6 Steps to a Room Makeover

6 Steps to a Room Makeover

it's easy to get stuck in the same old routine every day: school, homework, activities — blah. If you feel like you need some inspiration and a change of scene, do it right in the comfort of your home. You can magically transform your everyday mood with a makeover for your bedroom!

1. First Things First: Talk To Your Parents

You’re growing up and you now have the chance express your interests in your personal space. Before you make changes to your room, get your parents involved. They may have some fun ideas and can help you pull it all together (including the labor of painting!). Let them know about your plans and maybe they can take you out shopping for some new additions to your décor or bedding!

2. Search Around for Ideas

There are a lot of resources to determine what you want for your room. Home catalogs, decorating websites, room makeover magazines, home improvement TV shows and furniture store circulars from the Sunday paper are all great for inspiration. Tear out the different pages, make copies or capture the online images you like. It’ll be a great place to start!

Also, be sure you’re not missing anything right under your nose. Go through your own belongings, things in storage and look around the house for items your family isn't using. Sometimes the best new things are actually quite old! Shop your attic, garage or storage area, and ask friends and family if they have things that may work well with your theme. Not only will you get free stuff, you'll also be able to include items from people you care about. It can make your room even more cozy and personal for you.

3. Pick a Theme

Perhaps you have a passion for a sport or have a favorite color you’d like to integrate into your room. Maybe you like to be motivated by your favorite band or actor. If you don't have a theme idea in mind, take a look at all the items you want to include in your room and see what works well together. Also create a list of things that energize you — things you would like to surround yourself with every day.

Still stumped? Try one of these ideas: world travel, nature, music, retro fun, beach waves, or favorites (your favorite hobby or your favorite color or pattern). Picture how you’ll represent it, what the space would look like and what resources are needed to put the look together.

4. Plan out the Space

A well-planned out space will help you enjoy it. You'll need an area to sleep, a mirror and an area to get dressed, a well-lit place to do homework and read, and if possible, a cozy area to call your own. If you share a room, or if your room is very small, your bed can do the duty of many areas if you plan well!

5. Get the OK

Run your ideas by your parents. You may want to present your collage of inspiration photos you’ve collected to give them a better sense of your vision. Also have a good idea for how much time and money it will take to bring your vision to life. They may have some additional resources, ideas or add rules to follow. The ideas can add up, so you need to be reasonable with your plan and expect that you may need to change your plans. For example, it is difficult to cover up dark paint colors, and you’re not going to be in your room forever. Your parents will be thinking about future options and how much they can invest in this project. Be prepared with standby ideas: If you can't repaint the walls, can you pin up flags, wall art or other wall coverings instead?

6. Work to Transform Your Room

Once you have approval from your parents, get to work to make your plan come to life. Ask mom to go shopping with you and recruit a friend to help move things around. Maybe everyone in your family can help paint the room together. For hanging items like pictures, mirrors or curtains, ask your parents for help. Maybe they can show you how to do it!