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6. Does it fulfil your needs? Parents are often convinced to make on the spot purchases because they have seen a sample room setup which looks nice. This can often turn out to be a costly mistake because the items are either not the correct size for your particular room or the layout of the room simply does not lend itself to fitting the items purchased in a user friendly manner. The first and foremost aspect of purchasing furniture is that the piece should fulfil your minimum requirements if not more.
7. Is it sturdy? If the budget is set quit low, you may consider purchasing budget ranges. Although this may be suitable for immediate solutions it may not be the wisest decision in the long run. Consider the fact that most children are quite hard-wearing on their furniture, pieces are often used to climb on or turned upside down and climbed inside of. If your new kid's furniture is not sturdy enough then your budget buy may soon turn into a safety hazard for your child and end up being thrown out much sooner than expected leaving you right back at square one and out of pocket.
8. Does it come pre-assembled? Pre-assembled kids bedroom furniture is often much more sturdy than flat-packed items only because their joints are mostly built using solid cabinetry building methods. Flat-packed furniture is generally cheaper as it costs less to ship and makes it easier to get the new furniture into a room. I have often been witness to the problem where beds and cots simply won't fit through a standard bedroom door. This is where the benefit of flat-pack furniture is so much greater. It does take a bit of time to put together plus some elbow grease but the satisfaction of having built something for your children soon makes one forget the hard work. It is always useful to note that moving knock down furniture in an assembled state is not advisable, rather partially disassemble to ensure minimal damage to your furniture.
9. Is it safe? Before purchasing furniture, make sure that all the drawers are on proper runners and will not tip the unit over if pulled out all the way. Check that handles are properly attached and will not easily break or be unscrewed by curious hands. Also check for self closing hinges or otherwise make sure that there are door catches to keep the doors on units in place. Make sure there are no sharp corners on the furniture and make sure that backing boards are properly attached. It is very important to make sure that when you install high shelving units that they should be secured to the wall using wall ties or L brackets. Most children will attempt climbing shelves in order to reach the top shelf and this precaution is sure to avoid any harm from coming to your children
10. Does it match your decor style? Of course you say you would only purchase something for your kids' bedrooms which you actually like, but often times we can be swept up into choosing cute character products or girly colour schemes. A valuable piece of advice is to keep the furniture neutral and simple. It is easier to dress up something plain than it is to get rid of themed cutouts or garish colours that no longer suit your style. Not to mention all the times I have swapped furniture around in my own house, often changing shelves as various house members needs change, thus it is always useful if one adheres to a general sense of furniture style throughout the house.
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