This is what my oldest son’s desk looked like before.Īnd here is after I made some adjustments. Not to mention, no one can ever find a USB block around here. The cord clutter was an issue.Īt first I thought they would keep it neat on their own but of course, the reality is both desks are always a jumbo mess of cords. The boys regularly use their desks and like any desk, they have the typical lamps, desk stuff, and multiple teenage USB devices all to be plugged in. I’m going to work on that but before I do, I have one more kid’s room problem to tackle… Desk Cord Clutter No More Suddenly all my other switch plates around the house look like crud in comparison. There is one downside, after seeing how great the screwless switch plates look in the boy’s rooms, I’m going to want them in every room. In fact, they blend into to wall so well, I had a really hard time getting them to show up in photos. Unlike my old switch plates these blend into the wall beautifully. The screwless switch plates make a HUGE difference. Of course, the functionality is a big win but the designer in me is even more thrilled with the streamlined look of the new switches. He uses his small desk lamp and sets the overhead light as a timer to keep himself on track. He also uses the timer switch when he sits at his desk doing homework. With the light timer he can set it for however long he plans to read and when the light goes off he knows its time to go to bed. Not only do they not leave the light on anymore but it’s also a great visual timer.įor example, my older son likes to read before bed and has a tendency to lose track of time. Yeah, I wasn’t sure how the boys would react either but I was pleasantly surprised to find they both really love the new switches. Of course, using their perfectly working young legs to get up and turn the overhead light on again is also an option. If they want a light on for longer than an hour they can use one of the many lamps around the room. No, I’m not a complete jerk, on the right is a non-timer switch that operates one of the outlets for a smaller lamp. (I’ve got a feeling I may be waiting awhile for my laser zapping switch.) I immediately updated both boys rooms with 1 timer light switch, 1 regular light switch and the pretty screwless switch plate. (I know! I should have been an inventor right?) The only thing better would be if Legrand created a laser light switch that zapped the kid in the rear end as a reminder to come back and flip the switch. That’s right boys, it AUTOMATICALLY TURNS OFF! Checkmate! Mom wins. The little buttons on the right (the left light switch in the above photo) are preset to countdown 60 minutes, 40 minutes, 20 minutes or 10 minutes and then the light automatically turns off. It’s a light switch with a timer built in! So you can understand my joy when I was browsing the Legrand radiant collection for more attractive outlet options and I discovered this…. The boys simply smile in agreement and continue on with their Olympic medal dedication to always let their (bedroom) light shine. Seriously boys, when I said to leave the world a brighter place, leaving the lights on was not what I had in mind. I even designed little signs and hung them around the house. And Yes, I’ve tried reminders followed by consequences. Yes, I tried the “money doesn’t grow on trees” speech. Just wait, I have some momtastic awesomeness coming your way.įirst the problem… For the love of all things good and holy why can’t my kids turn off a light around here?ĭoes that sound familiar? Yes, that’s my world.Įvery day (without fail) the kids leave for school and I walk back to their rooms because I know (despite my many sweet reminders and potential death threats) they’ve left the lights on. I know what you’re thinking, “What does changing the design of light switches and outlets have to do with lazy kid habits?” Oh but it does! I’ve been on the hunt for a solution to both problems for a while so I was thrilled to be able to partner with Legrand and finally find what I was looking for! No really, they never turn off the lights. I love my kids and I love my house, but what I don’t love is our builder grade light switches and outlets and the fact that the kids always leave the lights on. (Today I’m sharing how I finally got my kids to stop leaving the lights on, how I solved their desk power cord clutter issue and how upgrading the switches and outlets in the kid’s room made a big impact in our daily life.)
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