[blindkid] storage solutions

Wed Dec 3 22:10:28 UTC 2008

Hi Debby!

Well, considering my daughter's been in some VERY tight quarters (with 
roommates) in college, I feel there have been some times when she's had to 
live in a cubicle-sized space - and then find things - organized enough that 
she could find them in college chaos.

I do agree with the idea of the loft-bed.  Most college kids have them. 
Also, I've learned that if you run out of floor space, you go "up".  I can't 
tell you the ceiling and around the room storage we've developed - some of 
which had to be temporary (in the dorms).  Kids love the idea of being "up" 
to sleep (can use a railing around if necessary, and a sturdy ladder for 
climbing up).  Hanging or building boxes/up and around a wall holds things 
she might not use every day (already read books, etc.).  Cubbies close to 
the top of her bed - can be reached while she's up there.  Of course, she 
might need help getting to the taller box-cubes, but you can come on down a 
wall with lots of different sized shapes.  Underneath, you almost have a 
completely other room.  We had room for a futon, refrigerator, storage for 
food/books/etc. - so this can be quite adaptable to her needs. A small 
desk/chair for studies? Computer?  Another great idea is to build a ledge 
(with a small back to keep things from falling off) around the end of one 
side of her loft, and then the long side of her loft to place little things 
like an alarm clock, trinkets, audible things, BrailleNote, cell phone, 
regular phone, a cup for water or any night-time things she might want to 
grab....even her favorite stuffed toy!  These 2 ledges are great..even for a 
lulling music box.  You can tack strings of lights along the ledge to make 
it look snazzy - maybe not to Winona, but her sighted siblings or friends 
will think it's "cool"......maybe some hanging speakers, and a hook to hold 
her headphones?

You'd be surprised what all you can cram into a small space- all in the area 
of a loft space - esp. when you built UP instead of out!  The bed ladder, as 
long as it's sturdy & secure, is an adventure within itself!  She'll love 
it!  And yes, the kids can learn to make a bed up there just as they can 
from below.  If you try this, let us know how it all turns out!  I prefer 
building a WOODEN one & sanding it well.  You can then paint it colorful, or 
put fuzzy material around it (tactile), but you can then also hammer hooks 
for towels into it, or anything else she might like to hang (maybe 
necklaces, backpacks, purses, scarves, ANYTHING!)  I know my hubby bought 
wood, kept to the specifications of the dorm room & he and her roommate's 
father knocked off 2 of them for their room in the first day we took her to 
college!  All the fathers were making them!  The girls loved them!  We even 
bought some of those plastic long beads to hang down on part of it so it 
looked kinda funky (like see-through curtains), and it kind of kept one area 
underneath a little bit more private!  Another idea is to buy some stackable 
plastic drawer-bins (sometimes on rollers, too) to either fill on the floor 
or sit on top of an already there bookcase or dresser.  Remember, up not 
out!

Lots of luck - I know you'll have fun & let her help with the ideas!  Yes, 
it's a project, but with a little help and ingenuity, anything's possible!

Hugs!

Kathy-Az

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Debby B" <bwbddl at yahoo.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet BlindKid Mailing List" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>; <bvi-parents at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:33 AM
Subject: [blindkid] storage solutions

> We need some storage solutions! We're in a house with no garage, no 
> basement, no attic space, very small closets. Where do you store all the 
> Braille books and games?
>
> Winona has 3 tall bookcases in her room all full without. 1 bookcase with 
> her personal books, toys, little goodies. We still have 6 boxes of books 
> that aren't unpacked. There is no place to store the boxes full of books, 
> and it's easier for Winona to get to them on bookcases. All the teachers 
> have a variety of books, and they jump around in them.
>
> Our other issue is the games. We turned half the linen closet into a game 
> cabinet, but most of the adapted games (scrabble, monopoly) won't even fit 
> into that cabinet. Where do you store things so that they are accessible 
> and yet not sitting around to be tripped over?
>
> Thanks for any and all suggestions!
>
> Debby
> bwbddl at yahoo.com
> www.nfbflorida.org/parents
>
>
>
>
>
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