Are you in need of space in your children's rooms? If you are like most modern families the answer is a huge Y-E-S! It seems that in our modern society the proliferation of stuff is almost out of control. This is largely a result of the industrial revolution finding cheap labor in Asia, particularly China. Children are able to have a huge abundance of nice things and yet we have not figured out what to do with all of it. The exceptionally large number of children's toys, in particular, has led to a problem that generations before us seldom, if ever, have had to deal with. Where do we put all of this stuff? Modern homes are often larger, and American families are often smaller, than their ancestors and yet kids' things take up far more room than they ever did before. Most of us never had to deal with this kind of abundance as children, so it is largely a new problem. The answer lays in the old adage 'a place for everything and everything in its place'. It is up to us as adults to give kids a place for everything that we provide them so when we tell them to clean up their rooms, they know what we mean, and they can.

The answer is to find unconventional or under-used places to put things. Bunk beds, loft beds and trundle beds can offer a great deal of relief to this crowding. These furnishings are not a new concept, yet they are certainly more efficient than conventional beds. They are an old solution to a modern problem. Bunk beds and their kin, like bookcases, offer ways to convert horizontal space to vertical and free up huge amounts of floor space.

If you are bothered by the safety aspects of stacking beds on top of each other, then let me reassure you that modern bunk beds are far safer already then they ever were before. New designs are constantly invented, and government regulations ensure that the beds made adhere to the highest safety standards. If that isn't convincing enough, then let me offer a bit of personal evidence. I have six children, myself, all of whom sleep in bunk beds and yet I've never had a single accident. Well, at least not any bunk bed related accidents. Kids will be kids.

If you're still with me, then lets take another look at the problem of finding storage space. Almost any bed has extra storage space under it, which you may or may not already be using. Generally speaking, the average children's bed has some 20 cubic feet of space beneath it. That's as large as a small closet. The best way to make use of this space is not simply to stuff things in there willy-nilly, although of course you could do that, but rather to buy a set of storage drawers. Take of the lids you won't need them under the bed) and try to get some with wheels, if you can, for easier access. So take a tape measure, find the exact dimensions of your under bed space, and then head down to your local Wal-Mart and buy a pile of boxes. This is the easiest way to use the space, and the best solution if you don't have time to do anything in more detail. If you do, on the other hand, then I would suggest you go take a look at http://www.bunkbedsunlimited.com/. They have some good articles on how to make the best use of this space.

Loft beds free up the entire space that one twin bed takes and make it available for other furniture like dressers, chests of drawers, sofas, daybeds, futons, desks, dollhouses and the list goes on. Sometimes a loft bed can seemingly work a miracle in an overcrowded room.

Let's take a typical kids room with two twin beds, two chests and toys everywhere. With a bunk bed you can put both beds in the footprint now occupied by one twin bed and neatly tuck away 20 cubic feet of toys in storage drawers beneath the lower bunk. The toys are not out of reach. If your storage boxes have wheels, the kids can pull them out easily and they now have a place for their things.

In addition to the above reasons, there is another point you might want to consider. Kids love bunk beds! Every child loves to climb, and the thought of sleeping above the ground makes their bed just plain exciting. Sleeping can become an adventure.

If you are currently thinking you might buy a bunk bed, then I urge you to consider carefully what kind you get. Don't just go out and buy the cheapest, because in something like this, quality is important. You want a strong and sturdy bed, that will last you for a while and survive all the rough play that children's furniture has to put up with. Don't just buy the most expensive one, either though, instead look for something that exactly meets your needs. If you're worried about cost, you could try getting a bunk bed kit, that will give you a good family project to work on while being cheaper then something ready assembled. Check out http://www.bunkbedsunlimited.com/. They have some excellent suggestions, with simple plans and very good prices on a variety of different designs. Including some rather unusual ones.

In conclusion, when approaching the problem of space in kids' rooms, arm yourself with the knowledge of what is available and then do some patient planning. You might need to just stand there and imagine awhile. Provide children with a place for everything and then you can reasonably expect them to put everything where it goes. Consider bunk beds, loft beds and trundle beds when you are making your plan and don't forget the space under the existing or new beds either. If you provide lots of space for all of their belongings and they still won't fit, you may need to get rid of some stuff. But that's another article.