Call it a baby step, but we’ve officially finished our first project in the nursery. And yes, that was a pun back there.
The room has always had a dimmer switch (back from its days as a dining room) but as long as we’ve lived here it hasn’t done a certain thing: dim. Yep, it went on and off, but did nothing in between. So as we brace ourselves for nights of sneaking into a sleeping baby’s room, we figured that being able to find some middle ground between blinded by darkness and blinded by light would be a totally useful thing.
And thanks to our spot on the True Value DIY Blog Squad, we were able to tackle this lighting issue no problem. All we needed was a $14 replacement slide dimmer from True Value and a little bit of electrical know-how. After all, it doesn’t take a degree in electrical engineering to replace a simple switch…
Our technique for most electrical projects is just to carefully watch what we’re undoing and then redo it with the new piece in place. Whether it’s a lighting fixture, ceiling fan or switch we just attentively observe which wires are connected to which wires and then recreate those pairings with the new wires which attach to the new fixture. And since we’re crazy paranoid about shocking ourselves (or worse) we ALWAYS turn off the main breaker to our entire house to be 100% sure that we won’t accidentally electrocute ourselves. You can’t be too careful when it comes to trying not to die.
From there the first step was removing the old switch, which just takes some quick turns of a screwdriver to release the switchplate cover- followed by gently pulling the actual switch box out from inside the wall (don’t pull too hard or you could dislodge something).
What we uncovered was an old switch that was way past its prime. It looked like all the connections were right, though some were so loosely made that they pulled apart when I lifted it away from the wall. Maybe that was why our old dimmer switch wasn’t fully functional. Oh and the only noticeably missing thing was a green grounding wire, but the nice thing about all new switches is that they usually come with those these days so that’s a bit of added security.
After untwisting the old caps to the connections that were still semi-secure-ish, we simply connected the new dimmer switch’s wires the same way. Granted this was all in the hope that the dimming issue was because of the old switch, not a greater wiring issue (which wouldn’t have been solved by a new $14 dimmer). But we crossed our fingers, twisted new wire nuts onto the new connections and even wrapped some black electrical tape around each one to ensure that there were no exposed stripped wires (the stripped parts of the wires are live, and those are connected beneath the nuts so electrical tape keeps them even more secure and safely out of reach).
Before testing it, we actually went ahead and screwed it back onto the wall just to be safe (we didn’t want to be holding the switch when we flipped the breaker and sent electricity surging through our house again).
Lucky for us – it worked! Not only did we have fully on and completely off capabilities, we had everything in between. Woo hoo! Plus our new slide dimmer features a faint red locator light that glows when the light is off. That way we don’t have to fumble for the baby OR the light switch in the middle of the night.
Now, had it not worked so seamlessly, the dimmer came with instructions to help us further diagnose the issue. Plus, there’s always our friend google to turn to for research. But fortunately this was an easy-as-pie start to our nursery transformation. It just took about 15 minutes, a $14 replacement dimmer from True Value and one very good reason to finally fix our broken switch!
But enough about us. What about you guys? Have you tackled any simple projects lately (electrical or otherwise)? Or is there something small that you’ve been putting off that might just make it to the top of your to-do (or honey-do) list this weekend? We of all people know that sometimes the littlest projects are the last to get done…
Psst- Beyond turning off the power to your entire house every time, electrical work definitely calls for extra safety precautions. It’s always smart to take on your first few electrical projects in the company of someone who’s well versed in this area (for us it was having John’s dad around for a couple of light-fixture-switchouts to learn the ropes). Because as good as a new pendant or switch looks, it’s not worth a trip to the ER. Safety first!
Kate says
I actually just bought this same dimmer for my guest bedroom and am going to replace my old light switch soon! I didn’t realize it had that little red light in it – very cool!
Janis from Scotland says
Dimmer looks good. We have a small dark hallway and if we need to get up during the night don’t want to be blinded by the main light so bought a plug-in moonlight energy saving night-light which uses (apparently) NASA technology to provide soft lighting. Would also be good for the baby room and gives off a soft glow.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that sounds great Janis. Thanks for the tip! We definitely plan to grab a nightlight for the nursery as well, and an energy saving one would be perfect.
xo,
s
Amy @ Renovation Innovation says
The hubs has just finished changing out a bunch of switches in our new house. We have a large foyer chandelier that is controlled by 4 different switches (one at the front door, one by the kitchen, and two on either side of the stairs). He did an amazing job wiring up all the electrics so that the new switches work seamlessly. He’s also installed a couple of pretty cool occupancy sensors – when you walk in to our downstairs bathroom, the light automatically goes on (and switches off after you have left). The same thing happens for our upstairs hallway. It definitely pays to have a handy husband!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds seriously amazing. I hope John doesn’t feel inadequate when he reads it. You did great with the dimmer honey!
xo,
s
Janis from Scotland says
No problem Sherry – this is the “blurb” on the Moonlight plug-in
“The Moonlight radiates a soft, restful glow using technology developed for lighting cockpit panels on the Space Shuttle. Cool to the touch with no bulb to change, it brings reassurance after nightfall in a child’s bedroom, hallway or landing.”
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, sounds heavenly.
xo,
s
Janell Beals says
Great idea to turn off the main breaker, I always turn off the room I’m working in but always a bit nervous! Dimmers are the best, I’ve installed countless ones over the years!
Janell
Melissa says
I cannot believe I never thought of putting a dimmer switch in the baby’s room! What a great idea.
Jennelle says
Since we bought our house, my husband has become a pro at changing light fixtures. The first change-out involved lots of cursing and bickering between us, but now, easy as pie! Also, his uncle, who’s a contractor, helped us install a programmable thermostat this summer. It wasn’t too hard at all.
Christa M says
I’m glad to see there weren’t bigger issues and all it took was replacing it! I love dimmers, so much that I replaced just about every switch in my house to dimmers! Kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, bedrooms…you name it! Some times you just don’t need so much light (like in the middle of the night when you are half asleep but need something from the kitchen) and sometimes you want a nice soft ambiance (Brown chicken brown cow) It’s nice to have options…and they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.
Looking forward to the room transformation!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Jamie says
“You can’t be too careful when it comes to trying not to die.”
One of John’s best lines ever.
Wendy @ A Southern Accent says
This is a great tutorial! My dad tried to install a dimmer in my kitchen an it shorted out the socket! I think I’ll try this approach!
Number one thing you’ll use most in a baby’s room is a dimmer switch! We had one in our nursery and I loved sitting in my little guy’s room, rocking him to sleep while feeding him with the soft light – it creates such a soothing atmosphere!
Happy Thanksgiving to you guys – I know you’re extra thankful this year!
Janice says
Dimmer switches are great. OK – am I the only one surprised to see that you don’t remove the switch plate when you paint the walls? I always do. I remove the plates for the wall plugs too.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Janice,
Good eye! We didn’t remove the old switchplate to paint because we meant to replace it with a newer, slightly larger dimmer switch right after we painted (but we actually didn’t get around to doing that until years later when we took on this recent project). When we repaint the room as a nursery we’ll definitely remove the switchplate though. We’re usually quite thorough but it really depends what our future project list looks like (if we’ll be replacing something down the line we’re less careful about taping it off or removing it). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amber @ Two Nuts in a Shell says
I just love the fact that you used the term “honey-do.” Every Friday I list my honey-do list on my blog in hopes that sharing it with my readers will keep me on track to finishing it, as well as inspire others to make their own! So far so good. Two weeks, and two completed honey-do lists!
Carol N. says
I have a new foyer light fixture for the hubs to install this weekend; I may need to go sneak a few dimmers in on him as well since this looks so easy. Maybe he can get them done in between football games and eating large quantities of turkey and dressing.
Have a great and safe Thanksgiving!
Paula says
We bought a new house 3 years ago, but we didn´t like the switchers very much.
So, we are going to buy new ones for the entire house. A litlle less grannyish!
Carly says
After reading your blog, we purchased the Honeywell
5-2 Day Programmable Thermostat. I have wanted a digital thermostat for a while and the thought of possibly saving a few dollars didn’t hurt. You can read about it here http://jonandcarlylong.blogspot.com/2009/10/going-digital.html I have never done electrical but the hubs has replaced things such a ceiling fans. It doesn’t hurt that his grandfather is a builder. I love dimmer switches!!!
Carly
YoungHouseLove says
Carly- So glad to hear you snagged a programmable thermostat! For anyone looking for a quick tutorial, here you go: https://www.younghouselove.com/the-heat-is-on/
Bethany- Without being in the room and looking at your set up I’m afraid we can’t give you a quick answer. We’d suggest taking a photo of the three switch panel and bringing it with you to Home Depot so you can show it to the experts there and see what they think. Hope it helps!
Nicole- Great tips one and all! We actually so rarely use the third bedroom/nursery that we had yet to switch it over to a CFL but when we do it’s great to know that we need to pick up a dimmable one!
Mic- That’s great to hear. Thanks for the link!
xo,
s
Bethany says
I want to do this in our dining room, but the problem is that the light is controlled on a 3-switch panel…kitchen, breakfast, dining area. I wouldn’t mind changing out all 3 or just the one for the dining area, but can you do either? I’ll investigate at home depot this weekend, but I was wondering if you had the quick answer! Thanks for all the inspiration!
Nicole says
A couple of tips for you guys:
1) Always use a volt meter. It tells you if the wire is “hot” or not.
2) Don’t forget you can’t just dim CFLs (I know you’re “green” so I’m guessing you use them). You have to buy the dimable kind. When we bought our house, everything was CFLs and the dimmer switches were used. The wires ended up hard as a rock from over heating.
-Nicole
mic @ hishouse;herhelp. says
the energy savings from keeping your light fixtures even just 90% dimmed is crazy!
check it out here. http://www.lutron.com/CMS400/default.aspx?app=energywb
katie says
SO funny….I literally just said last night while in bed with the hubs…”You know..we need to put a dimmer switch in the baby room…”
I’m due May 8…so, we’re close!
I also just bought our pottery barn furniture YESTERDAY, too! I AM SO excited!! :)
At 5 weeks we painted the nursery…crazy, I know (but since I miscarried before…nurseries have weighed heavily on my mind!)…and then this sunday I just finished the tree mural (I do them on the side as it is).
Wanna peek?
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/katieballa/IMG_2507.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for the sneak peek at your nursery mural! We love the chic little tree silhouette. Can’t wait to tackle our big nursery project after we completely redo the bathroom. So much to do! So many makeovers on the horizon…
xo,
s
Holly says
Can’t wait to see more :)
Hope you guys have a great Thanksgiving!
Britiney says
The dimmer in the nursery is the greatest idea EVER!! My husband installed dimmers in both of our kids’ bedrooms. We use them every day. They are the best thing in the baby’s room. It’s so nice to have enough light to change a diaper but not enough light to say, “IT’S MORNING! WAKE UP!!” You want those little buggers to go right back to sleep! This is my number one suggestion to expecting parents. Glad you had it figured out at the get-go! Congrats on the bean!!
chacha says
I installed a similar one in my kitchen last year – it was ridiculously easy.
Anyway, FYI, you may already know this, but in case you don’t, regular CFLs don’t really work with a dimmer – they may dim, initially, but it usually kills the lifespan of the bulb (sometimes you get a weird buzzing sound). So you either have to use regular incandescent bulb or special CFL dimming bulbs (cost I think 2-3 times what regular CFL costs).
Amanda says
I have attempted two minor electrical projects this month; only one was successful. The hallway light fixture was the unsuccessful one, so unsuccessful that when I realized the new one wasn’t going to work, I couldn’t even get the original fixture back up. The temporary remedy is tape over the wall switch. The stellarly successful project was the replacement of the original [50-year-old]thermostat with a digital programmable one (on sale on tax-free holiday with a rebate and coupon!). The wires weren’t labeled and the directions didn’t seem to apply with what I had in the wall, but it worked out after some trial-and-error.
Cindy says
I bought a programmable thermostat a few weeks back with the intention of setting it up right away.
The boyfriend was too worried he’d screw it up, so said I was on my own.
I got it out of the package, and read the instructions, and got the cover off the old one…then realized I was terrified of screwing up as well, especially since I was home alone.
So I put the cover back on, and the new one has sat on the counter top ever since…
But, it’s getting colder out, so I am gonna try and conquer my fear and get it done this weekend.
YoungHouseLove says
You can do it Cindy! Good luck!
xo,
s
LauraC says
Another coincidental post! Hubby and his dad started rewiring the downstairs bathroom just last night! Let me tell you, your wires, old as they may be, look positively modern compared to some of our stuff! Josh did our daughter’s room just a couple weeks ago, and it was a PROJECT! I’m lucky to have such a handy guy. We need to hire an electrician to replace our (4)electrical boxes (yes, four – all weirdly connected somehow!) with one nice, new modern one, but Josh can rewire everything else himself. We did learn that it is best to rewire, THEN paint rather than the opposite (have several touch-ups to do in Sophia’s room now), so we’re doing it the right way in the bathroom. We hope to paint and finish it Fri, Sat. We’re just doing one room at a time! This is the last project of this year; just planning to relax and enjoy December! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
erica says
“You can’t be too careful when it comes to trying not to die.” LOL! Coffee almost shot through my nose!
Jessica says
Well you guys are starting out much better than I did! It never occurred to me with my first child to have a dimmer switch so we were constantly blinded in the night or running into things. And now my second son is 3 months and it finally hit me to put a dimmer switch in his bedroom so I could stop leaving his closet doors open for it’s light.
Best thing we’ve done! It is soooo handy to be able to have just enough light to see, but not enough to really wake the baby and blind us both!
kelly@TearingUpHouses says
i whole-heartedly agree with your suggestion to keep a more experienced person on the scene when first starting out. i can’t tell you how many times i nearly electrocuted myself during the first year i was renovating properties (okay, it was probably less due to expertise and more due to carelessness, but still…)!
here’s an itsy bitsy project that i tackled not to long ago: http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com/2009/09/improving-improvements.html
aren’t you excited for the nursery?!
kelly
Caitlin says
“You can’t be too careful when it comes to trying not to die.”
So very true!
Cate says
Isn’t it satisfying to complete these nagging little projects? Taking on electricity made me feel pretty, well, powerful.
I am glad you enjoy the little red light on the switch — those things make me crazy! I don’t like the idea of even that little bit of electricity being drained constantly. And then there’s the issue of having a pre-schooler who suddenly decided that any little light at night was the single glowing eye of a malicious creature…
caitlin L. says
so–here is my dilemma:
i know all my switches are ungrounded…. where does that little green grounding wire get attached? i also know i have to have a pro come and do a handful of electrical work for me… should i just wait til after the pro is here (I have some grounded sockets but uh, not all of them have been switched. let’s just say i have a complete history of wiring in america in my house)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Caitlin,
The green grounding wire should be attached directly to the junction box (that’s the metal housing where the house wires enter the outlet). It sounds like if you’ll have a pro coming over you can just get his help or watch him do an outlet or two before taking it on alone. It’s less stressful and a lot more foolproof that way!
xo,
s
joolz says
you don’t have to kill the power to the switch to replace it if you have a degree in electrical engineering though. it’s the one good thing that’s come of my husband’s purdue education. lol
Lynn says
Smart move; I love the dimmer in my son’s room when I need to peek in on him. congratulations on your impending arrival! We still have so many little projects to take care of. Someday…
Erica says
“You can’t be too careful when it comes to trying not to die.” – this made me laugh out loud.
The previous owners of my new home somehow managed to get every single light switch and outlet in my house really dirty, so instead of trying to scrub the dirt out, I decided to just replace them all. It’s worth the $30 or so dollars to replace every single light switch and outlet (with white instead of beige!) So as soon as I get MY dad to show me how, I’m going to do them all. Hopefully I can get some new light fixtures someday too…
Do you have the double breakers on your fuse box too? It looked like they might be. Mine are. Wish my fuse box was so carefully labeled, but I can’t figure out where most of the breakers go to.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erica,
Yup, we have double breakers and although things appear to be labeled pretty well we still just flip everything off because you can’t be too sure! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Sarah S says
did i miss the post where you guys told everyone youre expecting?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sarah S,
Here’s the big announcement post: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/11/oh-brother/
And here’s the follow up Q&A: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/11/youre-a-curious-bunch/
Hope it helps! Can you tell we’re excited?
xo,
s
Tammi Myers says
It’s hilarious you say, “After all, it doesn’t take a degree in electrical engineering to replace a simple switch.”
My house had a few outlets not working that all were likely on the same circuit. I was talking to my mom about it and being proud of my over-the-top fabulous boyfriend (now my fiance), she said, “Isn’t he an electrical engineer, can’t he fix it?”
My boyfriend’s response, simply stated: Electrical engineer, not electrician.
Love the website! Even having a photobooth at our wedding next May thanks to seeing how much fun you guys had with it at yours!
K @ Prudent and Practical says
Yay for starting the nursery!
My husband is obsessed with dimmer lights. I think we’d have them through the entire house if it was up to him! He put them throughout the kitchen (we have 4 different switches for the kitchen and 3 of them dim now),dining room, and bathroom. He installed one for the hallway and it just looked weird, so he took it out. His latest project was going from 4 frosted globe lights to 11 recessed lights in our basement/movie room, all of which are on dimmers!
Elaine says
Now, since you’ve already changed out the switch, my comment may be of no help… when we had our first baby, my husband changed out the nursery light switch to a dimmer as well – with a remote control! It was a little pricey… I think $50 from Lowe’s or Home Depot, but for us ended up being soooo worth it. It was perfect for when I was nursing in the rocking chair or if one of us was sleeping with her on the daybed or singing to her while she was in the crib. Just a thought!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh a remote is super fancy! Maybe next time…
xo,
s
julie says
I looooove these types of posts. They are so helpful to new home owners. Even posts about general home maintenance are so helpful. I have been living in my house for a year and I have no clue how to change the furnace filter. I know thats bad but I see no slot to slide it in so I assume you have to open it up but I’ve never attempted it. And I’ve been inspired to recaulk my bathtub because of a post you had about that. Thanks guys!!
Sara says
Great idea! That is now on our to-do list for our nursery. We are due 3-1 and our office (that you whipped up the design dilemma for) is getting the nursery makeover. I have to say I am surprised you are repainting the lovely neutral color in your nursery. I have to ask…what colors are you thinking about? I am trying to narrow it down for our baby boy!
YoungHouseLove says
Congrats, Sara! We’ve got a few ideas up our sleeve for our nursery color but we’re waiting ’til we find out the sex after the new year to make any final decisions. As a sneak preview, we’re thinking something in the green or blue family (even if it’s a girl).
-John
catherine s. says
congrats on the may addition to the household – we had a dimmer in our old house before we moved – we had our baby at that house and have now moved into a new house – gabrielle is now two and we replaced her switch with a dimmer switch – this is the BEST investment you will ever make (well, maybe not BEST, but it’s up there) – esp. with those mid-pm/am diaper changes, feedings, sneaking in to check, etc….you will love it and your new bundle of love :) best wishes!
allie says
We decided to use what is technically the formal living room in our home (according to the floorplan) as our dining room. We entertain a lot and the actual dining room was just too small. But there was no ceiling fixture in the room, so we had the electrical put in for one…leaving two rectangular holes in our ceiling and wall. Hubby promised that they would be patched before Thanksgiving, because we always host, and I’m happy to say they are!
Amy E. says
i’m really glad that the upgrade was not only functional, but improved the safety of that switch by adding a passive light for finding it in the dark (as i mentioned, BIG plus!), adding a grounding wire, and ensuring properly covered and secured wire connections. that’s one thing to be especially careful of in an older house. when i was younger, my dad and i would periodically go throughout the house with a nightlight to test all the outlets. we pulled the non-working ones out of the wall and rewired or replaced as necessary. a nightlight is a cheaper, less technical alternative to the voltage/amperage meters that home inspectors use whenever a house is bought.
can’t wait to see more!
Amy E. says
oh, and you mentioned you’re thinking greens or blues for your nursery? i just discovered this studio and thought you might like it, if not for purchases, at least for ideas. i know i certainly got a lot of inspiring ideas!! i recommend these series of prints especially: snowy birds in flight, the forest floor, and maine landscapes.
enjoy: http://www.rockytopstudio.com/
Kerry says
Great post! I have the exact same problem in my dining room – the dimmer switch just goes from off to on, nothing in between. I thought it must be the wiring, but thanks for the idea – I’ll try replacing the switch before thinking it’s something worse!
I know you said you’re not using a CFL bulb in that room yet, but is the bulb currently there just a normal one? The one on my dimmer switch recently burnt out, and when I went to replace it I noticed it was a 3-way bulb. Can you confirm that I can just use a normal incandescent bulb, if I’m not using a CFL? Thanks! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kerry,
Yup, any old incandescent bulb can work on a dimmer but when it comes to CFLs you have to buy special “dimmable” ones to be sure they function safely and correctly. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tiffini S. says
Once we remove the old stove and all the boxes (and one ugly switchplate cover) we are tackling our mud room. I have a mud room! Sorry, we just moved into a 40’s bungalow from a 10’s rambling Victorian/Craftsman hybrid, so having any halfway functional space is thrilling. Our ‘new’ home has so much potential! And the mud room is first. We’re creating a stop n drop and a laundry room. It’s a nice large space, so we have room for both. My super-duper handy brother is going to run the water and electrical for the laundry, and we are going to tackle the storage and bench. PLUS, all our rooms are 12 foot tall, so I’m thinking shelf around the entire perimeter at 9 foot will give oodles of storage! That might be further down the road, when we can afford 20 or so matching baskets/boxes whatever along with the shelves.
Tiffany S. says
We try to shut off electricity to the whole block if we’re doing projects – it’s safer that way. :)
Just a note that we have that exact dimmer and if you’re a little too grabby you can accidentally pull out the slider. It snaps back in (at an angle) but you have to make sure you place it back in the right place in order to move the controller up or down. I’m sure you’ll be gentle with it.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m grateful for health, wonderful friends (real and imagined), and the fact that my West Elm shelf is still on the wall!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tiffany S,
Thanks so much for the dimmer tip! We’ll try to be nice to it to avoid “decapitation.”
xo,
s
Susan says
That’s a great way to go with the lights in your little one’s room. It can avoid disasters and disruption of sleep throughout the night.
Lisa A says
We recently installed a programmable thermostat. Pretty easy, much just like installing a dimmer!
Lisa O. says
Nicely done, and congratulations on Burger’s little sibling! We have a light switch issue that’s not really related to your post, but maybe you can help. We rent our house, which was built about a hundred years ago. There’s a long narrow staircase connecting the upstairs and the downstairs, and there’s a hall light hanging above the stairs. The only problem is that the only light switch is at the top of the stairs. If we’re turning out the lights downstairs, we either have to walk up in the dark or one of us has to go up and turn the light on and then the other has to turn the downstairs lights off. Do you have any ideas about how to install a switch at the bottom of the stairs that’ll also control a staircase light and which won’t require a lot of electrical know-how (but also wouldn’t use up too many batteries)? I don’t know if there is such a thing, but I thought maybe you guys or some of your readers would :).
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, good question! Off the bat we can’t think of anything super simple other than maybe “the clapper.” It sounds kind of funny but if you could add the clapper to the light you could clap it on and off from anywhere nearby. But other than that maybe our brilliant readers have more ideas. Feel free to chime in everyone!
xo,
s