Popsicle Furniture

Popsicle Furniture on Squidoo - http://www.squidoo.com/popsicle-furniture. I just finished this lens which shows more of the Popsicle line and I hope to do a more in depth look at it on a future blog post. For now, view the lens to see this great option in children's furniture.

Help! My Bunk Bed Is Driving Me Crazy!

I just made my first lens on Squidoo. It is called, "Help! My Bunk Bed Is Driving Me Crazy." I show many typical problems associated with regular bedding on bunk beds. Then I go on to show a number of huggers on bunks, captains beds, platform beds, daybeds, and even twin beds. Huggers work on all kinds of beds which will be an upcoming topic for my blog. But, in the meanwhile, you can visit Squidoo and see the lens and all the huggers. Check out the link below.

http://www.squidoo.com/bunk-bed-huggers.

It's Been Awhile

It's time I get on the ball and start posting regularly. Bunkbedsbunker.com has changed so much since I started it a year ago. There are new products, better organization, a new banner that better reflects the market, more consistency in the layout, much more traffic, etc. Starting out with no experience at all, I have learned so much and there is still so much more to learn. I hardly believe it's the same site and I'm so pleased with the product lines I carry now.

So, this is a short post and I am working on a number of other posts as I write this. My first one is going to be on bunk bed huggers because I really believe they make the bunk bed and I carry them now. I wrote a short post before on huggers but I know more about them now and I carry a wide assortment. Bunk beds are great but using regular bedding on them can be a disaster. Look for that post next.

Huggers Can "Make" Your Bunk Bed

Bunk beds have become a popular addition to many homes today. They come in handy if the need arises to accomodate multiple sleepers in one room. Sometimes people choose them not out of necessity but just because they are fun. However, frustration often comes with these beds when it's time to "make them" or to find bedding that looks good on them. That's where bunk huggers come in. Bunk bed huggers, also known as snugglers or bed caps, are comforters that are fitted at the bottom two corners. They are the perfect length on the side to cover one mattress only. Huggers look nice on a bunk bed. They give it a finished or tucked in look.

A regular comforter or bedspread hangs too low to look right on a bunk bed. It doesn't stay in place and is hard to tuck in. Loose bedding can be a serious safety hazard with bunk beds resulting in entrapment or in the worst case scenario, strangulation. Another problem that often occurs with regular bedding is that it comes off easily. Who wants their little ones making unnecessary trips up and down the ladder in the middle of the night when it's dark and they are half asleep. It is very hard to "make" the top bunk daily if tucking is required or even the bottom bunk if it's up against a wall.

Bunk bed huggers are not easy to find. You can't buy them in your local department store but you can find a nice selection online. Basic, solid color bed caps in a cotton/polyester blend come in a variety of bold colors and are the most reasonably priced at around $60.00-$80.00. Although they aren't the cheapest bedding on the market, they are worth every penny.

California Kids Sale Huggers run $99.95 for a twin plus a sham. That's an exceptional price for California Kids bedding. The company has been around for 30 plus years and has a great reputaion for quality bedding. 100% cotton and made in the USA are just a couple more reasons to consider this line of bedding.

Here are just a couple more bunks showing the California Kids bedding. All of the beds shown on this post have CalKids spreads on except the Solid Color Bed Caps at the top.

So, if you are ready to send that bunk bed back to the factory because it is too hard to "make" or it looks sloppy, or you are worried about your kids getting tangled in the bedding, take a look at the huggers at http://www.bunkbedsbunker.com/. If you buy one, it will be one of the best purchases you have ever made.

More to come on this topic. Huggers aren't just for bunk beds. That's the next post.

Use Wall Space for Extra Storage

Creating some extra storage space is very important if you are sharing a room or living in tight quarters. Here are some beautiful, creative ideas for increasing your storage space in a room. When there is no more floor space to work with, look at your walls as a place to expand.

These cups are a great way to keep craft supplies organized directly above the work area.

Locker type closets are built in with these staggered bunk beds.

I love the cool, clean look of this room. Shelving mounted to the wall, staggered bunk beds again, built in book shelves, lots of open space, and only a few colors to keep the whole look simple.

A whole wall of cubicles give plenty of storage space in this room for everything from books to special treasures.

Finally, this very organized closet is built right in to the wall of the bedroom. Plenty of shelves, bins, and baskets look neat yet they are so practical. Not only is this a tidy looking closet but it helps keep the whole bedroom clean.

Neatest Boys Room I've Seen in Awhile

I just had to share this photo of a boys room that I stumbled across today. It is the epitome of neatness. Bunk beds for sleeping, cubes to serve as shelves, and baskets to work as drawers. All very clean and neat. There is plenty of room left over to set up the toy trains. This gets my vote for orgainzation and inspiration.

For more inspiration and decorating tips, visit http://lulucarter.typepad.com/lulu_carter/2010/03/so-much-stuff.html.

Wood vs. Metal Bunk Beds

Metal bunk beds seem to get a bad rap. Apparently, there are more recalls with metal beds although I have seen some pretty flimsy wood beds too. Is one really better than the other? I think it depends on a number of factors.

Wood bunk beds are sturdy, durable, heavy, beautiful, and if they get damaged through wear, they can be refinished to look good again. Kids can abuse them, screws can be tightened, and they can almost be like new again. However, wood is more expensive and much harder to move if it's going to upper level apartments or dorms. Once a wood bed is assembled, you will probably want to leave it that way for awhile. If you want a bed that will withstand years, multiple children, and then convert to single beds as desired, wood is for you.

Metal bunk beds on the other hand are less expensive and easy to move around. They come in cool styles the kids love. On the other hand, they dent, bend, rust, and can become wobbly with less wear. Sometimes alignment is a problem. There are more recalls. But there are cheap metal beds and better metal beds.

All that said, I would make two points. One, all metal beds are not created equally. Some are good quality and can withstand more use. Others are not. Two, consider the amount of use, the duration of the need for bunk beds, and how often you will be moving them. If you buy a good quality metal bed, it can be the best choice depending on your needs. Buy a bunk bed that can be separated into two beds for even more versatility. Quality does matter in bunk beds so buy the best you can afford. If the choice is good quality wood vs. good quality metal - both are a good choice. If the choice is a cheap metal bed and anything else, I would go for the anything else.