Organizing your childrens' rooms, be it their bedroom or play room, can be quite a task. There should be adequate space to store everything neatly, in thoughtfully-chosen places, while at the same time ensuring that their 'domains' look bright and cheery. Bangalore-based entrepreneur, principal architect of Chrysalis Design Studio, and mother of two kids to boot, Shruti Choudhari , shares with us her expert tips on how to best manage storage in a home with kids. #Tip 1: Organize toys, stationery and clothes

Designing spaces for kids is the only place where you can literally get away with using all the colors of the rainbow. The key however, is to marry function with fun. As your children grow up, the organization of toys, clothes and other possessions will change, as their opinions develop and they become little people in their own right! The best option is to opt for flexible storage that accommodates these changes. Use colorful cloth baskets, plastic boxes and lots of hangers that can used inside as well as outside the wardrobe (for example, behind a door).



Chrysalis Design Studio





Chrysalis Design Studio



#Tip 2: Play with colors

If you have two children, a boy and a girl both sharing one room, the color palette should remain neutral, to avoid fighting and tantrums. Your daughter may turn up her nose at shades that are perceived as more masculine, such as blue or grey. Your son may roll his eyes at an overly-feminine decor scheme. Add color through accents such as funky storage units. These could include a tree-shaped shelving unit, multicolored cubby holes to store boxes, or shelving in the shape of trucks or ships - they will all offer a sense of fun and magic to your childrens' room.





Chrysalis Design Studio



The brighter the colors of the storage elements, the less the eye will go to the chaos that is essentially what a child’s room ends up looking like, no matter the age! As they grow older, consider organizing items like their stationery in colorful steel tins, funky aluminium buckets and cheerful trays.





Chrysalis Design Studio



If you have space constraints, a chest of drawers is ideal and extremely functional as long as the drawer lengths are varied to accommodate different items. The top of the chest can be used to stack storage boxes. If you have bay windows or box beds, they can be turned into extra storage spaces.





Chrysalis Design Studio



Browse on Pepperfry and Urban Ladder for storage units. They have plenty of options available. Try Home Centre and Home stop for storage bins. You can ask your local family carpenter to make additional storage units in ducco paint finish.





Chrysalis Design Studio



#Tip 3: Furniture with in-built storage

Buy furniture that serve a dual purpose, like box beds and lofts. With these, you will minimize space and maximize storage. Pretty up the room with colorful cushions, a throw, and a painted wall.





Chrysalis Design Studio

Chrysalis Design Studio



#Tip 4: Get innovative with storage

Shruti advises that diaper tables can have longer-term use, even after the kids have grown up. They can be turned into storage space for older kids to stack their books on. The space behind doors can be used to create small cupboards with open shelves. An enclosed balcony can be used to stack cycles and sports equipment. Bookshelves, if made in varying widths and heights, can double as areas where you can stack both books and smaller toys.





Chrysalis Design Studio



#Tip 5: Double up storage units for display

Turn your storage units into beautiful display sections. Shruti says that bookshelves are her personal favorites: they can be designed in animal shapes, car shapes, and in funky, bright colors that will capture your child's attention, and help them learn and grow. Add a touch of whimsy by hanging stars from the units, or topping them with glitter paint as well as glow-in-the-dark stickers.





Chrysalis Design Studio



Whoever said storage has to be boring and functional? It’s all about getting your inner child out to play - and winning the approval of your kids in the process!

Love our expert tips on managing storage for your children's room? Tell us which tip you liked most on Twitter and Instagram @DiscernLiving.