We’ve shared a lot of hints here at Hint Mama for setting up a budget-friendly playroom (or play area, depending on the size of your house).
I gathered together a number of these tips – along with some new ones – in my latest piece for U.S. News Money’s The Frugal Shopper blog. The seven tips I cover in that post are today’s hint.
Among the tips, here are two we haven’t yet featured at Hint Mama.
1. Go for multi-purpose rug, or play mat, designs. In other words, save money by opting for play area floor coverings that have a dual purpose. For instance, if you go for a rug with a train track design, you can skip buying your little ones a separate train table. Similarly, my 2-year-old daughter’s play space is outfitted with a $15 hopscotch rug design I bought at Ikea. The rug doubles as a game of hopscotch as well as an educational toy that can help teach my tot about numbers, shapes and measurements.
2. Repurpose what you already have. Instead of buying loads of new toy storage units, many items you already have around your house can easily be repurposed into toy boxes and bookshelves. Just one example: Old entertainment centers — those designed for bigger televisions than the flat screens we all have today – can easily be repurposed into toy storage units.
In addition, in The Frugal Shopper piece, I also highlight a number of tips covered here in previous hints, including why to think outside the traditional toy chest when it comes to toy storage, how to cut down on the number of toys you need to store, and how to make frugal wall art.
You can read all seven of my tips for creating a cute and budget-friendly play space for your children in the full post, “7 Ways to Save When Setting Up a Playroom,” over at The Frugal Shopping blog, where I’m a contributor.
What strategies for setting up playrooms for less did I miss? Share your best tip below.
Follow Hint Mama on Facebook and Twitter, and read more about her and her disclosures.
