If you have more than one child sharing a bedroom — or are just plain short on space (and who isn’t these days?) — here are a few easy, fast and inexpensive tips to keep little clutterbugs organized.

Make Easy, Low-Cost Storage with Versatile Plastic Crates
Plastic storage crates offer durable, versatile and easy-access storage options with a low price tag. Use crates to organize existing shelves, extend dresser-top display space upward, or expand under-bed or closet storage space. You can even stack 9-12 together as a “wall unit” — just snap the crates together or secure with plastic zip-ties, then attach the unit to the wall with a furniture strap to help prevent tipping. Since they’re washable, plastic crates are an especially practical choice for storing craft supplies for a budding artist. You’ll find functional, fun plastic storage crates at any discount store or home store.

Wicker and Plastic Baskets are Functional and Decorative, Too.
Colorful baskets make wonderful storage containers for children, and these days you can find very durable, wicker-like baskets that are actually made of easy-care plastic.

 Use large baskets on the bedroom floor to hold favorite books and magazines — look for large hamper styles with lids, or mid-size stacking sets for this purpose. Smaller baskets may be placed on bedside tables, dressers or countertops to house hair clips, jewelry/accessories and lightweight collectibles. Shop for basket bargains at unexpected places such as yard sales, flea markets, import stores, discount stores and gift stores, then customize with a few coats of spray paint. Once you master this easy craft project, you may discover that you are having such fun that you must paint a couple of baskets for the living room or your own bedroom.

Style tip! Try working with two colors, one sprayed over the other, then lightly sand through the top coat in spots to achieve a slightly distressed cottage basket look. Seal with a coat of clear in matte or gloss.

Find Great Spaces Below with Bunk and Loft-Style Beds
Bunk beds and loft-style beds offer vertical sleeping areas that are great space savers for older children. Loft beds generally are built high up and enclosed on three sides. The last side is open and features a ladder that is placed against the loft to provide access to the bed. Underneath, the loft bed provides ample storage space where bookcases, desks or chests-of-drawers may be built-in, stackable crates utilized, or seating added.

When shopping for bunk beds and loft style beds, quality counts! Search for the best quality, sturdiest frame that you can afford, built to current safety standards. Bring your child with you when you are shopping and allow them to “sample” the unit. Remember that the bed will be holding your most precious possession each and every day and night: your child!

Expand Hidden or Forgotten Spaces for Maximum Storage

Under the Bed: Maximize the under-bed space of any style bed in your child’s room by utilizing low-clearance storage baskets made for this purpose. Also consider washable cloth storage bags to store out-of-season clothing in under-bed areas. Add more under-bed space and create a decorator look by lifting the bed frame using sturdy BedRizers – this idea is best applied in older children’s rooms because of the increased bed height. Also, a trundle-style daybed without the trundle mattress underneath offers loads of underbed space in a kid’s room.

In the Closet: You can maximize a child’s closet space in a number of easy ways: try adding a low chest of drawers to walk-in closets; hanging a shelf organizer from the rod (we like the sturdy plastic style from Wal-Mart); stacking storage crates on the upper shelf to add vertical space; or hanging an adjustable shelf set on the back of the door for videos, toys, shoes or knick-knacks.

On the Walls: Wall-mounted shelves are great display and storage additions to any kid’s room. Children from 4-5 years of age are generally old enough to safely access books, toys and videos displayed on lower, well-secured wall shelves, but be sure to mount shelves out of toddler reach to prevent pull-up or climbing accidents. Try adding shelves over windows to display fragile collectibles and hold storage boxes full of memories – all safely out of reach.

Our Sensible Scents video takes a look at what you might want to look for, and some to avoid, when it comes to choosing kid-smart air fresheners for your busy family home.

Tools and Materials: Fabric, Chair Cushion, Staple Gun, Scissors and a Screwdriver (in most cases)

• Step 1: Remove cushion from chair – you may need the screwdriver in this step
• Step 2: Cut fabric, allowing at least 1″ overlapping the seat base
• Step 3: Center chair cushion on fabric and staple 1 staple on each side to secure fabric in position
• Step 4: Staple fabric at corners. Start by pulling up the fabric at the point of the corner, then tuck, pull tight and staple a fold on each side of the corner. See how in the video above
• Step 5: Once corners are complete, staple the sides, pulling the fabric snug. Insert staples about 1/2″ to 1″ apart
• Step 6: Trim fabric, leaving about 1/2″ allowance to prevent fabric ripping out
• Step 7: Reattach newly-covered cushion to chair – and Enjoy!

The National Fire Protection Association reports the number of home fires started by candles is on the rise. Three main factors contribute to candle-related house fires; unattended candles that are allowed to over-burn, candles placed near combustibles such as wall hangings, and children playing with lit candles.

Fortunately, some clever candle makers now offer safer display options for traditional and jar candles. Plus, worry-free alternatives like battery-operated candles have made great strides in appearance and styling in recent years. So it really is possible to enjoy candles, or the look of them, without the safety worries.

First things First — Basic Candle Safety
This almost goes without saying, but to be thorough…

• The first rule of candle safety is to never leave a burning candle unattended
• The second rule - do not position it near or under anything combustible, or where it can be tipped or knocked off a surface
• The third rule - keep them out, out, out of the reach of children

Other factors that will minimize fire danger include trimming the wick to about 1/4″ prior to lighting, and not overburning. For more burning safety tips, see the The National Candle Association’s Safety Page

The Kid-Friendliest Way to Burn Candles…

Get the Look Without the Worry using Flame-Free Candle Alternatives
Battery-operated candles have come a long way in the past few years. The best styles are crafted in real wax for a realistic glow and have a flicker-style light bulb that mimics a flickering flame. Most battery-operated candles come in pillar or votive styles, including realistic drip-rim designs and even scented varieties.

Another advantage of battery operated candles is that you can enjoy them wherever and whenever you want them — on the dinner or coffee table, outdoors on a windy day, on buffets or side tables, around paper decorations — and even around kids! While battery-operated candles certainly aren’t toys, they are the safest way to add ambiance without a flame to any space accessible by little hands.

Love the Burn? Try Wall-mounted Candle Sconces
Affixed to the wall and designed to keep votives, pillars and jars securely in place, candle sconces are an ideal out-of-reach solution. Install sconces with safe placement in mind; not in a tight or highly trafficked area, and far from drapery and other combustibles. Also, if you have small children, position sconces away from furniture so they can’t reach them by climbing.

It’s easy to achieve kid-smart style by choosing decorative accents designed in tip-resistant shapes and crafted in durable, break-resistant materials. Here are a few kid-friendly decorating tips to get you started…

Vases and Containers
To reduce tipping, select containers and accents that feature a substantial base and avoid top-heavy vases and floral arrangements. Square containers are naturally tip-resistant, (always check for sharp corners) and offer the added benefit of not rolling off the table if pulled over by curious hands, as do oval, oblong and rectangular shapes. Bowls and such that are wider at the bottom than the top are an ideal shape to resist tipping.

Bowls
Large, low wooden decorative bowls (not too heavy) can be a good selection as they tend to roll back to an upright position when upset. Also look for bowls comprised of straight sides, such as octagons, that inhibit rolling if turned on the side.

Look for Durable Materials
Wood, metal, polymer clay, fabric, woven and even glass-like acrylic containers and accents are available in a wide range of looks, and offer a safer and more durable alternative to glass and ceramic decor. When selecting accents that will be accessible by little hands, do check for sharp edges, corners or any loose weave, just to keep little ones safe.

Decorative Details to Keep Out-of-Reach

Handles
Containers with handles pose several problems. Handles just beg to be grabbed by little hands and make it easier to pull or carry a object, which creates potential for breakage and injury. Also, handles often are weak points on an object and are easily broken.

Footed Objects
Many wonderful containers sit atop tiny feet that lift the base an inch or so off the surface. These can pose a problem for two reasons; one, the space is the perfect invitation for little fingers to hook the object and give it a tug. Two, like handles, feet often are weak points on an object and are easily broken, and if broken off, can pose a choking hazard.

Twisted Wire and Wrought Iron
Open, curly-cue designs made from twisted wire and wrought iron are inviting spots to stick little fingers, and once hooked are easily pulled off a table. Plus, little fingers can get stuck or pinched in the tight spots where wires meet.

Top-Heavy Vases
Low, wide, roll and break-resistant shapes are the name of the game for tabletop décor accessible by curious hands. Elegant slim-footed vases should be displayed on an inaccessible shelf.

Shelves of every variety are a decorating and organizing staple that fulfill numerous roles throughout the home. Aside from how they look and how they’re used, most people don’t really give them a second thought… until a small child is introduced to the scene! Suddenly shelves are redefined as either a safety hazard — or a parent’s last resort for hands-off display

Here are several ways parents can address the safety issues posed by certain types of shelves, plus a few tips for adding stylish storage and display space to any room without adding safety hazards.

Safety First! Avoid Tipping, Climbing and Falls
Any tall or heavy wall unit should be secured the wall with easy-to-install furniture anchors.  Anchors or furniture straps secure the full unit and are effective in preventing dangerous tipping accidents — but safety concerns still remain. Often, the individual shelves are not secured and can be flipped or pulled out by a curious toddler, and shelves beginning at floor level just beg to be climbed! You can solve these problems — and add a decorative twist — in a number of ways…

Reconfigure Built-In and Full Wall Shelf Units
If the shelves are permanent in the unit, be sure to move fragile or hands-off items to higher levels, or out of the unit entirely if your child is prone to climb. Storing a selection of toys or kid-friendly decor on the lower two or three shelves may divert attention from the upper shelves and reduce the urge to climb. If shelves are removable, remove the lower two or three shelves, leaving an opening about three feet high at the bottom of the shelf unit. Create stylish storage with a mix of decorative storage boxes or baskets – these can even be used as stylish toy boxes – or add durable decor items.

Keep Decor and Fragile Items in Place with a Museum-Tested Solution
Keep fragile items displayed in upper shelves in place by securing them with Museum Gel or Quake-Hold Putty. This can help prevent tipping, falls and breakage if the unit is shaken, pushed or pulled. Multi-shelf units that mount directly to the wall are ideal for out of reach storage. Ready-made units are available in a variety of sizes and styles, or you can fashion a shelf unit using inexpensive bracket shelving materials found at any hardware store.
Add Smart Space with Wall-Mounted Shelves
If you don’t have enough space to display fragile decor out of your child’s reach, consider adding wall-mounted shelves or ledge-style shelves.

Style Tip: A secret to making less expensive bracket-style shelving more attractive is painting the brackets the same color as the wall on which they’re mounted. Then cover the shelves (unfinished wood or melamine) tightly in fabric, or attach a pre-made decorative edge using finishing nails and/or glue, then paint. Easy and decorative!

Ledge-Style Shelves Display Accents Out-of-Reach
Ledge shelves easily install directly to the wall, out of reach to eliminate climbing concerns. Ledge shelves are available in many sizes and styles to complement any decor, and add interest just about anywhere. Try one over a window; stagger, stack or align three on a spacious wall; create a tiered mantle by stacking two or three above your fireplace; or embellish the walls of a wide hallway with a collection of different styles and sizes.

Step One – Clean Out and Organize Kitchen Trouble Spots
A cluttered, disorganized kitchen can become a holiday entertaining horror show, especially if your kitchen is starved for storage space like mine. But who has the time — or desire — to do a full clean-out with Christmas looming? Instead, tackle the areas that will be heavily used or that really bother you; for me it’s the fridge, pantry and mixing bowl catch-all cabinet. Set aside a half-hour to an hour or so for a quick clean-out of your trouble spots. And if you’re still struggling to fit bulky colanders, mixing and storage bowls in tight cabinets, add the new space-saving collapsible versions to your wish list this year. They’re ideal for stretching space in cramped cabinets.

Step Two – Take Stock of Serving Essentials
Hosting everything from big family gatherings to impromptu visits with friends is easy when serving essentials are conveniently at hand. During your quick clean-out gather together (or at least locate) platters, trays, cheese boards, serving tongs, pitchers and other key serving pieces. With serving tools at the ready, you can quickly whip out hors d’oeuvres and festive beverages in style.

Step Three – Makin’ a List… As You Go
As you do your clean-out, keep a notepad handy to jot down foods or spices to be replenished and serving or party goods to purchase. Also note any special ingredients you’ll need to buy for holiday menus and goodies.

Step Four – De-Clutter Countertops for Holiday Peace-of-Mind
Cluttered countertops jangle the nerves of the most resilient cook, especially when workspace is sparse. Don’t fight countertop clutter during your holiday cooking, instead give yourself some breathing room. Store rarely-used appliances in upper cabinets, move mail or school paper stacks out of the kitchen, and remove anything that clutters or blocks food prep areas. You’ll be amazed at how a tidy countertop can soothe the soul.

High fuel prices (and the related higher costs of… well, everything!) are certainly pinching household budgets, and parents with babies and small children are bound to feel it. From diapers to formula, not to mention all the other “stuff,” parents can quickly find themselves spending a good amount of money on little ones’ needs.

While it’s easy to save on clothing, toy and furniture costs by shopping consignment and resale shops (and even some garage sales) gently-used child safety and baby proofing items are not as easily found — mainly because these shops don’t want to risk the liability if a safety product fails. Plus, used baby gates in particular may not have the correct hardware or extensions to fit your needs - or worse, be under a recall!

So, retail stores or online shopping is where most parents generally turn for babyproofing and child safety needs.

But, the selection of safety products on store shelves is in a word – overwhelming. There are safety products for every perceived home hazard these days, and often a dozen or more choices among every type of item. Parents, especially new ones, can quickly become paranoid just by gazing at the array of products on the safety aisle. It seems the whole house is out to get Junior!

Happily – and remember this when shopping – you DON’T need everything. Take a tip from the babyproofing professionals: Address the baby safety basics, then add selected safety products to meet your family’s or child’s specific needs – and your comfort level.

Before stepping into a store or heading online in pursuit of safety items, it’s a good idea to first assess your home’s safety needs and make a babyproofing plan. To help you, we’ve compiled three simple one-page baby safety checklists based on professional babyproofers’ in-home assessments:

Baby Safety Gate Checklist and Worksheet
Childproofing & Safety Items Checklist
Child & Family-Friendly Home Checklist

These checklists will help you identify the safety needs in your home, introduce you to the safety products designed to meet these needs, and provide a worksheet/shopping list to note needed items and quantities.

With a plan in-hand when you go shopping, you’ll avoid overspending on unnecessary items. Plus, you’ll have the right items and quantities on-hand when you begin to install, saving time and frustration.

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Baby safety gates are effective barriers in many areas of the home and come in a variety of designs to meet different needs. Selecting the right gate for your space is key for both safety and livability – and it’s easy to do with a little pre-planning! 

Where is the gate going to be used? The location often dictates the type of gate you need. Most gates fall into one of two categories:

• Hardware-Mounted Safety Gates
  Hardware-mounted safety gates attach directly to the wall or doorway using screws. These are the safest, most secure baby gates and should be used for dangerous areas such as stairways – especially at the top – and for long spans and irregular-shaped areas.
• Pressure-Mounted Safety Gates
  Pressure gates stay in place using pressure applied to cushioned pads against the walls instead of screws. They’re great for the bottom of the stairs and in doorways and hallways, but should not be used at the top of stairs.

What is the size of the opening or area where you’ll be installing your gate? Baby safety gates are adjustable to fit a range of widths and can be lengthened further using extensions – some are even designed specifically for irregular shaped areas. Precise measurements are recommended before selecting and installing any baby safety gate.

• Basic Straight Baby Gates: Doors, Stairs, Halls and Spans
  Measure the opening width straight across — as well as the height of partial walls or banisters if applicable. If installing gate on an angle, measure the width along the desired angle.
• Baby Gates for Irregular-Shaped Areas: Hearths, Entryways
  Baby safety gates designed for irregular-shaped areas, such as curved entryways or fireplace hearths, are configured in movable sections and size is measured by running length. The HearthGate and Configure Gate are popular baby gates for irregular areas.

Most baby safety gates include hardware to install the gate into a wooden stud, wooden doorway or other secure wooden base. In other situations, installation kits help create a proper mounting surface to securely install baby gates. Plus, installation kits can help prevent or minimize damage to walls and woodwork.

• Stairway Kits – A “No Holes” Solution
  Banister, spindle and metal railing kits allow installation of safety gates onto stair railings without drilling holes into posts or woodwork. They work with most round, square and combination post styles. One kit is needed per post side; ie: if the stairway has a wall on one side and a post on the other, you’ll need one banister kit to install the gate. Stairs with banisters on both sides will need two kits, one per side.
• All-Purpose Installation Kits
  Multi-purpose kits aid with safety gate installation for hollow drywall (with no stud behind the sheetrock), walls with tall decorative baseboards, and other special needs.

Have babies or toddlers? Print our Tips for Creating a Family Friendly Home worksheet to help ensure that common safety hazards are addressed… and find more childproofing solutions on our Childproofing and Safety Gate Checklists.

2. Choose Furniture Wisely: When buying new furnishings, consider the care requirements of the style and finish. For upholstered items, finished leather is quite durable, and many new fabrics offer more durability and stain resistance than ever before. In furniture, glass top tables and glass doors are never a great choice in homes with kids, neither are highly polished woods – unless you enjoy dusting fingerprints throughout the day.

3. Add Pop with Pillows: When baby starts pulling up, you’ll find that some favorite décor items can no longer take center stage. If your room feels bare, add punch with great-looking throw pillows. One of the easiest, quickest and least expensive decorating solutions, pillows create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere than can pull the elements of a room together – safely!

4. Hit a Decorating Wall? Use it! Pull out the stud finder and learn to use wall anchors… wall mounted shelves, sconces, ledges and lamps offer an array of safer, out-of-reach decorating solutions in homes with small children.

5. The Drape Escape: Window coverings pose notable safety hazards, but happily most blind cord hazards are easily managed with winders and anchors. If long window treatments are a fixture in your home, the best child safety remedy is to ensure that the hanging bars and hardware systems are securely installed into the wooden studs surrounding the window or door. See our online article: The Drape Escape for more on window decor safety.

6. Storage Strategies: Storage needs multiply rapidly when children arrive. Decorative baskets and boxes can be very helpful in storing hideaway items. Stack these on top of entertainment centers, armoires or high shelves — away from little hands. More durable storage boxes can become stylish and accessible “toy boxes” when filled and placed under the coffee table, on the hearth, in a corner, or under a side table – just make sure lids aren’t heavy!

7. Kitchen Safety and Style – Go Plastic!: Today’s easy-care plastics let parents create a table equally inviting to all family members and guests, even ones with less-than-grownup dexterity. Durable plastic tableware – from tumblers and plates to wine stems and serving bowls – instantly kid-proofs the table in shatterproof style. Many of the better, restaurant-quality plastics are great in the dishwasher and some can even be microwaved.