Shared Boys’ Bedroom Tour

by admin

Oct 1, 2020

Storage & organizers

Come take a tour of our shared boys’ bedroom tour! This small bedroom packs a lot of organization punch while still feeling spacious, cozy, and open.

After years of talking about it, we finally moved our boys into one shared bedroom and they couldn’t be happier! It was definitely a transition to downsize their toys, clothes, and furniture to all fit into one small bedroom (about 11’x12′) However, the benefits far outweigh all of the time it took to get us here!

Our third bedroom is currently being used as a homeschool room and children’s library space! (You can see the full tour of that space on the blog here or on YouTube here!)

I’ve been asked multiple times to show how we were able to combine two rooms into one without it feeling like a complete explosion! And I’ll be honest, when we first started this process that’s exactly what it felt like.

We keep ALL of our boys’ toys in their bedrooms. Plus, I wanted to make sure they had plenty of floor space to play. It took a lot of purging and practical organization systems to get to where we are today.

So I want to show you around their room and how we keep everything tidy (most of the time!) and organized. Plus, at the end I’ll share my 3 best tips for combining kids into one shared space!

Boys’ Shared Bedroom Tour

If you look down our hallway at our boys’ bedroom, I didn’t want to see all the mess (aka LEGOs) that usually spreads all over the floor. The boys have a big beautiful window looking over our front yard which I love. It provides so much natural light in this space. And I love seeing this window and open space as I walk down the hallway!

Shared Boys' Bedroom — Shared Boys’ Bedroom Tour 11

As you enter their bedroom and turn to the right, this is what you will see. This is their LEGO building space and where you can find both of them if they aren’t running around outside!

The dresser houses their folded clothes like sweatpants, athletic shorts, baseball gear, plus socks and underwear. Each of our boys has two drawers. We keep a minimal amount of clothing for each. If it doesn’t comfortably fit in this space, then we don’t keep it. It’s really that simple.

Their LEGO are sorted by color! However, they are little boys so this isn’t something that stays perfectly organized. #reallife So the two gray bins are where they can toss LEGO in a quick clean-up. Then once every 3 or so months we will sit down together and color sort it together! That’s just the reality of it for us.

I made the LEGO people display using a 1/2″ piece of plywood. I just painted it, then used E6000 to glue on 2×4 LEGO bricks. Then, I framed it out with 1×2 boards. My boys LOVE to display their people here!

Lego Organization — Shared Boys’ Bedroom Tour 12

As you look from the far corner of their room over this space, you’ll see that they have plenty of space to play. My boys mostly play with LEGO. However, they still do have a few other toys they really enjoy playing with.

You’ll see under the bed, we have a tote that easily slides in and out. This tote holds my younger son’s trains. They can be easily accessed, but also tucked away out of sight when necessary.

We built these bunk beds using these plans from Ana White. They are sturdy, affordable to build, and give off that farmhouse vibe which I love.

We really debated between two twin beds or bunk beds and I’m SOOO glad we chose bunk beds. They love them plus they really give them plenty of play space on the floor which is perfect for their ages right now.

Even though this is a smaller bedroom, it does have a good sized closet which I’m thankful for. This closet holds the remainder of their toys (outside of a basket of LEGO Duplos and a few smaller educational toys in our homeschool room) and their clothes.

I didn’t want this space to feel like it was busting at the seems. So we set some limits and only kept what could fit within those limits.

My boys each have a side for their hanging clothes. The top two drawers on the cube organizer holds their jeans and khaki shorts. The remaining cube organizers hold their toys. One top you’ll see two bins. The left basket holds their basketballs for their over-the-door basketball hoop. The right holds their army men. My younger one has a Paw Patrol tower on the left. The right holds a small race track and their suitcases.

We’ve intentionally kept the top shelf pretty sparse. The left side holds their sleeping bags. The right has a few toys/games that we want them to ask permission to use as well as their extra blankets for this fall/winter.

We tried to utilize the doors as well for some more organization! I added four command hooks to each door – one each for their robes and three each for their baseball hats.

Behind the door, there is a small nook. For now, we are using this space for baseball card storage for my older son. We also have 2 shelves for them to display their lego creations. However, we would eventually like to add a cozy chair and another lego shelf!

Shared Boys Bedroom Lego Display — Shared Boys’ Bedroom Tour 15

And that’s their entire room! I’m so happy with how this space turned out. They still have plenty of space to play and space for their toys and favorite things without it feeling overly crowded.

If you’re planning to combine your kids into a shared bedroom, I do have a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

3 Tips for Combining Kids into a Shared Bedroom

Minimize Toys + Clothes

If you are combining two rooms into one, it’s pretty easy to see that you will have to downsize. And while I was worried about this in the beginning, I discovered that my kids really had way more than they really needed or used.

Downsizing their toys wasn’t difficult. Together we picked their favorites. Then we used the “halfway home” method for some of the ones they weren’t 100% sure they were ready to get rid of. By placing them in a tote in our garage for 4-6 weeks, they felt comfortable knowing that they weren’t immediately leaving our home. And when 4-6 weeks have passed, we will confidently drop them off at our local donation center knowing they haven’t asked for or played with them at all.

Don’t Go Overboard on Organizational Tools or Furniture

While furniture is necessary, it’s so important to leave some open space in every room. It gives room for the eye to rest and allows for more play space in a small room. If I had added furniture to every empty wall, their small room would feel even smaller.

Instead, we decided to only keep their favorites. We utilized smart organizational tools that keep like items corralled together, but out of sight when not in use.

Only Keep What They Actually Play with & Use

As a parent, it’s so easy to want to keep all the things because of sentimental reasons. But the reality is, our kids grow up. They move on from toys they once loved to new toys that better suit them right now.

Don’t get stuck in the past only to create a present that is only run by stuff. If they don’t play with it or use it on a regular basis, get rid of it. If my kids don’t play with a specific type of toy for 3-4 weeks, then I know it’s time to question them on whether they still like the that item. Sometimes it renews their interest. Other times, we easily let it go.

I hope you find these types helpful as you create a space for your kids to live and play in your home!

Happy Organizing!