ADHD HOME DECOR | ADHD Information
Well, it sounds like I'm not alone here. I love the mess hiding color schemes. We need to start a real life decorating show
Anyone w/ good ideas for adhd kids rooms? Ways to organize/hide clutter?
For dd's room I bought a 12 bin organizer that sits on a shelf. It has 12 plastic bins that are brightly colored, and everything has its home. Barbie's go in 1 bin, lip gloss, hair stuff, in another, so on. We had a toy box previous, that everything would just get thrown into. I like the bin's much better. For the most part dd put the stuff away in the bins where they go. I just put it in her closet.We should start a book on proper ADHD decor and use the money to pay our children's medical bills!! I have brown leather chairs and a red leather couch and very old coffee and end tables in wood. Tile floors except in the bedrooms (but we couldn't afford anything else). Lots of big plastic bins. Cream walls that have a lot of plaster missing in places and lots of gop on the ceilings from thrown sticky men and balls.
Strange collections in my ADHD son's bedroom. His latest is pencil shavings in plastic bags.
We have a bin organizer in the basement. I might pull it out and try it. The bins just kept getting dumped before and I was the one keeping it organized.
My 5 yr ds who has the adhd dx has a small bedroom connected to ours. You have to walk through ours to get into his. So alot of his toys migrate into my room. He has light yellow walls which I thought would be so cute when he was an infant. But now they just look dirty from all of the marks. Right now there is a lifesize drawing of ds and the dog in crayon on the wall. Thinking about just putting an empty frame over it . I can't bring myself to scrub it off- he was just so proud
. Luckily there are wood laminate floors there because there is no way I could keep carpet clean.
My 12yr ds has the bigger room and he is keeping it cleaner now than when younger. But he hoards food and snacks so that causes a problem. Maybe I should just get him a dorm room fridge (ha ha).
Has anyone put chalk board paint on their childs wall? That would solve the drawing on the wall problem.
lol i had the bins in my 2 younger kids rooms but i got sick of picking them up daily. they thought it was more fun to play let's dump everything out of the bins, then anything. so finally i just did away with the bins. :)
lol isn't it funny how we are all so similar in many ways. i have very little breakable out and what i do have is up high. but i do have nice pictures on the walls and things like that. i just can't decorate my end tables, coffee table etc with anything. i have a candle holder that holds 15 decent size candles, and i have round ones on it right now, and they are beat to heck cause my kids think that its fun to roll them across the floor and everything else, so i refuse to replace them. :) but my coffee table is actually one of those really big square ones, and one half of the top opens up for storage so if someone pops in everything goes flying in there. :)
i remember as a kid we weren't allowed toys anywhere but our bedroom, i swore i would never do that to my kids, now i'm constantly tripping over them and stepping on them in the middle of the night. legos & hot wheels and thomas trains really hurt on bare feet. lol
edbson,
great idea!!! I think I'll get some butcher paper today
I had to smile reading this. It sounds alot like the way our house used to be. When my kids were very little they ran the show. I had a favorite wall art that Lilly drew when she was 2. It was on the bath room door molding. I wanted to take it with me when we moved but I couldn't. It'd be kinda hard removing a piece of molding and trying to explain that to the new owners. I used to cover their bed room walls with paper too. Our favorite decorating tools were band aides and tape
Our Situation right now is quite different. We live at my inlaws. The kids share a room. They have those decale things on the wall in their beds and Gavin likes to rearrange them. We first had pirates but after the majority of them lost most of their arms, legs and some heads we replaced them with wildlife. Our basement rec room where we spend the most time is an olive green, tile floors, washable throw rugs and I futon that we have covered with a waterproof matress pad and a zip on futon cover in tan. It works well and its allso dog proof my inlaws have 3 fat labs. Unfortunatly we had to designate a toy corner in the recroom. The kids room was just too small for toys. There we have on display various paper creations and a Knex Helecopter and Windmill. Have fun they are only young once.
I love it!!...we've learned to adapt ourselves to our kids! It just makes life easier. Do want to refrain from killing your kid for being messy or do you want a elegant couch to sit on? Not a moral dilemma and yes another lesson in object detachment. "Things" just don't have as much importance as they used.
My lesson was learned when my son threw a dog toy straight up where it hit the ceiling fan which threw it clear across the room (high up and away from prying hands because I was so prepared to avoid damage) to my favorite souvenir from Turkey a beautiful blue glass water pipe with gilding ...which landed and broke into a gazillion pieces on my easy-to-clean tile floors. That's when I started separating myself from things. That no matter what efforts I may choose to make to protect tangibles they can still be lost/broken/burned so let them go. They are not me....yada,yada,yada. I was so despondent I've let the glass water pipe stay broken on the floor behind the well hidden corner of the entertainment system. Nobody can reach it unless they move the hundred pound ent. system. Its a constant reminder that we're not defined by our things but by the love we have and share.
Does anyone else have a son that empties a microwave popcorn into a drawer next to their bed and snack from it? I stay away from the top bunk bed..thats like a biohazard area and I'd need a "bunny suit" to anywhere near it.
Yeah we did the bin things, DD used them to make a tower and jumped off of it...that meant an ER visit. No more bins. < =text/>_popupControl(); I have slowly gotten rid of most knick knacks, because they get broken AND I hate to dust. When we replaced our sofa, I picked out a greenish-brownish fabric with a nap, so when my son wipes his hands on it while eating, it doesn't show. We use our labrador as an excuse not to replace the old carpet, because his nails will snag it now and then. People really understand that more than,"My son spills." Which brings me to my best mess hider: white grape juice! Seriously, no stain!!! Because of our mess-hiding color scheme (golden beige carpet, "rye grass" paint, brownish/greenish and cranberry sofas) our home looks very contemporary and somewhat stylish. If people only knew how that look came together!!!I have one wall in each room painted Cranberry, except DD's room which is a funky sky blue and white stripe( don't ask, not my idea) the rest are white, with Beige trim. Except in the dining room, it is beige wainscotting, then white on top.
Dh hates it, but I am a DIYer, and he never knows what will be changed when he gets home.
I have found that semi gloss paint scrubs alot better than flat, and MR clean eraser will get anything off of anything. ( it got blue sharpie off my white walls)
My maroon walls hide the dirt and go very well with the brown and tan everything else!
I was just happy when we moved into this house that the hardwood floors were already scratched up. I spent so much time in the old house trying to keep them nice and now I don't have to worry about it. When the kids grow up I'll get them refinished and buy new furniture. For now the hand-me-down couchs will do.
My house is very kid-friendly too. No carpet. I love it!! It seems like marks show up on the walls no matter what the color though (unless you want to paint everything black??)
We have lots of color, though. We like bright, colorful artwork, including a lot that was created by my kids at various ages that we framed and hung up. Maybe that might be a way to brighten things up at your house??
I love HGTV, and it can be inspiring, but sometimes it's ridiculous, like when they shove all the kids toys into cabinets and then put out all kinds of breakable decorative items.
Our house is FAR from perfect, and there is always a lot of room for improvement, but I'm happy with it; it reflects who we are.
Right now as I look around my house I realize that alot of my "decorating " choices have come about as a result of #1 having 2 boys and #2 having an adhd 5yrold.
I got tired of all of the dirty marks on the walls a couple of yrs ago and decided to paint the white walls a caramel color (to hide the dirty marks). Yes, I do not really like to house clean. Later, we had to replace the couch that the boys broke by jumping on, so I bought a brown one. Then we had to replace the carpeting because of all of the stains and goop on it so we got laminate floors. They help w/allergies too. Now I look around and I am sooooo depressed . Every thing is brown. What did I get myself into?? I need color!!!!!
My dining is brown and tan wall paper. My kitchen , which is better, is cabin red. I kind of revolted and went wild in there.
There are currently 3 train sets set up (very intricately) on the floor. How could I put them away when ds worked so hard and so long to put them together.....So we just walk over them.
I don't have any knick knacks currently because they were getting broken so much. I have a few things set up high.
Now I am not complaining, these things were my choices. I just didn't realize how bland things had gotten until I happened upon HG TV this morning......
lol.
My livingroom is a brown color, my furniture is black leather, my floors are laminate. we've completely redone our entire house took all the carpet out of everyroom but our bedroom. I don't know that its very drab, but i agree we've changed so many things to accomodate our wild and rowdy kids.
Thanks for replying, HGTV makes me feel like I should be doing better.
I did put out the easter bunnies this year.....I hope they don't get broken.
you guys are great! I'm not ungrateful for my home . I think I am just ready for some springtime sunshine.
Our house has always been kid friendly too. We have a train table for our coffee table!
I like the idea about framing the kids art. I actually have some old fashioned metal cabinets (1940's) in the kitchen that we use as our art display area. But I was thinking of putting an empty frame OVER the recent crayon drawing (big) in my ds room. I know it's crazy, but I am proud of that drawing. His ability to express himself in an organized detailed way has improved drastically since starting meds 2 months ago.
I am up for any ideas to brighten my home as long as they are child friendly.
DD spent a cold rainy weekend building a bridge and ferris wheel out of Knex. The bridge is about 12 feet long, and stretches from one end of my living room to the other. The ferris wheel is roughly 5 feet tall, and actually works.
I know what you mean about aking their things apart, I just cannot do it.
I have no carpet, got tired of cleaning spills so I installed laminate myself earlier this year, No pretty furniture here, it is tan micro seude and easy to clean. I did however revolt and my wallas are white, beige and cranberry.
I am something of a "neat freak" so I am constantly cleaning something, and my kids know I won't let a messy bedroom stay that way..........maybe that is why they are slobs?
How did you do three colors on your walls? My house is tan,green, cranberry....
That sounds so pretty.
I used to be a neat freak but I guess I have been converted by my husband and children. If you can't beat em, join em.....
Brown leather sofa here too! Easy to clean. Speaking of HGTV...the bathrooms are done like a "spa". Mine has a basket of "wrestlers" and "boats" instead of lotions and my towels certainly don't match. Our Bath towels are the pool towels that we use in the summer, Nemo and other characters. I know exactly how you feel. We would actually probably need new stuff but I keep saying I will "buy something nice when the kids are older". You know what though? We are accomodating our kids and they will probably remember their childhood differently than I remember mine. We couldn't TOUCH anything. We couldn't be kids. My mother goes nuts when she comes to my house and the boys are throwing a football (nerf) in the house and palying with playdough and moon sand! And as to the train...There are lego houses in my house that we are also stepping over because I don't have the heart to take them apart. There's my color!
[QUOTE=Wyatt's Mom]Brown leather sofa here too! [/QUOTE] Forgot to say we have those too! And my son is 15 and has outgrown the legos, but we had lots of lego "decor" for many years too.
wyatts mom,
yes, it is called chalk board paint. It comes in green and black. I painted my 12yr olds door w/ black chalk board paint and whenever his friends come over they can leave messages.
I think painting the wall or a big square on the wall in 5yr olds room would be neat.
It may come in other colors now, just check hardware stores.
One Heart- I agree about attatchment to things. I only have things that are useful or I love very very much.
My 12yr old ds top bunk became so cluttered that he decided to remove it. Now he has a single bed. His room looks much more serene.
we have a local coffee shop that painted their walls w/brown chalk board paint. They let people write their names and messages and such.I live in the frat house, which is what I call it since I am the only female in the house. I used to ask their opinions but they never had one. So now, I make the color chioces and they have to live with them. They did object to the pinky/peachy hallway. It is sage green now.
We made a chalkboard for my son with the chalkboard paint and a half a sheet of luan. (Which is thin plywood, quarter of an inch or thinner.) Trimmed it with 1x2 boards and screwed to the wall. We loved it.
I used to have a tub filled with legos. Now we have bionacles or parts of them all through the house. I will say that stepping on legos in the middle of the night has cause some loud outbursts, nothing repeatable. But, we did Barbie high heels before the boy.
My house filled with color. We have 5 shades of green, 3 shades of brown and soon lavender (Mom's choice) in the bathroom. I have plans to do the kitchen in green, purple and white. It used to be dingy yellow, from hubby's grandmother's day. I have the cabinets a green callled Punk Rock (love that name) . One wall will be purple (dining end) and the remaining walls will be white. I grew up in boring white and beige. Nothing boring in my house now!
My den is a manly tan color. We used an oriental rug that blue, red, and gold to add color, but anything with a pattern would work. Big plus, the pattern hides the stains. (Area rugs are cheap too. You can pick up a 5'x7' for less than 0.) We also have lots of art on the walls. I have paintings done by the kids and myself covering the walls.
I love color and paint is the cheapest way to decorate. When it starts looking bad, I just patch, prime and paint a new color. For less than you can have a new room.
Who says that ADHD decorating has to be dull and boring?
This is a great thread. If I was to design a house for parents with ADHDers...there would have to be enough space "up" for every valued possession the
child owns. I have had every toy he has up on top of the entertainment
center or bookcase, with post-its on each item saying when he gets it back,
or what it will take to earn it. There would of course have to be an excellent
hiding place for mom's chocolate. The kitchen, bathroom, and front door
would all have to be within fifteen feet, and eye contact could be maintained
so that a constant stream of commands could be directed at the child on
school mornings. ("Shoe time. Get your shoes. Shoes. SHOES." etc.) Of
course kleenex boxes and trash cans every five feet. And then there would
be a special Time-Out area, I'm thinking sound-proof glass and a nailed
down straight-back chair...
When I first posted this topic I worried that it might seem flippant w/all of the other more serious problems we parents and our children face. But I thought that the space we live in affects our lives and emotional outlook as well as our families - so it is important.
I live in a very small house. 1000 sq feet (that includes up and down stairs). Sometimes we all feel like we are on top of ea. other. But at other times it is a blessing not to have to clean a big house. Honestly though, I would trade for some more space.
Spring is coming here in VA. We have planted the peas. Mulched the flower beds. And getting ready to plant a small "victory garden" w/ our kids. We are outside as much as possible in the good weather and sunshine.
Also, we can keep our curtains open more and let the sunshine in
I am hoping that a good old fashioned spring cleaning will help my outlook too. A clean house does wonders for the soul.
Something else I keep hearing is that a well ordered environment and not overstimulating helps adhd kids.
Being ADHD means you have a hard time letting go of things. I collect paper every where. I am lucky to a non-gifted daughter that can be downright brutal in her cleaning. I have her come and help me stay on track during major cleanings.
I am at that point where I want to purge again.
Oh the ceiling!!!!!!! I forgot about the finger prints on the ceiling in the stairway and the hallway.(His excuse was because he has gotten tall enough to reach it.) He won't be putting finger prints on the ceilings in the other rooms, we have 10 foot ceilings on the first floor. But, then he might just find a way to do it. Nothing would surprise me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My son has a couch in his room that has been shredded. Who did it? I dunno!!! How did this happen? I dunno!!!!!! We keep a blanket over it now. I will not replace it.
My son has a birthmark high on his right forehead, an Angel Kiss. We have keep his bangs long to cover it up. When he was about 3, he cut his bangs almost to the scalp because the hair was in his eyes. The hairdresser did the best she could to fix it.
I just rembered another funny story involving markers. I was working over the summer and my mother in law watched the kids for us. (we live with her). I had to make a few stops on my way home and so I got home a little later then normal. The kids greeted my with the usuall MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I gave my daughter a kiss(nonadhder) and went to kiss my son(adhder). I noticed that he had marker in his hair on his face hands and nails. Stunned I said to the two of them what happen. My dd replied I was giving Gavin a makeover. She had drawn long hair Black, painted his nails with the marker and gave him marker makeup. Because my son is older I asked why did he allow Lilly to that. He said he got bored waiting for me. The makers are now banished from their room. I wonder what my mother in law was doing. I never did ask. Arent kids great. I have other marker stories like the time they drew me a lovely self portriat on my newly painted yellow walls. Thank goodness for strattegicly placed pictures .
Oh I had to laugh when I saw this topic.I been staring at stained walls for awhile now I went through the process
with that magic eraser several times now. I have a lighter beige/tan on
most of our walls thinking of moving to a darker shade. However, have
not committed to anything holding out hope once a full year goes by
without a mark then I will try new paint. I had hoped the lovely artwork
would have stopped by now but no, however, it has slowed. The wall
markings are also moving to our couch, throw pillows and even the
carpet. No matter how many times I have hidden the sharpie, thrown it
away she always finds it. My little one who is 6 with ADHD is the newest
budding artist.
Now I had the same problem with her older sister when she was about
that age though she was so close in age with her older brother we had a
hard time telling who did it until she decided her name would look good
life size. -BINGO-
I recently bought a white board that lasted about two weeks before it completely fell from the wall frame busted. I might be interested in the
calk board paint but at this point I trying to re-enforce the paper is for
art concept and have bought a case of old computer paper.
I had bins too in her room, and they are all gone. Most every toy has
been banished to the garage she now has a small drawer of toys by her
bed. I have found so many countless food wrappers, popsicles, cheese
stick wrappers and left overs in her room as we are cleaning behind and
under things. It drives me crazy. I can relate to the popcorn drawer story.
I can only rejoice that she hasn't thought of that yet. That pudding we use
for sprinkling her medicine in has been found on her bedroom wall, bed,
bedding and inside her headboard cabinet with spoon sticking out.
Yuck...
I have almost given up on a super clean house.
My standards are not what they used to be.
We are on our fourth couch! (A leather Brown sectional: Surprise)
The mini van of couches I guess.
My one thought is to let them help paint a wall when I do commit in
hopes they wont want to destroy there painting.
My living room walls are "eddie bauer home" from lowes, the color is caramel. Our new couch is brown. They dont show dust and dirt but the marks, food smears and handprints show. My standards have gone down too. But I keep reminding myself that they are only kids once. I have started to try to brighten my home up some for spring with a few pictures and knick knacks (unbreakable).
I am still thinking about chalk board paint in ds room, but like Charstar I am also trying to reinforce marking only on paper......
I am really not complaining, just venting a little and trying to come up with some home brighteners.
The kitchen is barn red w/white cabinets!! I am making some headway.
We don't have popcorn drawer but food is a big issue. We made the rule that you could not take food upstairs but who listens. I hate going upstairs because I just get angry. Dishes, empty containers, peanut butter jars, chips bags and cans on the floor.
I had a blow-up last week and WE (my son and I) did a major cleaning of his room. I am happy to say that it has stayed pretty clean. I think there are some clothes on the floor. We completed the cleaning with a full garabage can full of stuff to go out. I think we need to do a major sort of his toys, there are things he has that he doesn't play with anymore and they have become clutter.
We went through the drawing stage. I have Sharpie drawing on my trim in the dining room, on the bathroom walls and Lord knows where else. Primer will cover it but it take a couple of coats. I can say it gets better, at 12 he has stopped drawing on everything.
Have you had any scissors problems? We went through major cutting period. He would cut his clothes, sheets, furniture, and of course paper.
Now we need to tackle the landing where the computer is. That may be today's project after I do the taxes (Homework from my husband).
Ahh yes Scissors!! DD has cut her hair more than twice, most noteably last year she decided she wanted shorter hair and bobbed it, cue unhappy mommy.. But we've had an issue with scissors in this house, the sheets as well, cutting open stuffed animals, I still find things with cut marks in them. I have since put all the scissors in a very high place that I know she can't get to. If for some reason she needs them for homework I make sure I do the cutting!!
Scissors?????? hahahahahaha. We had brother give sister a haircut, the curtains and drapes had 'shapes' cut in them, eyelashes cut off.
The best was the three decided to draw life size pictures of themselves with sharpies on the walls. We used them for a few years to measure growth :)
Magic erasers are great!!! I use them for walls, sinks, floors (stuck on food). I can't get onto the ceiling to try to get the sticky balls and frog goo off, though.