Four things you can do now to get your child's room winter-ready

As summer comes to a close in Australia and the cooler weather approaches, now is the ideal time to start getting your home ready for winter. Guarding your children against winter-related illness can be a battle, but with a little preparation you can feel assured that your child's bedroom is the ideal sleeping and playing environment this winter. Do these four things now to get your child's room ready for winter.

Purchase a good quality quilt

The safest option for keeping warm at night is to layer your child's bed with warm, breathable layers and bundle them up in cuddly pyjamas. Flannelette sheets will help your child to stay cosy overnight, but investing in a good quality quilt will truly help them sleep through the night. For a versatile, year-round bed cover, consider purchasing a wool quilt, like those provided by Luxor Linen. The natural insulation properties of wool will ensure your child stays warm all night, while preventing overheating or excess body moisture.

Organise the closet

Now is the time to go through your child's wardrobe, taking inventory of their winter clothes so that you can purchase the things they need before the cold sets in. This will give you an opportunity to give the closet itself a thorough clean, removing dust and allergens that may aggravate respiratory problems as the weather cools down. When reorganising your child's wardrobe, make it easy for them to reach for warm clothes when they need them—for some handy storage tips to make your child's closet both fun and practical, check out this slideshow.

Rearrange the furniture

If your child's bed is against an external wall, they may feel radiant cold through the wall overnight. To prevent this, place the bed and other key pieces of furniture against internal walls. If this is not possible, install a solid headboard on your child's bed, and have the headboard only against the cold external wall. Covering external walls with wooden screens, large framed pictures, and even posters can help insulate your child's bedroom.

Clean the carpet and curtains

While you're rearranging the furniture in your child's room, take the opportunity to give the carpet and curtains a thorough clean. If your child suffers from eczema, asthma, or other respiratory allergies, safeguarding their sleeping quarters against dust mites can help to significantly improve their health over winter. Reduce dust, mites and airborne allergens by giving your carpets and curtains a deep clean—carpets should be steam cleaned, while washable curtains should be washed in hot water with eucalyptus oil every 4-6 weeks to keep allergens at bay.

With a bit of forethought and pre-emptive action, you can ensure your child's bedroom is a clean, healthy and warm environment this winter.