your style, I have seen wood or plastic lattice panels used to cover a portion of wall using screws that are in the shape of an L and the top L part is what holds the lattice against the wall. Long silk plant vines are attached or woven thru it after or before attaching, and it can be flowering ones, to give the feeling of a garden room or the bedroom of another era to go along with the older bureau's. I have also seen panels of cloth in a pretty pattern attached to a wall or draped artistically over it to cover an area. There are things that can be done to make your room your haven and feel comfortable to you. But it will all cost some money. Do what you can to assist by earning some of your own money and offering to help with any work involved in the process including moving furniture and painting.
Now a section on how to downsize as this is one immediate relief to your situation. Create 3 different piles: of what you must keep, cus it is so unique that there's little chance of finding that ever again.
One pile would be, "I would like to keep but if I must let it go, I know I can find another later or something even better."
And another pile will be what you throw away or donate.
Hopefully there will be enough in the donation pile to bring some relief. This should include every area, clothing, shoes, coats, collectibles, books, toys if any, accessories, jewelry etc.
Try to hold on to items that you can find two uses for rather than just one also. Your room will be even more disorganized and awful during the weeding out process with the piles or actually boxes containing such items. Learn to periodically go through your closets weeding out items. I do this every 6 months. It is guaranteed that I will have brought home clothing etc..that I tried on and liked and yet when I brought it home, I found I rarely wore it cus it just didnt fit in with the colors of my warddrobe, nothing to go with it, or it didnt appeal any longer as much as I thought it would or is impractical or uncomfortable due to bad design. If there is something in my closet I've only worn once or twice in 6 mos, then I donate and get rid of it. You will be doing this for life dear. I am still doing it and I'm a grandma. The person who don't learn this starting at your age, will become hoarders and that is not a healthy living situation. If I can be helpful with anything else on the subject of your room, give me your specific issue or question and I'd be glad to try and help.
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Silly question time. The first thought that entered my mind was have you asked your mom for help in organizing your room?
As a parent we sometimes give in to total frustration and just close the door to our teenagers rooms so we don't see the mess. This was my wife's advice to me with my son when he was your age rather than our constant arguments.
Then one day when returning from a business trip I walk past my sons room and miracle of miracles. It appeared the cleaning god's had descended and struck clean. I asked my wife what happened. Her reply, he has a girlfriend. Wow the miracle of love.
Up to know I would guess you have lived with the mess and now for your own reasons suddenly find it unlivable. That's fine and I would be willing to bet mom and dad are just waiting to hear this from you. I would also be willing to bet that some of the furniture you say you're stuck with is not permanent in your room as is the color of the walls.
We parents are strange animals. We will do most anything for our children even things that seem strange or unreasonable. On the other hand we seem even stranger when the reasonable is considered to be unreasonable to you. Your room may fall under this category.
As a parent of a former 10th grade teenager my advice to you is to talk with mom and ask her advice on how to organize your room. First straighten up your room as best you can. Hang clothes up in the closet, get the dishes out from under the bed and back in the kitchen. Put clothes away in the draws where they belong and try to put things in a place.
At the moment you and I both know not everything is going to have a place. This is okay as long as you have made an effort and the room is clean and somewhat tidy this is what is on your side. Those two bureaus take up a lot of space. If you don't need both of them then maybe one can be moved to the basement or another room. Then it may with more wall space showing a coat of paint is reasonable and possibly dad can put up some shelves for you or you can put up your own shelves you are certainly old enough to do so.
With one of the bureaus gone it might be possible to get you a small writing desk or drafting table. Have a plan of what you would like your room to look like. Remind your parents you are almost an adult know and you're not 10 anymore but in 10th grade almost an adult and would like a room that reflects you age. This is something we parents tend to overlook.
Writing desks or drafting tables are not all that expensive especially from a company called IKEA. If they do not have a store near you then you can order on line at
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
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