Ex-clean Home Makeover

Someday soon-ish, we'll need to revamp my favorite spot in the house in order to house children because our roomy mansion only has two bedrooms.  I like having all those common areas downstairs, and I'm regularly reminded of the practical blessing of having more common living areas than sleeping areas when we host, but the day is coming when we'll have to get creative with our upstairs.  (Those of you who've successfully housed nine children in one room show that it can be done, and done well.  You can laugh at my dilemma of giving my newly cleaned, pet landing over to bunkbeds.)

For now, the spring decluttering of the bedrooms did what it always did, and is enough.  What? When we make beds every morning, the blankets don't cover the floor?  What?  All the books fit on the bookshelves again so they don't cover the floor?  What?  Folding clothes in the drawers makes them fit better so they don't cover the floor?  What?  We have a RUG in here?!  (All perpetual lessons.)





Someday soonish, too, I should get around to decorating and painting their room.  We've only lived here five years.





In lieu of her own room, Millie got a new shelf and stuffed animal hammock.







She thinks it's almost as good.







Susie and Annie made do with their old hammocks, but I've promised them bags in which to hang their bedtime reading when the lights must go out.





Piper was over the moon when I gave her Millie's old shelf.  (Is that writing on the wall?  PIPER!)






I love those few weeks after we clean when the novelty of having everything in its place makes the whole space seem new again.  The children gravitate to these areas and put them to good use, and, then, before we know it, the rug has disappeared again!

I suppose instead of turning the landing into a bedroom, John and I could just give up our room.  I know of at least two girls who wish we would...