Can you have a white, bright and beautiful house as a family home?

When you've got a busy, messy family, is it really possible to keep a white interior looking as good as new? In many ways a neutral backdrop in your home is a good idea. A white colour scheme allows furniture to stand out, and regular trips to the charity shops with things you are not using is the key. Luckily, with everything painted white, it's quite easy to wash and brush up once corners, woodwork and steps get scruffy. A lick of paint can work wonders.

A large framed blackboard not only looks great but the whole family can use it to leave each other messages. It’s a good idea to incorporate kids’ spaces into the main living areas – after all, it’s their home, too.

1 Children are small and their attention span is too, so use simple instructions

2 Buy obvious, fun-looking storage so they know where their toys go and will want to put them there

3 Tidying up isn’t really much fun, so try to turn it into a game. Children love trying to beat the clock

4 A good way to avoid an unruly mess is to make sure your tots put one toy away before they get to play with another one  

5 And if all else fails, there’s always bribery. The promise of a favourite treat usually gets results!

Magnetic blackboard wall paint

homebase.co.uk

Book store

Bookshelves don’t have to be boring; check out
these wonky wonders – fun, funky and just the thing to display favourite books.

Mini Bookcase

Making a mark

Easy and stackable, these are a brilliant way to hide clutter, clothes or just stuff that has no home; and you can write on the front exactly what’s inside.

Toy Storage Boxes with Chalkboard

aplaceforeverything.co.uk

Locker room

No matter what their age, they will collect stuff
at their bedside – drinks, half-sucked sweets, cuddly toys – so keep a lid on it by investing in a good-looking, wipe-clean bedside storage system.

Kidkraft Medium Locker

happykiddies.co.uk

Pack and go

An invaluable piece of kit, this storage box on wheels can be used to hide a multitude of sins and will slide neatly out of view.

Stokke Sleepi Junior Box,

mothercare.com