7 easy ways to update & organize kids rooms

My three-year-old has an awkward bedroom.

The problem is, it’s a nursery and he’s just not a baby anymore (no matter how much I try to pretend otherwise). Since we don’t think we’ll be having any more little ones, we’re starting to think about changing the decor a bit to make it more suitable for a big boy.

What to do? I don’t have a large budget, but am looking for ways to take his room from nursery to little boy’s room.

I went searching for ideas and found 7 darling ideas that won’t break the bank AND that I can probably do myself!

Organize children's book overflow with a wagon
Use a wagon to store & organize books. This is also a great idea if existing bookshelves are bursting at the seams like our son’s.

Use scrapbook paper on the back of hanging cubes to organize small items in a child's room
Use scrapbook paper to add a pop of color and cheer to the back of a hanging cube shelf. Not only does this look great – but it adds useful storage space as well for the nick-knacks of childhood.

Paint the walls and then add fun decals
Paint the walls a fun color and then add decals. Although I’m deeply skeptical of my crafting abilities, I think I could manage this. And this blogger Grinning Cheek to Cheek has a special discount for Wonderful Walls Stickers on her site.

Use 3 bookcases to make a bench seat
Use 3 bookcases – two upright, one on its side – to create a reading bench. Simple AND what’s not to like about all that extra storage!

Use cloth-covered pinboards over a book case to add a grown up touch to a baby's room
I never would have thought to use cloth-covered pinboards to decorate a child’s room — I always think of them in the kitchen or home office. But in reality, it’s a genius move. Not only would a row of these add a grown-up touch, but they are the perfect way to display photos and artwork too.

Spray paint an old mailbox, stencil on your child's name and you have a place to hang their backpack AND store things
Spray paint an old mailbox, stencil on your child’s name — and voila — instant spot for their backpack and those little random pieces of paper. Plus it would be fun to drop in a little love note now & then too.

What kinds of simple things have you done to transform a nursery into a functional child’s room? I’ll take any ideas you have!