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How to set up a toddlers first room and make both child and parents happy

Getting your own room is a big step for any child, as well as a dream come true. A whole room to just play in! But the fact is that a toddler seldom wants to play alone, so make sure there’s a comfy place for parents to sit as well, and a toddler walker that provides an easy way to bring some toys out and about to the rest of the home.

A toddler’s room with green clouds painted on the wall, GULLIVER cot in back, VALLABY rug and lots of toy cars on the floor.
A toddler’s room with green clouds painted on the wall, GULLIVER cot in back, VALLABY rug and lots of toy cars on the floor.

Create the perfect room for your toddler – check!

Make a list of all the things and activities there needs to be room for. When it comes to toddler’s rooms, the list can look like this:

• Sleep – check! Scroll down for tips on how to make the bed a safe and comfy place, both day and night.

• Storage – check! Storage for toys should be simple enough for the child to handle, and storage for clothes should be adaptable to fit growing needs.

• Play – check! Remember that most playing is done on the floor, so the toys should be kept within the child’s reach, and the floor must be comfortable.

• Light – check! Make sure the light is adjustable for different activities during the day.

• Safety – check! Above all and everything comes safety, of course.

A toddler’s room with green/white walls, GULLIVER cot, VALLABY rug and JÄTTESTOR soft toy elephant on the floor.

Let’s make every night a good night

When one side of GULLIVER cot is removed, any toddler knows it’s not a baby anymore! Having a room of its own is exciting in so many ways, so it’s nice to still have the security of the old cot.

With new bedding, an extra pillow and soft toy, the bed becomes a favourite place to hang out, not only to sleep in. A little FLISAT stool by the side provides a place to sit for BLÅVINGAD soft toy with night light.

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Close-up of GULLIVER cot made up with GRÖNFINK duvet cover and pillowcase, with FLISAT children’s stool next to it.
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How to shine the light on different activities

The light does as much for the atmosphere in a room as the furniture does. Switching the ceiling lamp on or off is only the beginning! From morning til’ night, different activities such as playing, reading, winding down or sleeping requires different settings, so make sure there are everything from a bright pendant lamp to cosy wall or table lamps.

Another source of light to consider is the window, which you can control even if you can’t turn the sunlight on or off. Let the light shine through sheer curtains, tone it down with darkening curtains or use block-out blinds for nights and mid-day naps.

At the end of a long and playful day it’s time to say good night to both each other, the soft toys and the room. After that, the comforting night light is the only lamp still shining.

Video: Video of turquoise octopus BLÅVINGAD soft toy with LED night light, turned on and off.

They will grow out of their clothes, but not their wardrobe.

Pretty much everything inside this wardrobe will change over the next coming years, but the wardrobe itself will remain. The interior is easy to adjust to fit the changing needs, and even the outside can be personalised with different types of handles, knobs and label holders.

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SMÅSTAD wardrobe with one door open to show clothes in neat order. A soft toy elephant squeezed between wall and wardrobe.
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Storage smart enough to grow and simple enough for a child to handle

TROFAST storage units are classics, some of them have already been around for a generation! The reason for its popularity is self-explanatory: It’s a system so simple that toddlers can take care of the organization themselves – yet so versatile that they will want to keep it through their entire childhood.

The height of this unit is perfect for toddlers, since they can use the top of it as a surface for play. The sturdy boxes are light and easy to pull out, so they can be carried around to different areas of the room. With a little luck, they are as easy to put back in when it’s time to tidy up. With different colours of the boxes, the organization gets even easier to keep track of.

Last but not least: As the child grows the plastic boxes can be replaced with mesh boxes instead, to suit the teenagers’ room. Then, as a bonus, the plastic boxes can be used as storage elsewhere, if you just add the lids that make them stackable!

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TROFAST storage unit with lots of toys both on top and in red/orange plastic boxes. A soft toy monkey leaning against it.
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Rugs are magic to those who spend most of their time on the floor

Let’s get down to the child’s level and focus on the floor! This is where any toddler spends most of its time, playing and discovering the world from the ground. A soft rug makes the floor a nicer place to be, and the design of this VALLABY rug makes it a natural part of the playing.

The JÄTTESTOR soft toy elephant is nice for both children and grown-ups to lean against, to make the floor even more comfortable. There are no limits to a child’s imagination, so make sure there’s always room for it to grow!

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Close-up of VALLABY rug with some toy cars and the big JÄTTESTOR soft toy elephant sitting by it.
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The play is on its way!

No toddler wants to play on its own, so make sure that the chosen toys for the moment easily can be moved to another room. UPPSTÅ toddler walker is happy to provide a ride for any stuffed friend or toy, as well as being a great support for the designated young driver. When it’s time to collect all toys from the rest of the home, UPPSTÅ will lead the toddler and all the little friends back to the room.

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UPPSTÅ toddler walker completely full of soft toys, with a green wall behind it and the VALLABY rug underneath.
See the UPPSTÅ series

Easy ways to keep curious minds safe and sound

Safety first! Let’s put a stop to accidents before they happen, and make sure that no sharp objects reach the sockets and no fingers get stuck in the door. PATRULL is a series of smart safety products that help keeping everyone safe, regardless of age. So yes, that door stop can come handy for teenager’s doors too…

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Close-up of FLISAT wall storage full of soft toys such as FABLER BJÖRN and DVÄRGHARE. PATRULL safety plug in socket below.
Close-up of a wooden floor and a bright yellow door stuck in open position thanks to PATRULL door stop.
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