Preston's Bedroom Update: Some Before Pics and a Plan

Our oldest, Preston, recently turned 11.  I blinked and he went from giggles and diapers to a seven day a week athlete and superstar big brother.  And I am sure turning my attention to him for a day is a bit embarrassing, but come on, that is my job right?

To amp the embarrassment factor, here are some shots of my little, big buddy now...

Preston is an incredible kid.  I could be that mom that goes overboard on the proud factor and the bajillion-and-one reasons why I adore him.  

However, the organizing gene, he does not have.

Never has.

I always hope to give him the tools and systems he needs to make his life a bit simpler and easier to manage, but there are times where we see that he needs a little extra boost.  Papers forgotten, uniforms forgotten, scheduling snafus, etc.... 

When it comes to being helpful, this kid is just that.  He is always willing to help out with household chores and spending time with his brothers.  He really takes ownership of his daily responsibilities, and does housework without earning an allowance.  We have always explained to our kids that we all work together as a family, and our home is just that, OURS.  So we all do our part in taking care of our home.  By helping out, they earn technology time or time with friends... but I want to do something a little more for my big buddy.

I recently realized when I asked Preston to tidy up his room, that even after a quick pick-up, his room is one of the most neglected and really lacks any organization.  His growing and changing needs should be addressed, and finishing touches need to be put in place to make his room feel like a place he wants to spend time in.  A place to hang out with friends, to do his homework, to practice his guitar and to chill out with a good book or to some tunes.

Looking at the pictures I took today {yes, I hi-jacked his room without telling him and took "as-is" before photos that are very true to life, I didn't even straighten the bed}, I feel a bit awful that his room is so blah.  

I also thought it would be fun to go above and beyond, and do my first ever "before" video tour.  Just to give a good picture of the space, the layout, and why it just isn't working for him.

And for those having trouble viewing the oh so exciting room tour, here are a couple of pictures of his space in its current state:

The good thing, is it is a complete blank slate!  It is always important to focus on the positives right?

So, here is what I am thinking.  Just a quick Style Tile to give us some direction.

• We really want to DIY as much as possible in the space, so a giant chalkboard calendar to help with tasks and dates will be the primary way we fill up the empty wall.
• He already has a nightstand, he just needs some better lighting since he reads in bed every evening, so I am thinking of going with an oil rubbed bronze swing arm option.
• The bed frame and foot board I found at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $50.  Looking around online at similar styles, they typically run from $500 - $1500 so I think I scored pretty big!  I like the idea of doing soft gray plaid bedding to balance all of the blue in the room.
• Above the bed, some over sized letters sprayed in a vibrant red will be a jolt of color the room needs.
• The light fixture will be a basic drum shade that we purchased for my brother's apartment a few months ago, and never ended up using.  
• I am determined to learn how to sew.  And Preston's curtains will be the first project I tackle, and they will be done in a navy damask fabric.  His curtain rod will be updated to an oil rubbed bronze finish.
• Right now his desktop is just a piece of painted MDF that was a bit too thin for the project and now bows if too much weight is applied.  I thought it would be fun to DIY a dark wood stained desktop to make it more sturdy and manly {similar to this tutorial found here}.  The grey chair we already own.
• The second I saw this dresser makeover, I knew it was the perfect solution for Preston's hand-me-down green goblin.  I can't wait to get started!
• A few baskets to hold his sports apparel and some tweaks to his desk storage and we will be all set!

Let's chat about the "tweens".  What have you done to help your growing kiddo be more organized through all of the busy schedules and life changes?