Here are a few ideas to get you started with your child's space.

1. There are sites online that will take a picture of your child doing an activity such as swinging a bat, completing a gymnastic move or sliding down a slide and turn it into a large cut-out for their wall. What a great way to capture the special moments in their lives and personalize their room.

2. Connect eye screws to the wall and then string ribbon or twine between them. Use colorfully painted clothes pins to hang artwork and photos on this clothesline. They can be changed easily as your child creates new things to display. For a little girls room, you can install a ribbon over a window. Fasten favorite doll clothes or vintage baby clothes across the top to make a sweet valance. Small clothes pins can be found in the doll department of toy or craft stores.

3. Old suitcases become fun storage containers when you paint them with your favorite colors. Check your attic for the hard shell versions that have been shelved in favor of the new luggage choices. Prime your finds then paint. You can add ribbons, stickers or free hand a design to personalize them. They can be filled with toys and easily stored under the bed or stacked in the room. Use them for holding memories such as artwork, souvenirs and favorite outgrown toys. The size and the inner pockets will allow you to store a lot.

4. Children love stories about when their parents were young. Share with them a toy or furnishing that was a part of your life growing up. They will love going to sleep listening to the same Fisher Price musical toy that you enjoyed when you were their age.

5. Big floor pillows are a must for a childs room. They will lay on them to read, play video games and if you are lucky, take an unexpected nap.

6. A row of peg hooks across the back of their door will encourage them to hang up often used articles such as pajamas, hats and handbags. If you have a hollow core door it may be better to put the hooks on the wall for more stability. Shop around and find cute designs that will look good when the hooks are empty. Craft stores have unfinished ones that you can paint or decoupage yourself.

7. Inexpensive lamps can be turned into interesting pieces by gluing things to the shade. A boys light would look fun with small plastic cars glued driving in different directions. A bag of bugs and lizards from the dollar store placed to look like they are crawling all over the shade would give it a creepy touch. How about creating one with a haphazard display of playing cards from an Old Maid or Go Fish game. They are colorful and silly, just the right touch for a childs room.

8. Visit a teacher supply store for colorful charts and maps for decorating the room. Kids will love the visual appeal it brings to their room and they will learn something too. The store also has great rugs that teach. They have caterpillar ABC carpets, water themed ones and even rugs for the world explorer.

These ideas will help you to design a room that will reflect your childs interest without breaking the budget. Their smiles will last for miles.