Anj writes about…

In the complete tornado of emotion and change that is the breakdown of a marriage you can be struck by the overwhelming bits of reality as well.

Only a few months ago, life seemed incredibly sedate. And it was.

Then life turned upside down and, amongst all the other changes, I had to make plans for finding and furnishing a new home. Should I take my things? Should I sell it all and start over? What about the boys? What things did I need to do to make them feel secure or even excited about the changes in store?

Once I’d finally found a flat that was big enough to fit my own queen bed (with a beautiful near-new mattress and decorative iron bed frame, I couldn’t bear to sell and downsize), I got down to figuring out how to furnish a fun bedroom for the boys on a really tight budget.

Even though the boys are young and not fully able to comprehend what is happening to our family, I knew that they’d feel the stress. And, as far as I’m concerned, one of the biggest solutions for stress is a good night sleep. So even though I was on a budget, I was positive that I had to get really comfortable single beds for the boys.

How do you test a bed without actually testing a bed? If you’re anything like me, you don’t stuff about – do your research, read the reviews and find a great deal…online.

No doubt about it, online shopping can be wonderful. But it can also be daunting as you trawl through the incredible number of products available and all the information that’s provided. My first stop is always to check out a buying guide or two: one from a supplier I trust, the other from a consumer group.

Once I had chosen the mattresses (the serious bit), it was time for a bit more fun…the single bed frames! Now it may be true that boys generally get less whimsical choices when it comes to everything from clothing to accessories to bedroom décor, it doesn’t mean you can’t start with something rather plain and practical…and turn it into something seriously exciting for your little one.

Change, whether arising from good or bad situations, can be challenging, but that’s no reason not to try to reframe it (for yourself and your kids) as a mini-adventure and an opportunity for fun.

Have you ever done a bedroom makeover for your kids? Do you find shopping for furniture fun or stressful?

**Full disclosure – this is a sponsored post**