One more thing can be crossed off the ol’ nursery to-do list! Changing table? Check!
I remember before Clara was born a co-worker told me that changing tables were unnecessary since you usually end up changing the kid wherever is most convenient – like on the floor or the nearest piece of furniture – rather than going through the formality of walking all the way to the nursery. This was after we had already bought & refinished Clara’s changing table/dresser so the comment stuck with me, thinking I’d fallen into some first-time parent booby trap.
Surprisingly enough, we used Clara’s changing table religiously. Maybe because our house was small or because it was all one level. If we were at home she got changed on that table. And that routine stuck with us even when we moved to our second house, which was twice as big (but still a one level ranch).
Stairs might be a diaper changing game changer, though. So in this house we plan to keep some changing supplies downstairs for convenience. Anything to make your I-have-a-newborn routine easier, right?
We offhandedly mentioned when we started the nursery that we were considering using my dad’s old dresser that’s currently in our closet, which could double as a changing table. It’s not a permanent closet solution for us (we’ll eventually add a built-in closet system), and we kinda liked the story of our son having his grandfather’s 50-year-old dresser. But after completing the built-ins we realized that the eight drawers of storage they afforded us were awesome, and it was probably overkill to add four more on the other side of the room – especially when some sort of open, easy-access toy & game storage would be more useful for us over there.
So we scratched our heads for a little bit, and then we broke down our criteria:
- It needed a wide and flat surface to accommodate our changing pad (at least 15″ wide)
- It needed to have open storage mixed in with the possibility of adding a few bins or baskets to hide diapering stuff for a fleeting period of time
- It most likely needed to be wide (around 60″) to make sense on that long empty wall, while grounding the large bike prints that we planned to hang over it. Sort of like the storage cubbies in the photo below from our last sunroom…
It was literally looking at that photo above (we were checking to see how closely we had hung the prints together) that we had our A-HA! Why not the Expedit? It met all of our criteria and wasn’t serving a permanent function in its current home in our office (where we someday dream of adding an L-shaped file-storage area along with a floating desk/meeting table). And yes, this all happened right right as the news of the Expedit’s demise (or reincarnation?) hit the web – so it was sort of an all-signs-point-to-Expedit moment.
We unloaded everything (contributing more to the disaster that is our office) and I dragged it upstairs to see if the nursery should be its new home. And I say “drag” literally because I didn’t feel comfortable asking Miss Preggers to lift it. It was heavier than I remembered!
We put it in place on the wall opposite the built-ins and well, it was a bit underwhelming. Granted, it was very very empty and even the changing pad would eventually get a colorful cover. But it wasn’t a compelling case for the Expedit.
We leaned the bike art up to see if that helped, which it did, but we still felt like something needed to be done to make the Expedit a little more upgraded and not as blendy with the wall, rug, and doors.
So we had an idea. A hack, if you will. To add some contrast, and sort of nod to Clara’s white-and-wood changing table, we decided to wrap the outside of the Expedit with stained wood. This would also tie it into my homemade bike art frames, as well as the wood-topped built-ins across the room. You know, kinda like this…
That’s not Photoshop above (I wish I was that good!) – it’s the real after. I thought it would help for you to see that before I dove into the How-To part of the post. So let’s rewind to that, which started with me dragging the Expedit back out to the garage.
Our measurements revealed that three 1 x 6″ boards would be wide enough to cover the Expedit, leaving about a 1/2″ of an overhang on each side. This was nice because it would give the changing pad a bit more surface to sit on (it was the exact width of the original Expedit). We bought basic whitewood because it’s the same stuff we used to make our living room console table, which has held up great for the past few years, and the price was right ($5 for a 6 foot piece). We also wanted a slightly rustic wood look, like we achieved with the console table.
Here are all of the pieces once they were cut to size at home on our miter saw.
To attach the boards into big panels, I used my Kreg Jig to create pocket holes and then I could join each set of 3 side-by-side. It’s the same technique I used for the console top, so you can read more about it here. Note: I often make two holes if they’re going to be hidden when using the Kreg, just so if my first attempt at joining doesn’t line up perfectly, I can try again without having to break out the drill again.
Here are the finished boards all joined together. It’s also after I gave them a quick sanding to soften the edges and any ridges between the boards. I only bought two pieces for the bottom since no one will ever see the missing middle piece – so that explains why those are hanging out by themselves at the bottom of this shot.
Before staining, we decided to take wood conditioner for a spin. Its job is to “prepare” the wood for staining, reduce unevenness/blotchiness, and enhance the color. This small can was $6, so it’s not much of a “risk” – and richer and more even results sounded good to us. It goes on much like stain – you brush or wipe it on, let it penetrate for a few minutes (I gave it 15), and then wipe off the excess. You just have to be sure to stain within 2 hours of the application.
We used the same Minwax Dark Walnut stain that we’ve used elsewhere in the room for consistency (like on the counters of the built-ins and the bike art frames) and only needed one coat. For demonstration purposes, I stained a piece of unconditioned scrap wood (it’s the same exact type of wood, just a leftover piece) to see if there was a difference in using the conditioner. Both Sherry and I were pretty surprised by the comparison. I definitely felt the stain soak in more on the conditioned wood during application, and the color is noticeably richer/warmer on the conditioned wood.
When the stain and my two coats of Safecoat Acrylaq were dry (that’s our favorite poly alternative because it’s non-toxic and locks in any potential fumes or offgasing) I could finally begin attaching these wooden panels to the Expedit. I decided to go with a simple wood-glue-and-nails system, so that I wouldn’t have screw heads to hide after the fact. I prepped the Expedit surface by roughing it up a bit with sandpaper and then applying a bunch of wood glue.
Then I used my nail gun to secure them in place with some 1.75″ brad nails (thank goodness for the thick frame on the Expedit).
Then I did the same with the sides for sort of a waterfall-edge effect.
I let those dry overnight before attempting to flip the piece over and attach the bottom pieces. You can see how I just put them on either end in this shot, since that middle slice will never be seen.
After letting everything dry for a couple of days, I dragged it back upstairs and started on the next step – adding legs and casters. Sherry and I thought two of these chunky $5 casters from Home Depot would be a nice touch, while some stationery legs (made from 2 x 2″ pine and Kregged to the back and middle) would keep it from rolling around mid-diaper-change.
If you’re scratching your head about where the casters were on the after picture, well, they weren’t there. Because we decided they weren’t right for this application. The height they added made the changing pad uncomfortably high (we thought we’d like that added height, but it was a good deal higher than the changing pad height that we were used to in Clara’s room) plus it would’ve meant the art above it would have to hang even higher than the doorway tops, which we thought would look off.
But we really liked the look of it, so we wanted to share the idea in case it worked better for someone else’s application…
It was just a matter of unscrewing a few things to get back to the sitting-straight-on-the-floor look (which also has the benefit of not creating a spot for dust and toys to collect). Then Sherry helped me hang the art and fill the shelves.
Update: There have been a few questions about the height of the changing station. The Expedit itself is 31″ and the wood frame added a few more inches, and the pad itself sits on top of the dresser, so the baby is around 34″ from the ground on the Expedit with the pad on it. Clara’s dresser with the pad on it was around 33″ from the ground – so that range seems to be what we prefer.
The stuff on the shelves is mostly placeholder items (another bin or basket for diapering supplies will definitely end up in the mix). In fact they’ve already been tweaked a little in the rest of the photos in this post. But you hopefully get the idea of how this’ll function for us.
It’s nice to have some concealed storage, plus some open toys and books that he can easily access. The 3 Sprouts dragon box was a gift from Sherry’s friend Cat during Clara’s dragon-loving days that Clara brought in and said was for her brother because he likes green (yes, Sherry melted into a puddle). Who knew those bins were perfectly sized for an Expedit? Apparently Clara did.
We might need to get a few more large baskets to house diapers and wipes more easily, but other than that, this changing area has shaped up quite nicely. Well, except for the fact that the changing pad cover is just leftover fabric that Sherry tucked around it – so we have to buy/make a real cover soon.
The funniest part of this entire endeavor was when Clara brought in a baby onesie from a to-be-washed pile in the guest bedroom and said Barnacle wanted to wear it while we took his picture. Apparently we have an accidental tradition of dressing up not-real-babies in the nursery before the real baby arrives, since this happened in Clara’s crib after we set it up.
Oh and for anyone wondering how the changing pad is secured in place, it’s the same one we used for Clara, and it has two over-sized snaps on the back that attach to snaps that get screwed into the furniture or wall from the back. These are pics from making Clara’s dresser (which you read more about here) but we were easily able to remove them and screw them into the back edge of the Expedit.
We’ve also used heavy duty 3M command velcro to adhere the bike art firmly to the wall beyond the screws-into-studs/anchors hanging method that we used. So the little guy shouldn’t able to knock it off the wall or even pull it off (not that he’ll ever be unsupervised up there anyway). We did joke that it could get peed on, but the slick poster board material will hopefully work in our favor. We also have a hilarious tiny tent-like item that was a gift for keeping the spray at bay, if you will.
We’re really happy with how this little upgrade turned out, and we’re hoping it has some lasting value as toy and book storage when Barnacle gets older. I’m already picturing it stuffed with bins of legos. And the cost of our update was around $45 – the wood was $39 and the wood conditioner was $6 – since we already owned the stain and returned the casters (you can add $15 to cover those if you don’t have ’em).
The nursery is feeling much more complete now that we’ve dealt with that formerly empty wall. And Sherry’s putting the finishing touches on her mobile project for over the crib (this is just a photoshopped version of what she’s going for), so she’ll be back with those details in the next few days. It’s amazing how much more homey a room feels without two big blank walls staring back at you.
Aaaaaand I just realized the fun part of diaper changing is pretty much over. It only gets uglier from here. Speaking of which, we haven’t forgotten that we need to add a place for dirty diapers (we’ve had luck with this method for Clara, so we might go that route again). How’s that for a note to leave off on?
Do you guys use changing tables, or are you bed/floor/random-other-spot folks? Have you done anything fun to an Expedit lately? It’s amazing how many hacks there are. Can you believe Ikea’s retiring them (or at least tweaking and renaming them)? Will the new name stick, or will we all still call them Expedits?
PS: Wanna see another fun furniture hack? Check out this cool paint pattern we added to a thrift store desk.
Update – Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint colors we used? Just click on this button:
Kristi says
We use an Expedit for our son’s changing table, and it has been great (he is almost 15 months old)! My mom actually told me that we would never use the changing table, that she always changed us in the crib, but I had to explain to her that drop-side cribs are actually illegal now, so that wouldn’t work for us, ha! :) We have used ours religiously, too–I don’t really understand how people change their kids all over the house, do they keep diapers and wipes all over the house, too? I love having one spot where we can keep everything! Target makes some really great looking Threshold bins that fit the Expedit perfectly and we got four of them in gray for our nursery: http://www.target.com/p/threshold-storage-bin/-/A-14368649#prodSlot=medium_2_0&term=threshold%20storage
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that it’s working for you! And thanks for the bin link!
xo
s
Sayward says
Yes! Finding bins is like the hunt for a golden unicorn. I was eyeing up some of Target’s new “leather” bins yesterday and wondering if they’d fit.
Susan says
My mother told me the same thing – it’s one time I am glad I didn’t listen to her. We use our changing pad on the dresser all the time (even in our 2 story house). When our 15 month old was a little baby, I would change him downstairs, but now that diaper changes are not as frequent, we change him upstairs every time.
Amber says
We have a two story house, and just potty trained our son right before he turned three, and we never had a changing table. We had a basket upstairs and a basket downstairs with a waterproof felt pad, diapers, powder, and wipes. Upstairs we’d often change him on his bedroom floor or on our bed, and downstairs we generally used the floor in the playroom. It kept us from running up and down the stairs, and we were able to change him wherever we wanted.
Margaret says
Everyone told me the same thing and no, I totally use our changing table. We did the dresser route in our old house but now we have a large enough landing (and enough overlapping kids in dipes) that we put the changing table in the hallway upstairs. There’s the perfect little nook for it. We got an inexpensive IKEA version (which I saw someone turn into an awesome bar cart on Apartment Therapy… ideas for the future) and I always run upstairs to change my daughter (and will with our soon-to-be second daughter. I figure it’s one more way to work on shedding baby weight and it keeps the dirty diapers in one spot.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds perfect!
xo
s
Larry says
What type of wood did you use?
Sarah says
Like you, we found that having a table just for changing diapers seemed like a waste of a piece of furniture. We set up our daughter’s changing pad on top of our IKEA Hemnes 3-drawer dresser. It works great.
That said, she only gets changed in there at bedtime because we don’t want to haul her upstairs to the nursery every time we change her diaper. We have a pack & play set up in the family room with all her diapering supplies for the rest of the day.
Erica says
We used the changing table in the nursery regularly but we also used the pack-n-play in the living room as well! It was nice having two areas to change diapers.
Diana says
That’s pretty much what we did too. Changing pad on top of dresser in the nursery and then used the pack n play changing table downstairs. We took down the pack n play when he was about 6 months since we were only using it for diaper changes. Now I just use the floor. Not as easy but the pack n play is out of sight!
Amber says
I love the update to Expedit, so simple and perfect! We’re using that Expedit(plain) in our nursery too… it was perfect height for changing, compact size for the space. Except we have no closet for storage in the space and the only drawers we have are at the base of the crib ( Baby Mod!), so I have each cubby filled with a bin for clothes/ prefolds/ covers/ etc.! xo, Amber
YoungHouseLove says
Really smart! So glad it worked for you – and it’s flexible so down the road if you add a dresser it can store books/toys/legos/etc.
xo
s
Laura @ Rather Square says
I’m impressed that you were able to visualize this hack for the Expedit! The wood really gives it warmth and depth.
Elizabeth says
We also use a changing table religiously! Although there have been a few instances where time has not been on our side and we swapped britches on the floor. Very rare though. We have a changing table in our bedroom, and we have my husbands from when he was a baby, upstairs. And I love that they double as dressers so they can grow with the kiddos.
I love the hack you guys did! Looks like it will be super functional!
Soffia Gardarsdottir says
I love this! Expedit has rarely looked as swanky!
Krysta says
Probably one of my favorite rooms. I love it and this is a great IKEA hack.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Krysta!
xo
s
Lanie says
Looks great! My husband is a cyclist and would love this room for a boy.
An off topic question- how do you like your new may tag washer now that it has been replaced? How do you expect it to work for the cloth diapers? Did you take that into consideration when purchasing? We recently purchased these and then I realized they are the same ones you guys have, but I couldn’t really find an update post on how the washer actually worked. I had to stop cloth diapering due to my he front loader not washing them well enough and now that we are moving and getting a second chance to pick out a w/d, I, hoping it’s the right one for cloth diapering ( we have same diapers you do). Thanks!! Lanie
YoungHouseLove says
So far we love it and we have heard good things from many families who cloth diaper (some multiple kids at a time) and have the same washer. So our fingers are crossed that it should be great. Will keep you posted when those days are here!
xo
s
Caroline says
We have this same washer and cloth diaper and have had NO issue. I would say we’re past the peanut butter poo and moved on to more solid bowel movements and it worked wonderfully during that nasty poo stage. I do a regular wash and push the prewash, extra rinse, and deep clean buttons and throw the detergent in the dispenser. All my diapers are perfectly clean afterward. Sometimes I leave off the prewash if it’s not too bad. Also the dryer is more of a pain. I think because it’s HE it tries to save power but sometimes that means our clothes aren’t dry enough so I’ll run them through another dry cycle. Also there is a way to specifically set the dry time so we do that occasionally too. Overall LOVE this washer/dryer for CDs!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear it! Thanks for the info Caroline!
xo
s
angie says
I was definitely one of those moms that realized i shouldnt have gone to the trouble of getting a changing table all ready because i just changed my daughter wherever we were! Thankfully her changing “table” was just a pad on top of a dresser so i hadnt wasted money on a whole piece of furniture, just a changing pad:) i do like your solution though. You will use those little cubbies forever! It looks great, as always. Stairs would definitely be a game changer for me. I am anxious to hear how/if it affects you:)
Anele @ Success Along the Weighn says
Um, that looks 10 kinds of AMAZING!! I love it!
Oh and like a huge nerd, I teared up at the phrase “our son.” I’m so used to barnacle or other pet names that it suddenly just got real, yo!
YoungHouseLove says
I had the same reaction when I read that this morning Anele! John always calls him Barnacle, so I think the “son” thing caught me right in the heart.
xo
s
JenR says
The nursery looks so good. Love the built-ins and the changing table is perfect. I’m reading your post this morning as we are traveling from Tampa to snowy upstate NY. We hit Richmond at 10 am and I thought, hey a bet there is a new post on YHL! So hi from I 95!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny, say hi to 95 for us!
xo
s
Crystal says
I also always changed at the changing table. Even after a c-section and having to walk up to the second floor. It is good to move around and I like the fact that it keeps it all together.
The Expedit has so many lives I swear! We’ve used ours for so many different purposes in multiple rooms. They’re the bookshelves that just keep giving and giving! LOL
Danielle says
I love it so much! You guys always have great ideas. I think his nursery is looking great!
We have our 18 month old’s changing pad on his dresser too and have always used it religiously. It works great for us, and we’re in a ranch so his bedroom is just right off the living room anyway.
Heather says
I imagine having the changing station in one area might instill early the idea that “we go to a place to do these sorts of things.” Maybe it’s wishful thinking to think that changing them in a certain place helps with potty training? Each kid is so different though that I doubt there would be any way to really tell.
Frannie says
I love it all, it is so cheerful and sweet! How/are you going to attach it to the wall? Only asking because I’m currently trying to figure out how to attach a smaller version to the wall in my little girl’s room. Love all the progress! (sorry if this is a duplicate comment, my computer is acting up)
YoungHouseLove says
We’re HUGE fans of anchoring systems, which we usually order from amazon. You can attach anything to the wall, including bookcases (like we did here), TVs (like we did here) or leaning mirrors (like we did here).
xo
s
Lindsay J says
I really love it! You guys are so creative. The room is coming together perfectly.
ilikebeerandbabies.com says
HA! We totally used that as the changing table for both of our babies. Love it!
http://www.ilikebeerandbabies.com/2012/05/cool-cucumbers-room.html
http://www.ilikebeerandbabies.com/2011/11/going-from-1-to-2.html
YoungHouseLove says
So happy to hear it worked for you!
xo
s
Emma says
First off – wow. That is a *great* Ikea Hack. Quite the transformation. Lovely job there. I’m surprised that the Expedit is the right height for a changing station because my father has one and it hits just below my hip. But it clearly works for you 2. On a side note – it must be baby season. I have about 10 friends that are preggers and the baby harvest just started and is expected to last through August :) All the best!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Emma! There do seem to be tons of prego ladies (and most of them seem to be having boys among my friends and relatives). As for the height of the changing pad, the wood frame added a few inches, and the pad itself sits on top of the dresser, so the baby is around 34″ from the ground on the Expedit with the pad on it. Clara’s dresser with the pad on it was around 33″ from the ground – so that range seems to be what we prefer.
xo
s
Carrie says
That worked out perfectly!
We have a small nursery, so we ended up storing a changing pad underneath the crib. We slide it out, change our girl on the floor and then slide it back. We’ve been using it for a year and a half now, and it’s great to have it out of the way!
YoungHouseLove says
Really smart!
xo
s
Margaret says
We do that, too, Carrie! I switched to the floor when I realized that I always forgot to get my cloth wipes wet before starting to change my daughter, and then I was in a pickle, with a half-naked, wriggling infant rolling around on her pad on top of the dresser, but no wipes to clean her up! On the floor I can leave her and run to the hall bathroom without worrying about a fall.
Nicole says
We use an Expedit as our changing table, but we bought a set of Capita legs to raise it up off the floor. We do all diaper changes on it out of habit, even though we have a split level and her room is on the top floor. Exercise!
I’ve been trying to hunt down the Expedit desk that attaches to the bookcase, but no luck. I hope the replacement shelving unit has a desk and that it will be compatible with the Expedit…otherwise we’ll have to buy a new bookcase.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I hope they still keep all the components! People are going nuts over the change so I bet they will, just to avoid an Expedit uprising.
xo
s
Lydia K says
I have that desk! It’s in black/brown – I’ve been trying to sell it on craigslist for MONTHS. Let me know if you’re interested! (I’m in North Carolina, btw).
Jill says
What change are yall referring to? Is there some kind of change going on at IKEA? Should I be breaking out in a sweat?
YoungHouseLove says
There’s a link to that story in the very last line of the post for ya ;)
xo
s
Audrey says
Idk where you are located but just came across this one on craigslit in NH:
http://nh.craigslist.org/fuo/4348270076.html
Liz says
Great idea!
Bummer the casters didn’t work out.
If someone wants to use them, I’d suggest putting them both on the same end so that they are actually functional – or on all four corners. Some come with a locking mechanism too – so the changing table wouldn’t roll all around should there be casters on all four corners.
Heather says
Agreed, putting them on one end so you can tilt from the other and roll seems much more functional.
Cat @ MaryMarthaMama says
This is so awesome! You were totally right, it needed something, and that little wrap of wood was it. And I have to say, I love the 3 sprouts baskets. They are too cute. As for changing tables, we have a 2 story house, but we have mostly changed our babies on the changing table in the nursery. It’s really a changing table/dresser though so it will grow with the babies and still be used beyond diaper days.
Sarah says
We use our Expedit former “entertainment center” (big TV spot in the middle, the cubbies all around) for our changing station! It works out perfectly!!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that!
xo
s
Amber{Kingwood Drive} says
That’s delightful!! We used our changing table A LOT even though we were told it was “highly unnecessary”. It was much easier to change our kiddos in one designated spot {and so much easier after each of my c-sections}. Thanks for sharing this fabulously-creative changing table!!
Amy @ a new old house says
We had a dresser set up to be a changing table for both our kids- I like the fact that it would have a long term use. But once they were past the itty-bitty stage, I found it easier to change them on the floor. One thing we found really useful in a 2 story house was setting up the pack & play on the first floor for diaper changes during the day and for quick naps.
Hilary says
We almost always went upstairs to change diapers, possibly because we only had one bathroom and it was upstairs as well (in case a bath was required…).
And we also received the hilarious tent-like pee catchers, but hardly ever used them because they were never big enough for the volume of liquid spraying everywhere! I had more luck with having a diaper ready to quickly slap into place.
And great job – the Expedit looks beautiful!
YoungHouseLove says
Ah yes, the diaper-at-the-ready method sounds like one we’ll be using as well ;)
xo
s
Beth says
OMG, yes. We also got the pee catchers, and oh my, it was very short-lived in our house. It was too firm to absorb anything, instead it ricocheted it down onto the pad, and then ran up baby’s back. We had to change the outfit, changing pad, and do an impromptu full bath with a very sad, soaked little infant. Put a diaper wipe on it! It doesn’t ricochet but absorbs. Sometimes we’d even quick switch-out the wet wipe if it was a long one and prevent a another diaper change 5 minutes down the road.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips, guys! Thanks for the boy-mommy advice. It’s apparently a whole new ballgame, huh?
xo
s
Jane says
Oh that tent like thing is useless. We never bought one for my boy because , my nephew’s spray was so strong that it would blow that tent thing away at full force. My trick was to wait for a bit after removing the diaper so he will pee before I can remove the diaper completely . This is a problem only in the initial months..after that it happens quite rarely. But be prepared for pee streams all over the art, on your walls and on yourself! Oh boys.
wilma says
Yeah, the “teepees” didn’t work for us either. What worked best for our boys was putting a washcloth (the same thin ones we used for diaper clean up) over him when getting out a new diaper, etc., to minimize the possibility of the pee fountain.
Pam the Goatherd says
I did cloth wipes as well as diapers – tossed the wipes in the diaper pail and washed them with the diapers as a way to cut down on trash and costs. Putting a cloth wipe over the “sprayer” is the best way to keep them from squirting everything around them. I had two boys and never had a problem with them spraying pee around because I always kept the offending body part covered with a cloth. You’ll get the hang of it with a little practice.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Pam!
xo
s
Leigh says
My 5 month old son has not once sprayed me, and I leave him naked all the time to get the next diaper ready. We didn’t circumcise him though, so maybe his extra skin prevents a reaction to the sudden burst of cold.
Tricia says
I love this idea! I’m on my 3rd kid and I’ve used a changing table for every single one of them. Our nursery has always been on our main living level though. I probably wouldn’t walk upstairs every change if that weren’t the case but I can’t imagine not having the space in the nursery for dressing and putting on jammies at night. I really love the mix of rustic and modernity in his room so far!
Cf Betcher says
Looks awesome!! We used the expedit as a changing table in our first floor playroom. Having a piece do double duty (no pun intended) is great in a kids space. I really liked having a designated changing area on the first floor. I think it’s awkward and potentially yucky to change diapers on random furniture, but you will be very happy to have a first floor option. Especially with the 2nd kid!
Stefanie says
Love this! We recently bought the pink Expedit in the same size you have there for our 7 year old daughter’s room and the storage it’s provided has been amazing. I love the added wood hack around it too. It really makes it stand out.
I see you guys took advantage of that 40% off Cartwheel! What an amazing deal that was. I took advantage of it myself this weekend.
YoungHouseLove says
YES! Such a good deal!
xo
s
Christine says
That is exactly what we used for a changing table (except the smaller 4 cube Expedit). I couldn’t bring myself to buy an actual changing table piece of furniture since I wasn’t sure we’d actually use it that much, so about a week after my due date (we didn’t even have the crib until around then), I decided to see how my bedside Expedit would look, and it worked out really well. We didn’t use it too much in our old townhouse (two stories) because we changed where ever we were, but once we switched to cloth diapers (and then bought a ranch), that became the dedicated spot.
YoungHouseLove says
So smart! A 4-cube one is a nice compact size for a smaller space. Glad to hear that worked too!
xo
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Darcie says
We went from a one story to a two story right before our second son was born. I thought we would change a lot of diapers on the main level, but we really didn’t. I think using cloth diapers motivated me to climb the stairs for changes so that I didn’t have to have a second wetbag storage location.
YoungHouseLove says
Good to know!
xo
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Nicole says
This “change table” is so obviously way to low to be ergonomic and functional as a table. Its below your door handles! And its 15 inches deep…..good lord! Also doesn’t seem like you guys even thought about the weight limit…adding wood and then adding baby and all their stuff on top. This really seems poorly thought out….
YoungHouseLove says
Our changing pad was 33″ from the floor in Clara’s room (on her mid-century dresser) and this one is 34″ from the floor with the pad on top and the added wood trim, so it’s higher than the one that we enjoyed using for Clara! Thankfully there’s no issue with adding whitewood around it (many others have hacked them this way, and whitewood is very light wood). In fact the books that were loaded up on this bookcase in the office for the last 9 months far outweigh anything on it in the nursery, even with the added wood trim. We’re also glad to have heard from others in the comments who use it to change diapers in their nursery as well, so we’ll keep you guys posted if it’s a bust, but we have high hopes.
-John
Erin says
We’ve used our Expedit as an entertainment center for the last 4 years and I LOVE this hack idea to change up the look for our new condo. We moved into an old mill and I think this will give it a neat industrial look. Thanks for the idea!
Our 54inch flat screen TV sits on top and we’ve never had a problem with its holding its weight – even with multiple moves and a hack so it will easily hold our DVD/DVR components. Maybe Nicole is not familiar with the Expedit but they are definitely one of Ikea’s sturdiest furniture pieces (unlike the Billy Bookcases and some of their other items).
CM says
Have you ever seen a YHL project that wasn’t thought out?! I don’t think such a thing exists! You have to consider people’s heights. I’m 5’2 and wouldn’t really want anything taller than what they have because it would make life a lot harder for me. And I believe Sherry is close to my height (if we’re not the same height) so I’m sure John doesn’t mind losing a little height there :)
Bethany says
Nicole,
Do you think 15″ deep is too shallow? I’m honestly curious since I don’t have any children yet. It seems like it’d be wide enough to me, but I have exactly zero experience with this. If the changing pad fits comfortably, it seems like you should be good to go!
Alison says
Nicole, why be so harsh? It obviously works for them and that is all that matters. Good lord to you too! Blogging must be such a challenge with such opinionated readers. Happy Monday to you Nicole.
Amanda says
The dresser we use as our changing table for our one month old son sits below our door handles and is only as wide as the changing pad. It works perfectly for us and there’s no discomfort when we use it. I think this size is probably actually about perfect.
Kristen says
Alison – I was literally just saying last night to my boyfriend that I’m impressed by John and Sherry because no matter how negative someone might be with their comment – they’re never anything but nice back. I don’t think I would be able to do the same haha
Alison says
Kristin, I definitely would NOT be able to. John and Sherry do an amazing job of dealing with the public at large. It always impresses me.
Catie says
I’m curious as to why you think the dimensions are so far off from a change table. This is the changing table that matches the crib that they have (and I am in the process of purchasing right now) http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-ParkLane-3-Drawer-Changer-Amber-and-White/5983291?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs_middle&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id=59011934147&category=0:5427:414099:1101429:91512&client_guid=fb59f5c5-b6d0-480b-ae1b-0113d2ad2fdc&config_id=2&parent_item_id=5983290&guid=3ab4e14e-d9a1-40be-86b9-de922bca5750&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n
The changer top measures 31 1/4″ x 16 1/2″ x 2 1/4″, and the Expedit is 31 1/8″ x 15 3/8″ x 58 5/8″. The max load per shelf is 29 pounds on the Expedit, the max load for the entire changer is 30 pounds. Seems to me like the Expedit is made for becoming a baby changing table.
Jess says
“We also have a hilarious tiny tent-like item that was a gift for keeping the spray at bay, if you will.”
Ah yes … a peepee teepee! I can just imagine the marketing meeting for naming that one :)
Marlena says
It looks great! We used an Expedit, too, for our daughter’s changing table – same set up and everything. It’s a great piece of furniture, because 3.5 years after being in diapers, it’s still going strong with baskets and books that she can easily reach. Your upgrade looks wonderful, too! What a happy Baby Barnacle you’ll have!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny to hear from so many other fellow Expedit changing station users! We need to start a club ;)
xo
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Robin says
We also did the expedit changing table thing. Although, we used the one with the off center cubbies….is that still an expedit? I don’t know, but it was narrow, which worked for our room, and is now toy storage!!! Works great!
YoungHouseLove says
I think that’s still an Expedit, right? They have so many add on parts it’s hard to keep track.
xo
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Amy says
I cannot get over how much I love this hack! I have always envisioned us using this/the new version of the Expedit for our home and this just bridged our gap of style. I love it! I think it is perfect for your nursery :)
Amanda says
We’re changing pad on the floor types, stairs were definitely a factor in that. And the peepee teepee may be funny but it’s way useful. We just threw a wipe over our boys, but we have some crazy stories from before we figured that out with our oldest.
Your expedit looks way more sophisticated with the wood. Looks really good with the bike print too.
Brit [House Updated] says
That is awesome, I literally just did the same thing for storage in our basement but in reverse! I took a brown unit and wrapped it with white wood (mdf actually). It is amazing how some contrasting framing really upgrades those units!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome Brit! LOVE the idea of doing it in reverse!
xo
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Amy J. says
That looks fabulous! What a great hack. We have a stairs, so when we have to diaper change, I have a pad in my daughter’s room, then one in our first floor laundry room on top of the dryer, just off the kitchen. Since you guys are lucky enough to have second floor laundry, that trick won’t work for your first floor needs! But, it’s nice because it’s hidden and no one has to look at (or smell) diaper stuff! I suggest some location that is out of the way, for everyone’s sake!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
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Britt F. says
I am DYING over this update… I have the big 4×4 Expedit – and think this would make it EXTRA pretty! :)
Side note: We just had a little guy in November – and I used the below tutorial for making a no-sew (know you love hem tape, Sher-dawg) changing pad cover. It was SOOOO cheap and easy – and I even used a strip of minky fabric down the middle to make it extra cozy and stain resistant (we’ve had major blowouts onto the white minky and it is still stain free!). Just thought I’d pass the idea along!
http://goneyonkers.blogspot.com/2013/02/diy-no-sew-changing-pad-cover-tutorial.html
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the link Britt!
xo
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Renee says
Holy changing table, batman! That is awesome. LOVE the ‘hack.’
We are moving across the country 4 weeks before baby is due – living on the edge…
So I am vicariously nesting through your nursery reno. Woohoo! So fun!
YoungHouseLove says
Best of luck with everything Renee!
xo
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Kari says
GENIUS, guys! The Expedit looks absolutely gorgeous. I’m truly blown away by your creativity with adding a wood border about such a simple Ikea piece. If that’s not the ultimate Ikea-to-Poterry Barn transformation, I don’t know what is!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Kari.
-John
Vanessa says
Looks great! And as a mom of a baby boy (ok he’s almost three now) – we used a wash cloth – aka a pee pee blocker. It will only take you once or twice (of getting peed on) before you are always prepared. In my experience it also happens as soon as you put him in the bath (at least when he’s little).
As a side note I know the back of the top portion of the nursery built ins (say that 10 times fast) is the wall…but have you considered painting them or putting color back there? I know the accessories are pops of color but I guess after seeing the built ins from your old house – I just expect to see more color.
You guys are in the home stretch. Congrats and great work!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be a fun update! Love that idea. And thanks for the washcloth tip!
xo
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Janey says
We did the washcloth thing, too! It worked really well…no flying off and very good absorption. Plus our son really didn’t appreciate us using baby wipes for this…maybe they’re a little chilly because they’re damp? We had a million of the teeny-tiny baby washcloths, so it was nice that they were useful for something (we liked the larger-but-still-baby ones for the bath tub). Speaking of the tub, we used the little washcloth-pee-blocker there too, just to avoid any badly-timed fountains.
Oh, and I love everything about the changing table, such a great idea!
Daisy says
All my boy Mama friends said those peepee teepees are just cute to look at…apparently they fly right off (imagine my shocked face). They all just used a heavier cloth diaper to cover things up as they manuvered the new diaper into place.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s hilarious! I can’t imagine how loud I’d scream if I saw one take flight.
xo
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Jenny B. says
We learned the key is to open the wet diaper for a quick burst of cold air on the, ahem, diaper area, then quickly cover it back up with the same diaper. Wait a couple of seconds for the cold air to take effect. Then when the diaper’s warm, you’re good to go. Ha! ;) A baby washcloth over the area for extra precaution while placing the clean diaper is also a good idea. The pre open/close keeps the washcloth dry most of the time, though.
YoungHouseLove says
Good tip! Will have to try that!
xo
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JennP says
We bought a changing table 4 years ago when we were furnishing our oldest’s nursery, and we are still getting tons of use out of it! Aside from being a safe, convenient place to change diapers, the extra storage really helped us keep the room neat and organized. It now belongs to kiddo #2 and may get passed down to a #3 one day. Not bad for a relatively inexpensive piece of furniture!
Melanie | Mailbox Journey says
Genius idea!
Lindsay says
Super pretty! Is it weird to call something you will change diapers on “pretty”? Ah well.
One question though – it looks pretty short to me (must be what, something like 30-ish inches?). I realize Sherry’s quite a bit shorter than I am, but still it seems low (especially for John)? This is not me saying you’ve done something wrong, by the way – this is me (first time mom due a week or so after you) wondering if *I* did – the dresser I plan to use is about 37 inches. Hmmmmm.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh you might want to try putting a pad on a 37″ dresser (it’ll add even more height) to see if that’s comfy for you. It might be, but Clara’s dresser with the pad on it was 33″ inches tall, so that was what we were used to. This one is 34″ tall after the hack, so it’s a bit higher, but with the casters and legs it was around 37/38″ and it felt too high even for John. Could totally just be a what-you’re-used-to-thing though!
xo
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wilma says
I think the height of the table is really a personal preference. I am very tall (and my hubby is super tall), so we were so lucky that my dad made a huge change table (with doors) that was very tall (and really deep, too) for our change table. We love it, and I still use it for our 2 year old! We have an expedit, too, in the room, and it’s at least a foot shorter than the top of our dresser. It just goes to show that height is very personal.
I also think that the height needs to be appropriate for the shorter person, rather than the taller, as it’s easier to stoop for a minute or two than have to step on a stool or something, which I think would be incredibly awkward and/or annoying.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your IKEA hack.
Lindsay says
Ah, good points both Sherry and Wilma, thanks! I’ll check on the height with pad when I get home. I only hadn’t put it up there yet because I didn’t feel like attaching it at the moment and/or having the cat decide it was a perfect cat bed (or chew toy, knowing him). ;)
Also, although I’m only 5’9″ (and my husband is a few inches taller), I think I’m mostly legs. And I hate stooping! hehe.
YoungHouseLove says
You’re so tall! I’m jelly.
xo
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Megan CC says
I use the Ikea Hemnes 8-drawer dresser as a changing table. I just looked it up and the website says its 38 1/4″ tall, plus the inch or two with the changing pad. I’m 5’7″ and I think it’s a comfortable height for the changing table. I would just put the pad on and see for yourself how it feels to you. Like Wilma said, height preference is very personal.
Wilma says
Lindsay, I am a smidge over 5’10”. I just went home and measured our table, and it’s 37.5 inches without the pad. We love the height, but that’s just us :)
Natalie Royall says
Loooove how the nursery is coming together!! I really love the changing table. I was given a 3 level changing table AND the changing pad AND a cute cover AND live in a tiny rancher… and used it maybe twice. Haha! I made up a basket with a changing pad, diapers, wipes, cream, extra onsie, etc…. and always seemed to be closer to that than the table. So I ended up just finding some cute matching baskets from the goodwill and use it now as a toy station on the bottom two shelves and keep her bows, shoes, accessories on the top . Use what you got :) :)
Emily says
After the mobile is up are y’all thinking the nursery will be done? How exciting!
YoungHouseLove says
We still have to deal with the closet organization and we want to get a light fixture for the room (none of the bedrooms upstairs have one, but we think one on a dimmer would be awesome) and we have a few more small touches we want to add, but we’re definitely rounding the home stretch!
xo
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Megan says
Awesome job! The room looks so cute… love that Clara already knows her brother likes green. Precious. She is going to be a great big sister and such a help to you guys!
Stairs WILL be a game changer! We had a mock station in the corner of the kitchen, sounds gross, but really wasn’t. I actually had a blast getting a colorful cover and fun little accessories to hold the diapers, wipes and cream. Not only did it save on the bending/floor changing, it ended up being a cute little nook. I even put pictures of him and his siblings under the upper cabinets so he had something fun to look at while being changed!
Leah says
Awesome! I love how this room is changing up.
We have a changing table for our June arrival, but that’s mostly because we were gifted it by a friend. It’s got shelves and room for bins, so there is plenty of storage for dipes and some toys on the bottom. And we have the same woven green basket as you (yay, Target).
Have you considered putting a basket on top of the expedit for some of your diapering supplies?
Also, side note: the maintenance guys from our place pulled up the carpet today in the baby’s future room. The wood floors underneath look good, so they’re coming back to refinish later this week while we’re on vacation. Score!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, I love the on-top for diapering supplies thing (maybe just a shallow basket with a few diapers and some wipes at the ready while the rest are stored under). And as for the wood floors looking good, that’s awesome. Such a lucky find under carpet!
xo
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