Is organizing your tweens room part of your holiday preparation? Do you have holiday guests planned and you don’t want to or can’t just shut the door to their room? If my kids were still in the tween phase this is how I would organize a tween room and get rid of clutter in their rooms. My kids are past this stage so I borrowed my nephew’s room for this project. Actually this was part of his birthday gift of a room makeover.. I’m just a wee bit slow in posting it…but, his mom gets a break for the holidays because his room is now neat!
Besides decorating, cooking and shopping for the holidays, each year one of my bigger tasks was clutter control in my kids rooms.
I’ll bet things haven’t changed much. When they are young it’s so easy, just pick up toys and a few items here and there. When they get bigger like in the tween stage they not only have their own opinions, they accumulate clutter! Lots and lots of clutter that they are very emotional about keeping. Then it becomes not so easy to organize a tween room and you have to adopt a strategy.
Tweens like to fill their space with special things like awards from school, artwork, pictures with their friends and sporting activities. Which is wonderful. Unless there is nowhere to put it! I ‘ve found the easiest way to organize a tween room is to add lots of storage and display space. I simply gave my nephew a place to put his stuff and made use of a big blank wall that was just sitting there waiting for a transformation. Now his favorite possessions are displayed, they stay off of the floor and his room stays neat.
This little guy loves to read and needed a quiet place to do homework so I also added a desk and study station. I bought the desk, chair and shelves at Ikea. This was part of a whole room makeover and by the time I got to the wall shelves I’d already killed my budget and had to get extra creative to finish this area. The shelves were only $4 each including the brackets! I used the Ikea unfinished shelves and painted them white and I spray painted the plastic brackets to look like metal. They are really sturdy and hold the weight fine. I used 40# anchors which was overkill but it’s what I had and worked fine.
I’m a big fan of using Ikea wall rails and buckets to stay organized and keep a clean desktop. You’ve seen me use them here in my office and here in my pantry. Pencils, pens, rulers, calculators, etc. all fit in these buckets and are a staple if you’re planning to organize a tween room. These buckets fit perfectly using “s” hooks and were $1 each from the Dollar Tree. The bulletin board is just a $5 one from Ikea that I painted with leftover paint from the dresser makeover I did a few months ago.
I added a few more personal touches like a big K for his name. You might remember this letter and my faux metal letter tutorial . What teen doesn’t like a giant cool metal looking letter?
Why, yes that is a live fish on the wall now that you ask. Seriously, it is. My nephew has the coolest mom who seems to find some really unique things and this is one of them! I knew I’d get questions about where to find one (what a cool Christmas gift idea). I found it here Wall Mount Fish Bowl Aquarium Tank Beta Goldfish
There you have it, this is how I organize a tween room and get rid of clutter. My nephew has a personalized space and a great desk for homework and studying. He’s happy and his mom is happy because his room stays neat.. it’s a win – win!
How do you organize a tween and get rid of clutter? Share in the comment section below!
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mHenry says
I just close their doors… Leaves more time for wine – not whine!
Wendi says
That is too funny! I LOVE your philosophy, and wine does fix most things! Thanks so much for your visit:)
Tara Browne says
Wow – I have 3 teen boys, and I can see a lot of $4 shelves and bucket-rails in my future. Thanks for this very USEABLE blog post. GREAT suggestions!!!
Wendi says
Tara…You’ll be amazed at how much clutter those little rails and buckets can control! I use them in my house too.. and LOVE them. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
This is a great way to organize a tween’s room! Thank you for sharing this project at last week’s Pin Junkie Party. It was featured this week! I hope you’ll stop by to grab a featured button at thepinjunkie.com/2013/11/friday-link-party-42.html and share again at this week’s party.
Wendi says
Thanks Bonnie – the project came out nicely and my nephews room still looks neat even several weeks later.
Shelly-MinettesMaze says
OK That fish bowl is AWESOME!! And his room looks so clean and organized. If I could only get my tween to keep his clean. LOL Thanks for sharing on DIY Sunday Showcase!!
Shelly
Wendi says
Hi Shelly.. I used to struggle with mine too. It never fails I learn a better way AFTER my own are past this stage. Oh well, at least I was able to share it and help relieve some of the stress from another mom. Thanks for stopping by & yes I love that fish bowl too!
Rhonda says
Looks great! Love the aquarium. I recently redecorated by pre-teen’s room. It is a little more challenging trying to keep them organized!
Wendi says
You are so right! Plus they have definite ideas on what they like and don’t like. I “interviewed” my nephew before I started shopping so I’d have a good idea of what he liked and what would work for him. I saw his room last weekend and was pretty happy that everything still looks close to the picture. Thanks for stopping by & have a great day:)
Rebecca @ Love at First Book says
I just love how simple the room still looks! It’s amazing how much more you can do with a room when you hang a few shelves (and a fishbowl!) 😀
Wendi says
Thanks Rebecca! I need to do something like that here now.. may even add a fishbowl 😉 Too bad the little beta fish (forgot his name) doesn’t know he’s a star.. LOL Have a good week. And your linky this week has some really good entries!
Sandra says
This fish bowl is awesome!
Thanks for sharing the link 🙂
Have a lovely sunday evening!
Wendi says
Hi Sandra, ~ Thanks, I love the silly fishbowl too. It really added a “fun” factor. Thank you for visiting & have a great day 🙂
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says
You did SUCH a great job with this transformation, Wendi! I’m sure your nephew is THRILLED (plus his Mama). I really love how you utilized that wall space – – yet it’s not cluttered. And the faux metal letter is my fave! We have a big “L” in our living room…so I might be slightly biased. High five!
Wendi says
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for that big high five! I was a bit nervous about whether or not he’d like it. He had no idea what I was doing, only that I was going to do something in his room. I set up everything when he was at school so he’d be surprised:) I like the letter too… am thinking I need some big ones here in my office! Thank you for stopping by!
KG says
The tween room looks amazing!
Great organizing and decorating.Love he fishbowl on the wall…how creative is that!!
I’m starting a post called :Feature Fridays – where I will feature someone’s space that they are proud of. Let me know if you’d be intersted. 🙂 You can email me or send me a message via FB inbox.
Visiting from #sitssharefest
Keep it Touched,
kgstyleblogs.com
Wendi says
Wow! I’d be honored to be included in your Feature Friday! I loved the fishbowl on the wall too… it really added something fun to the whole wall. Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by:)
KG says
Absolutely! Just shoot me a note and we will get started with your feature.
Marie@InteriorFrugalista says
Hi Wendi, great job on the tween room. It took me down memory lane as there are several items that my tweens had in their rooms – like that awesome wall mount aquarium! Reminded me to pull it out of storage and give it to my now adult daughter. Those IKEA hanging green pots are awesome too – so handy.
Wendi says
Really? You had the aquarium too? That makes you a really cool Mom! I loved the green hanging buckets too. I use different ones in my pantry and my office they keep everything tucked neatly away. Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend:)
Marie@InteriorFrugalista says
Yeah, our local fish store had them several years ago on display and of course as soon as my then tween daughter set eyes on them, she just had to have one. She had hot pink rocks on the bottom and a pink plant. I seem to recall the Beta was red too!
Wendi says
Fun! Like I said…I know you’re a cool Mom too! They must be pretty sturdy because my sister in law has had these for about 3-4 years maybe longer and they still look good.