This is the first post in a new category that I have created called “Room Tours”.  As an aspiring minimalist, I always enjoy seeing the homes of others, who are also trying to simplify their lives. So I’m sharing mine for people like me to enjoy.  If you’re a kindred spirit, you are someone who sees the benefits of living with less, and you are likely striving to pare your home down to the essentials. You may also live in a large home with a spouse and six children who do not have any interest in living with less, who are perfectly happy with things as they are, or may even think more is better.

First, I’ll share a little history of this room. Our home was custom built in 2006. This room (which I think is the largest bedroom in the house) first belonged to my two sons, Matthew and Joseph.  Eventually, Matthew moved down into the basement, and Joseph had this room to himself for a few years.  But this year, I moved Joseph into the room next door and gave this room to my three youngest children, who were sharing the smaller room that Joseph moved into.  Hannah wanted them each to have their own beds, which they do have now.  In fact, they each have their own space.

So this is Rachel’s bed, nightstand and dresser.  (Rachel is currently 12 years old.)

This is Hannah’s bed, nightstand and wardrobe.  (Hannah will be 10 soon.)

And this is Mary’s area.  (She is 7 years old.)  She stores her clothes and treasures in the three drawers below her bed.  Most of the things on the shelf belong to Mary and Hannah.

The girls have a walk-in closet which is mostly for toy storage.  There are a few dresses hanging in there, and their dirty clothes go in the laundry basket.

These bins store: Shopkins, Beanie Boos, blankets, slippers and more.

I encouraged the girls to get rid of items they no longer used or loved.  I let them keep whatever they really wanted to keep. We even went shopping for furniture together and bought the wall hangings, bins, lamps and doodads to go with our pink, gray, white and gold color scheme.  They loved that part of the move.  Rachel and Hannah LOVE to shop.  My main goal (that I reminded them of every day) was to assign a home to each and every item.  So far, that has made picking up the room quite easy.  They know where everything goes.

A place for everything,

And everything in its place.

I always put my toys away,

So I can find them another day.