Ever wonder what it might look like to have three boys share a bedroom? In this post I give a quick tour of our minimalist shared boys bedroom. I also discuss some of the reasons why are not concerned that the three boys will continue to share a bedroom in our new home.
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When we first moved into the rental farmhouse, we checked out all three of the available bedrooms to see where the boys would fit best. No room had enough floor space for three beds, and so we knew that we would be bunking them. The room they ended up with is the only one that had the ceiling height to accommodate the bunks.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM
Bedrooms, in our home, are considered calming and relaxing spaces. Because of this, we are careful not to fill them with too many things. Having an uncluttered space, we believe, helps our children to settle their minds when it is time for sleeping. While our family is on a journey to become more minimal, the bedrooms are possibly the only spaces that don’t need a lot of decluttering. They have always been kept that way.
THE BEDS
Two of our boys share the bunk beds. Our youngest son sleeps on the bottom bed, and our middle son sleeps on the top. I think that bunk beds are great for younger, smaller kids. To be honest though, they aren’t as comfortable for our boys now that they are heavier and taller. And, I’ll admit that bunk beds are a bit of a pain to make up in the morning. For these reasons, we are all very much looking forward to all the beds being on the floor at the new house.
Our oldest son’s bed is actually positioned in the room’s closet. When we first moved into the rental house, I spotted the closet and thought it would make a perfect little ‘sleeping nook’. You can see the location of the closet/ sleeping nook in the photo below. Because we re-purposed the closet, the boys clothes are instead stored in a small built-in cabinet, in the bathroom.
It has been great for him, as the oldest, to have his own space that has a bit more privacy. For a more in depth look at his space, and how we have it decorated, please read this post.
STORAGE
We think it is very important, especially in a shared bedroom space, for each child to have a spot that is all their own. Because of this, we gave each boy a place to store their own personal belongings.
Our youngest son has this little side table next to his bed. It is half of a vintage vanity that my husband’s grandmother owned. Someday, we hope to refinish or paint this piece – but for now we are loving the patina! It keeps his football cards, special craft projects and photos safely tucked away.
Our middle son has a a shelf at the head of his bed, which holds two small baskets. He is a lover of stuffed animals, which he keeps in one. The other is filled with books and mementos.
‘LITTLE ROOM’ STORAGE
In his little side room, our oldest son also has plenty of storage. Because his space is larger and more private, he has more storage than the other two boys. The side table next to his bed is the other half of the vintage vanity. On it, he keeps a lamp and an alarm clock, as well as his new five year journal. If you are a parent of teens or preteens, I would definitely recommend this Q&A journal. It is filled with great, thought provoking questions. Through the five years, it will be very interesting to see how his answers change as he ages. They make one for moms that I am considering purchasing for myself!
A floating shelf near his bed showcases his love of aviation, with a collection of airplane books and models.
He also has a small desk and shelf on the other side of the space. The desk holds a few Legos and drawing/writing supplies. The shelf has fabric bins that store airplane figurines, football gear, and other miscellaneous items. As we continue our decluttering and simplifying, we are aware that his need for the desk and shelf are not likely a priority. He rarely uses either.
His bed has built-in storage underneath also. Primarily, the drawers are used to house our collection of VHS kid’s movies. Old technology, I know. But the boys do have a TV/VCR combo in their room that they use on occasion.
ACCESSORIES/ DECOR
This TV was given to me as a Christmas present nearly 25 years ago. It has sort of become a novelty at this point. I’m not really sure what will happen to it or the VHS collection when we move. The truth is, we don’t use either often enough to justify keeping them – but our middle son in particular seems to be very fond of it.
The nightlight is a little Christmas village fire station that we purchased when my husband first joined the fire department. It gives off just enough glow for our youngest to feel comfortable in the room. I’m not sure it will hold a place at the new house either, except maybe as a Christmas decoration.
Their room has a small bookcase in the corner which holds almost all of our family’s collection of children’s books – including our vintage golden books. The bottom three shelves are books that we own, and the top shelf is where we keep the books we pick up at the library.
There are a couple places the boys can sit while reading their books. The reclining chair is a comfortable choice, as is the blue and white striped ‘pouf’. Though it was originally filled with Styrofoam beads, it began to sag through time. We eventually removed all of the beads and now use it as a place to store the boy’s sleeping bags. This has been a very useful and functional storage option for us. This product is similar, and is designed to store stuffed animals. Genius!
You might notice that the wood flooring in the room is painted. When we first moved into the rental, all of the upstairs flooring was covered in wall to wall carpet. It was very old and dusty, and thankfully we were able to talk our landlords into letting us tear it out. Because we didn’t want to put the time and money into refinishing the floors, we decided to instead apply a chocolate brown colored porch paint. In the four years we have lived in the house, we have been very happy with how the painted floors have held up. Only a few areas, where furniture has scraped, are showing wear.
A vintage globe serves as the only real decor item in the main room. It sits atop a closed off laundry chute. Red curtains add a bit of color to the room, and also block the light quite well when it is time for sleeping.
Our minimalist shared boys bedroom is quit simple and efficient, and is a great space for our sons to relax and settle into sleep at the end of a busy day.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM DESIGN
Our boys will once again be sharing a bedroom at Arrow Hill Cottage. We aren’t concerned about this, for a variety of reasons.
One, our sons have always shared a room. It is what they are used to and what they actually prefer. They enjoy knowing that their brothers are nearby at night.
The second reason we aren’t concerned is because they will each have their own little space within the larger room itself. Because they are approaching their teen years, I was very careful to design the room in such a way that they will each have a sleeping nook. This will give them a bit more privacy, and also allow them to add their own personal touches.
Lastly, we actually believe that sharing a room is a good life lesson for kids. Learning to compromise at times and to cope with each other regardless of differences is very important. Better for them to learn these things now than when they are sharing with a college roommate or spouse!
Visit this post for more details about the design for the boy’s bedroom at the new house.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM VIDEO TOUR
I hope you enjoyed the photos of our minimalist shared boys bedroom. It is always easier for me to understand the layout of a room by seeing the space in person though, and so I created this video tour as well. Enjoy!
ADDITIONAL MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOMS
Check out these bonus inspiring simple space ideas!
PIN THIS MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM
Worse yet, our family’s toothbrushes were also stored here because it is the most convenient and accessible space to brush our teeth.
The drawers were thoroughly decluttered, and then organized with our everyday essentials. An inexpensive cutlery tray was the perfect fit for the top drawer, which now is a clean and safe spot for our toothbrushes. Each family member, besides the girls who do all of their brushing upstairs with help, has their own divided space. The perfect size for a toothbrush, flosser, and personal chap-stick.
Perhaps the greatest visual improvement is the open shelf. With all of the clutter gone, the vintage clothes wringer and steam iron take center stage. Two houseplants serve to soften the space, as well as camouflage oddly placed outlets. And my antique window adds a bit of charm.
The room is bright and clutter free, and I think it seems larger than before!
