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From bookcases to rugs, there is a 'how to' for everything that makes sense to make your life easier. Over the years we've learned a few tips that you may find helpful in your home - here are some of our favourites! How to fold clothing to keep them tidy It may be traditional to lay folded items on top of each other. However, professional organizers use a different method called file folding which means that you fold everything upright.  This will prevent your kids from rummaging and allow them to see all of their items at once in their kids drawers.  How to style a bookcase like a professional stylist Begin by mixing up the contents of your childrens bookcase to include books but trophies, trinkets and constructions ie.lego. Use the top shelves to arrange the SPECIAL things and take your time to display them. Play around with different heights and mix up the books with other items so it is visually pleasing (as your eye will be drawn to these levels first). As long the top shelves look eye-catching and neat, the state of the rest of the bookcase will not be so obvious.  A simple way to tidy kid's bedrooms Our 101 tip for tidying a kid's room is simple - and NOTHING should be on the floor. When items are on the floor and jammed in corners, the room looks cluttered. There are many ways to avoid the floor but one of the simplest solutions is to utilise the wall space to hang things up. The humble HOOK is all you need to hang items such as jackets, hats and bags and in a set of 3, they create a feature that looks good as well. A simple way to HIDE mess from nosey neighboursThis tip is done with a sleight of hand and not much else. Reconfigure the room so that your kid's messiest wall, ie. the kids desk space (where they love to dump stuff), is behind you as you look in. We suggest putting the BED in the most visible place so that, once the bed is made and as you glance in, the room will appear tidy. We call this BLIND SPOTTING. Arrange your kid's bookcase in colour combinations This is so quick and easy and does not take any skill at all - you could even get the kids to help you. We have found also that kids are inclined to put the books back, after use, with their same colours as it's visually pleasing. Also, if you wanted to take this one step further, you could also arrange the books in height order either ascending or descending.

Moving your child from a cot to a bed can be a challenging experience for both parents and children. However, with a few simple tips, the transition can be made smoothly and without any anxiety. Tip #1Involve your child in the process of sourcing their new big kids bed. Take your child shopping with you and let them view different bed and bedroom furniture options. However, keep the options limited to 1-2 to avoid confusion. By involving them in the process, they will feel excited and anticipate the arrival of their new kids' bed. Discuss the purchase and the shopping experience until it arrives to build excitement and anticipation in your child. Tip #2When transitioning to a new bedroom, it's important to keep a few of their current belongings to maintain consistency and ensure a smoother transition. Keeping key pieces such as their favourite toy, comforting night light, or mobile can remind them that they are still in a familiar environment and keep them comforted. To avoid confusion, limit the number of options and ask them what they would like to keep. A baby teddy is always a great choice and can help soothe any anxiety they may have about the move. Tip #3Reward your child for this big brave move from cot to bed. Throw a "big bed party" to celebrate their transition from a baby to a big kid. This can be an emotional time for both the parent and the child, as the era of being a "baby" is over. However, keeping the celebration positive and joyful can make the most of this transition. Tip #4 Purchase something simple and stylish. When buying children’s furniture, it's important to think about the long-term. Ask yourself if you can imagine your child using this item when they're 2 years old or 22 years old. To avoid a major changeover, look for enduring design and quality-built furniture. Our philosophy is that you should be able to purchase a kid’s bed, for instance, that is built to last that, with a few dress changes can transition your child throughout their growing year. Further, if you also select a timeless and versatile design, you'll get more value for your money and your child will have a stylish room that can grow with them. Tip #5Purchase Quality Furniture for Kids. Kids are energetic and love to jump on beds, even though it's a big no-no in our house (but I still know it happens). While high-quality furniture may cost more initially, it will pay off in the long run as you won't have to replace it down the line. When purchasing, look for a good warranty that covers any structural breakdown within a specific period. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to teach your kids about responsible purchasing and the importance of caring for the environment. Investing in long-term key pieces such as a bed, bedside table, and chest of drawers can create a stable environment for your child to grow up in. While they can update their bedding, walls, and floors to suit their age and changing needs, having durable and sturdy furniture can provide a retreat at the end of a hard day. Tip #6Talk it up. The transition from baby to big boy/girl is a significant milestone for your child, and it's important to recognize the impact it may have on them. You can use a puppet or a children's book on this subject to help you discuss it with your child. You'll be surprised at what your child might share with a puppet that they might not normally share with you. This approach worked wonders for me! Tip #7Shopping for Fun Items. This tip is all about buying fun items like kids bedding, cushions, lamps, lights, artwork, and rugs for the floor. It's a great opportunity to encourage your kids' personalities to shine, especially if they didn't have a say in choosing their bed/furniture. Talk to your child about the colour scheme and include their favourite colour or a theme, like animals or ballerinas, that they would like to have. This will give you a framework to design your room around. It's a good idea to make this a separate outing from buying the furniture, as trying to do both at the same time may be too overwhelming for toddlers.

Lilly & Lolly work with talented interior designers across Australia.One of our Sydney based designers, Amy Smith from Smith & Co. Interiors created this amazing shared bedroom for Miss 4 and Miss 7.Read below how she created this gorgeous eye-popping space! About Amy...I’ve always loved textiles and design, prior to interiors I studied and worked in the clothing industry in Melbourne. Returning to my hometown of Brisbane in 2009 compelled me to leave the rag trade and I found myself in a national décor role, developing and selling building products for an acrylic manufacturer. I have been able to hone my skills and assist clients....and achieve spaces they love to live in. At this stage my husband (a builder) and I started renovating and selling our own properties. This process sparked my real interest in interiors and appreciate how important effective lighting, colours, shapes and design is to a space. Through further studies, I have been able to hone my skills and assist clients streamline the design process and achieve spaces they love to live in. What draws you to design spaces for kids? Creativity and imagination can be limitless when designing a kid’s room. I love being able to mix a variety of colours and patterns, tailoring it to each child’s personality and interests. What Amy says about this room... Created for two sweet sisters (Miss 4 and Miss 7) sharing a room for at least the next 12 months. The bedroom already had built in robes and was approximately 3.4 x 4m in size. The clients were after something girly but sophisticated enough to still inspire them into their early teenage years. When designing kids bedrooms what is important to you...Not to be overwhelming. There’s a fine line between injecting playfulness whist not being chaotic. Everyone wants their child to feel safe and ultimately calm when they put them to bed at night. Too much clutter does not promote restfulness for little people, so we always want a space that is soft and relaxing for children. What are the current trends for kid's bedrooms?Happy to say we are seeing less whimsical and pastels. Bunk beds are very popular and a great way to create extra space for a desk or beanbag. Universally kids love seeing their own art or awards on display in their rooms, so pinboards or bookcases continue to be integrated. Is it important to create a space that kid's can grow in?Yes and no. Client’s are realistic with the different stages their children and therefore their rooms will go through. We always like to get some longevity out of larger investment pieces like beds and drawers, however decorative elements will be interchangeable and adapt as their child matures and their interests change. Room features: Lilly & Lolly's King Single Beds (Charlie Upholstered Bed | Augustus fabric) & Charlie Bedsides (Whitewash). If you want to have a beautifully designed space for your kids contact Amy Smith. studio@smithandcointeriors.com.au Photography @jacquelinewhytephotographer  

Dreaming of days at the beach? There is nothing more to look forward to than going to the beach with your children. So if you're into the relaxed lifestyle of surfing and swimming, here is some awesome new artwork to adorn your kid's interiors to keep them dreaming about all the joy that coastal living can bring. InspirationThis kids' bedroom look came from the clients passion for water. We choose a colour palette wth cool blue and olive layers interspersed with the warm sandy natural tones of timber to reflect the beachside. We wanted to create a relaxed look so that the room felt like you were on holidays - every day!The Design BriefThis bedroom was designed for a young man who loves water. Playing water polo at school, squad training daily and surfing on the weekend, he's what you would call 'a water baby'. The natural linen duvet is the perfect combination with the charcoal upholstered bed, creating a pleasing contrast. The finishing touch of the Solano striped throw delivered all the colours of the room to complete the look. The fabric choice for the bed Alluvian colour Stovall. Artwork We added the perfect finishing touch to this space with this unique circular print on canvas. This design is printed on premium canvas and finished with a slim synthetic timber-look aluminium frame. Longboard Framed Canvas Circle.  

We have been assisting parents for over 20 years with products, design and ideas to make kid's rooms the best they can be. Here are our 3 TOP tips around some of the issues that parents need help with the most. TIP 1: TRICK FOR MESSY ROOMSQUESTION #1 "When I walk past my kid's bedrooms they look so messy, so I close the door. How can I set up the rooms so that the mess is not on show?'SOLUTION #1 You need be tactical to create a space where kids can be kids without their play impacting on the presentation of their room. Our TRICK is so simple where you utilise the room's 'BLIND SPOT'. A  blind spot is the wall behind you as you look or walk into the room. Whilst not completely hidden, this wall allows you to put the messy things like a desk, dolls house, lego table or craft table behind your line of sight, leaving the rest of the room to appear impressively tidy! TIP 2: COLOUR TIPSQUESTION#2"How do I choose colours for my kid's room so that it looks cohesive? I am not sure what to do as my child loves so many colours and has a lot of colourful toys?"SOLUTION #2When considering a colour palette for your child our TIP is to ask your child to share their favourite colour. It is then up to you to either get advice or to play around with additional colours by adding a complimentary colour plus a neutral (such a matching tone, grey, black, white, beige, ivory or cream), being 3 colours in total. To do this easily, head to Bunnings or a paint shop as the colour swatches are free and there is so much to choose from. If your child has chosen a bright colour, we suggest that this is featured in the room as an accent colour with cushions and artwork so that it does not dominate the space. If you have other items in the room, which do not coordinate your ideal colour palette, and your child insists on keeping them, place these items in the BLIND SPOT area (see Tip #1). TIP 3: SMALL ROOM TIPSQUESTION #3"My kids have so much clutter and we are further overwhelmed at birthdays and Christmas with  toys etc., do you have any ideas on how I can stay on top of it all because my kid's rooms are small?"SOLUTION #3Traditionally kids rooms are the smallest rooms in a house and easily get out of hand. To get organised, we suggest you compartmentalise the smaller items into baskets and boxes by sorting them into categories such as lego, Sylvanian Families, cars, craft etc. and, where possible, label them. Once sorted, these are perfect for filling up a bookcase, for easy access, so your kids are not pulling everything out to find that one piece. For the larger items, you can either use a toy box (with lid) or baskets so items are are neatly stashed away. Our biggest TIP is to utilise your walls by installing hooks and/or floating bookcases. We believe as a rule that nothing belongs the floor so wall hooks are perfect for bags, jackets, hats, scarves etc. Alternatively, floating bookcases and shelves allow you to get bigger items up off the floor and neatly packed away.