I would take everything (clothing and other items) out of the room. Put in a single bed (or take the bunk beds apart and use one) and a comforter that your daughter likes. I would then paint then walls a lighter color from the comforter. (Houzzers can help here). I would create zones. A desk for studying and an area that she can do her hair and makeup. Then create storage units for each of those areas. I would then add closet organization, perhaps two tiered to accommodate her clothing. It is a small room and would have to have some dual purpose areas. Like the desk would also have to work as a nightstand etc. There was also a picture on houzz of a bunk bed with the bottom bed taken out and a desk /study area set up underneath. That may not work as it would be an area for her to discard things then when she is in a hurry. Having a lamp, accent pillow to match will give her the feel of a room she can enjoy.

We downsized and our kids went from bedrooms that were 15X17 or larger to rooms approx 8X9! They have wonderful ethics (finished university, have wonderful jobs and still at home trying to pay off school debts) and the mess in their room is no reflection of who they are or who I am - there just isn't space. My daughter actually doesn't even have a cupboard. So I understand messes and them giving up in a way; it's just that you opened yourself up when showing a room in this condition (I would have waited until she had picked up/cleaned - which would have helped people to really see the room and make helpful suggestions). Storage that really helped us: over the door hanging unit, bins under bed (you could stack bins under tv table), cupboard organization system, and finding seasonal storage in basement and/or another closet (as well as editing). Decorating: Would recommend a double dresser or armoire (with bins for organization which I can't say enough about), figure out which pieces to keep. Paint walls a light color and you could add a decal and use complimentary bedding (color combination below is youthful and bright). Once she loves her room and has better storage, she will take pride in her room. Good luck.

I feel your pain. I am living in a 800 sq. ft. NYC apartment with 2 small children and a messy husband. I got Ikea bookshelves with doors for our closet/storage solution (here are the ones I got, you could switch out doors if you like http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69017828/ . It's working out pretty well for us and I am loving it. The bookshelves are only 11 inches thick. Great storage without taking up too much space and there are no layers of clothing. You see everything you have in one layer of clothing. No digging is necessary when dressing. Also, I feel that if your child is involved or has an input into the storage solutions, they will be more motivated to keep it tidy.

BTW, my husband just saw your photos and he was like, "Hey! That's my room in my moms house before we got married!" (eye roll from me) lol

You must really love your daughter to let her do this to your house. May I please see photos of the other rooms in your house and it will give me an idea as to the redecorating of this bedroom.

^ Wow. Snobby much? I'm sure you don't have children.

A poster showing pictures like these with a stained mattress with no mattress pad or fitted sheet, clothes and trash all over and then making excuses for it should be asking for help all right, but not the decorating kind. I think most people on this site look for those that actually give a damn about their spaces before they take the time and effort to help. There were plenty of helpful suggestions, but those would have required effort on the part of the poster, and not one was acknowledged or thanked by the OP. This has nothing to do with budget or taste, but everything to do with respect for, and pride in your environment. When someone comes along and tells the truth without sugar coating, some people get upset. Some of the people on Houzz are in denial about which posters can actually be helped, who truly wants it and who will work toward a solution. It's pretty easy to quickly tell them apart.

bluenan got off on the wrong foot today. Maybe you should get more love from your lone vase. I am happily married for 10 years sweatheart. Yes, my husband may not be up to par with a metro-sexual man, but he pulls his weight. He is an AMAZING husband and father.

People post on this website because they are seeking guidance and help. The tone you are portraying is hostile and I don't think it is welcome by anyone on Houzz. Maybe you should just deactivate your Houzz account and show more love to your vase...unless you are auditioning for the fashion police, of course. Get a life!

You know....there is a big difference between messiness and cleanliness.
The poster's pictures reek of both differences.

I don't understand though, how the OP could post pictures like that and not expect the post to go south. Even if the room is like that 365 days a year, I would dump everything into a couple garbage bags for ten minutes while I took pictures and then dump it all back into the room again -a mess like that is going to distract even the most well-meaning reader, and elicit all sorts of armchair psychology from the not so well-meaning.

But to the critics of the critics who are saying that any woman who has children gets a free pass for anything and everything simply due to the fact that she has children --as if no one else has ever done it before and survived unscathed...I don't buy it.

azotova87, your apartment was never in this state. You had 4 people there. your things were organized even with a baby and a toddler.

azotova87 who are you? to personally criticize a longstanding and knowledgeable houzzer on this site who gives exceptional advice and you have the audacity to suggest she deactivate her account . Wow! How very rude!
BTW, why are you telling us about your personal life?
what's that got to do with anything!

HOUZZERS.... I think this post is not real.it is the equivalent of the trolls, meant to stir up trouble and elicit bad reactions. Look at the answers, the posters never comments on any of the design advice but plenty on how horrid people are with her/him. Please do not get personal and do not pay heed to posts like this one. Give your time to people who really need help and are glad to comment back and work. This only gets people riled up.

A total clean up goes without saying, but what I'm interested in, so we can offer helpful suggestions and ideas, is about the function of the room. Does your daughter need to study in her bedroom? Are the current style beds essential - does she have friends over to spend the night? Is there a window in the room? Is keeping the TV in the room essential? Does she have any environmental allergies? If you could speak to any of these questions, more practical help might be offered.

I love the cat

Cat seems to like the room.

MaryJane....once we can actually SEE what the room looks like, we will be able to help you with some constructive ideas. I had SIX kids, so believe me have seen some messy rooms, but we can't help you until we can at least see the floor. No off nose intended...thats just reality.

Oh dear....that was supposed to be no offense, not "no off nose". Sorry...fat fingers on iPad.

Lol, thanks Anne, but this isn't the first Houzzer I have miffed, nor will it be the last! There have been other dilemmas with very similar pictures that have stirred up the masses. Some people definitely like to post something they know will create controversy and sit back and watch the fireworks. Interesting social experiment or wack-job, either way, I don't mind a little shake up now and then, Houzz has been getting boring lately.

@azotova87 -- You said it well:

"People post on this website because they are seeking guidance and help. The tone you are portraying is hostile and I don't think it is welcome by anyone on Houzz. "

I'm astonished by the unpleasant tone of those who claim to offer help (on this thread and others). They judged the original poster's personal standards of cleanliness and child rearing skills. That's not help, that's condemnation.

Would these people speak this way to others if they were
face-to-face? Or does their online anonymity allow them to do this?

That said, there are many lovely, supportive, and creative people on Houzz, and I'm grateful for them.

@anne dee, I am not rude at all. The vase lady had the audacity to personally attack me while I was trying to lighten the situation.

Bluenan said "Yes, I do , and I referenced them above. Are you cleaning up after your
husband now that he's your problem? Going from Mom's to marriage, he
obviously never had to take care of himself.....my condolences."

It was childish, out of line and completely none of her business. Don't expect to personally attack someone and not get a whiplash.

AGAIN. the object of these posts in to get houzzers riled up. do not fall for it

Alright, I will come clean to you about one thing. My daughter has been a bit depressed lately. She hasn't really been up to doing many things and I thought maybe doing a bit of redecorating would cheer her up a bit, some change might get her mind off of things. When I told her the idea, she agreed and we took the photos pretty soon after, not bothering to clean up some of the mess. That's the truth.

I never intended for this big argument to break out

And no, this is an actual serious matter that I am looking into, thank you very much

Hey Azo, you forgot to show what preceded my comment. I don't consider you rude, just thin skinned, I must have touched a nerve. Talk to me after 39 years of marriage.

BTW, my husband just saw your photos and he was like, "Hey! That's my room in my moms house before we got married!" (eye roll from me) lol

^ Wow. Snobby much? I'm sure you don't have children.

if this is real, meaning that is a real room and is your daughter's, you need to get your daughter professional psychological help urgently. that is the room of a hoarder or a mentally ill person. something horrible might have happened to her or she might be a danger to herself. And you need to stop attacking people who tell you things are wrong. attacking the messenger have never solved anything.

If it is not, then....

I agree sacapuntaslapioz, though I'm still skeptical.

Well I feel stupid. No, my daughters room is not as bad as it seems. I took very bad pictures, but what I said is true. Honestly, part of it is my fault because I put clothes in her room and I didn't think that this would happen. My daughter is fine, but just going through a rough patch right now. Also, I told her dirty clothes basket away to clean them, so she made a small pile that our cat knocked down. The sheet is like that because she tosses and turns a lot in her sleep.

Your daughter, your call. I have given you my honest opinion and what I would do. You want design advice, clean the room, take pictures, start anew. I am done with the drama. In my opinion that is not a bad patch that is a cry for help. heed it or not. Only reason I am back here is because I hate seeing fellow houzzers riled up b y the mess into extreme behavior.

Good night and goodbye

I would agree with miacometlady on getting rid of or repurposing the mishmash of furniture, and maybe repaint the room to a more neutral color. A decluttering is always good for everybody. Figure out how she uses the space to make it more effective for her. Maybe a hamper and some storage boxes in the closet would be good for getting the clothing off of the floor. Where does she do her homework? Could a desk be useful in her room (I don't see one)?

MaryJane don't fret your daughter's mess. My older son kept his room worse than that when he was in high school. My house rule was that family rooms had to be kept neat but his room was his own space. He did he own laundry, helped out with family chores and I never cleaned his room. He was an honors student who ended up at an Ivy League school and graduated with honors. Now 35 he is neater than me.
Cut the kid some slack fellow Houzzers! Mom just wants help, not criticism.
PS. At one point some girls came over and cleaned my son's room. His best friend visited the next day and remarked on the new carpeting. It was 6 years old but rarely visible.

maybe totally change it all together.. anbfun area rug to bring in color . rod iron bed frame in preferred size. in white would be pretty. take the colors from the rug,to bring other elements into the room then determine paint color for the walls from that. a,lounge chair with side table and lamp for reading. to add space maybe a closet organized system so that not a lot of dressers are needed. a body length mirror that sits on the floor and some pretty flowered drawer hardware mounted into the wall next to it to hang jewelry. they have them at pier one. I would maybe wall paper one wall behind the bed and then the rest white.

You don't need to respond to this, but I strongly encourage you to get help for your daughter with a psychiatrist and counselor. Even if you think she does not need it now, line it up anyway, because it can take weeks to months to get in as a new patient.
Also, keep in contact with her teachers and school counselor for any changes they observe.
Stay as close to your daughter as you can and watch for signs of self-harm and suicidal ideation. Take any of it seriously and act immediately, you can take her to the ER for an evaluation if nothing else.
Hope this quickly passes and does not develop into a serious problem. It is such a difficult age - hormones flaring, friendships changing, school is harder, kids are mean, brain is pruning and rearranging itself,...

All I am saying is that it is no one's place to "put people in place" on Houzz like bluenan thinks she is doing. If you think a post is fake, don't give any attention to it and move on! Her arrogant comments and personal attacks are making me rethink Houzz. I don't know if I will be as comfortable asking houzzers for any further help knowing that I may get bullied for it. She admitted herself that is not her first time. Just saying.

I think until she goes through her stuff not much can be done. I know organizing children and their hoarding tendency is a parents constant issues. After there is a thorough going through the reward can be decorating. Maybe a loft bed where under can be a desk and dresser. IKEA has great storage solutions/cubes. You can use them in the closet or out in the room to hide some of the "treasures" she keeps. My 11 year old has those, two lockers, dresser, book shelf, and hamper. If the bunk bed is staying drawers for under would help too.

Showed my dd the pics (same age as yours) and she smiled and said, "It looks like my room." Lol I also showed her the mentally ill comments and she just rolled her eyes and went back to what she was doing. She has lots of friends, honor student, and does any chores she is asked to do (though, I will say it has lately been accompanied by the tween eye roll). She just happens to be a bit of a tornado (she is very creative). My son is the complete opposite (he is totally type A and has all his Legos arranged by type on his shelves).

Anyhow, I took my dd to Home Depot and had her pick out a nice pale color (light blue...very pretty) paint. We painted and reorganized her furniture and it made a nice difference (though it still gets messed within a minute if she is playing in her room...which is getting more and more rare as she ages). I would post a pic for you, but I don't feel like getting flamed by strangers.

After the Op's last post I'm convinced this is not for real. It goes from an "actual serious matter" to the cat knocked over the "small" pile of dirty clothes. This poster is trying to manipulate the responses by acting first concerned, and then in denial. I was enjoying a good scrap, but this has become a big yawn...

Azo, you should hang around awhile, there are people-pleasers and straight shooters, saccharin and acerbic posters, many different styles, and yes, I would say the same things to someone's face as I say here. I don't usually waste my time on dilemmas in which I feel I can't make a valuable contribution, but sometimes one comes along, as in this case, where I seriously question the validity, and I get a rise out of respondents who believe they always need to be ever so gentle and kind, even when being taken for a ride....My advice is to spend your energy and creative talents on those that can actually be helped, it can be fun and rewarding.

Here's my two cents worth....my kids, when they were teenagers, were slobs! It was the ONE thing that they did that I could complain about. They were good kids, didn't mess up the rest of the house, both were honor roll students, neither got into any trouble, they didn't do drugs or drink. They both went to college, got good grades, graduated, and now have great jobs. They are both good people who keep their own houses pretty clean. (Not as clean as mine, but they live there, not me) SO....keeping their own rooms messy was not the end of the world. That being said..........before I posted pics asking for advice, I might have cleaned up the mess, then taken pictures to post. I'm sure it's much easier for the pros to give advice if they can actually see the room.

Thank you for the comments that actually gave advice and didn't bully me because of the condition of my daughters room. My husband and I have been discussing some ideas and have been talking with my daughter. We are thinking about turning the bunk bed into a loft bed and underneath put a desk and some light like a lamp. We are trying to find ways to open up her room so it doesnt seem as crowded.

You are welcome MaryJane.

I haven't read through all the suggestions, but I would definitely get rid of the bunk bed. Makes the room appear smaller and more for a younger child. My son had a bunk bed and I finally couldn't take the cave look of his room anymore. Found a full size pottery barn bed with headboard shelving for $75.00 on Craigslist in excellent condition. I think I got lucky on that but you can find a great deal on craigslist. Getting rid of bunk bed will make the room more open. Maybe paint the dresser a lighter color? I'm not good at stuff like that but some people are..Let her pick out bedding. For my teen daughters room we bought a saucer chair from walmart for $35.00 and she and her friends love it. It's foldable too so if you want to keep it out of the way when not in use. Help her go through and get rid of stuff to reduce clutter. I tell my kids if they're able to get a garbage bag full of clutter from their room we can go for an ice cream. If I didn't go in and clean my 14 year old daughters room every day I would go insane. She's messier than my boys. Don't let others comments about that get to you...good luck!

What does your daughter like (colors, hobbies, interests, style)? And what do you need to keep and what can you replace? Also,what are the dimensions of the room?

empty the room and start from scratch
change the bunk bed to a day bed(as a possibility) and proceed from there.
reference pic for inspiration

another

How about a really gross looking "chandelier" like this one?

http://houzz.com/photos/15715991

My advice is: take your daughter shopping for bedding, and curtains, etc. Based on that you both can choose a light color that she likes. You can convince her to help with the painting. Those activities will give you the chance to spend some mother-daughter time, and build memories that you will both cherish always. After that you can choose some storage units like the ones shown by miacometlady. ( I love those shelves), and between the two of you bring back everything she wants to keep, and find a place for it.

Maryjane, please tell how it's going? :)