We’re knee deep in the middle of a bunch o’ projects (in the office, the dining room, and the living room- yeah we’re all over the place), so we thought we’d share the one thing we actually completed in the meantime, which was a little moving (and some obligatory shaking) when it came to Clara’s nursery. Here’s what it looked like mid-chaos (chaos = really bad pics):
Why the furniture shuffle? Well, we arranged it for Clara’s seven month old self (she wasn’t even crawling when we moved in) and now she’s a fifteen month old walking fiend with a lot wider “wingspan” so we had to make some changes to keep her safe slash happy slash sleeping.
The issues:
- an air vent was located near the foot of the crib, and sometimes when the air kicked on in the morning it would wake Clara up early. Which any parent will tell you is a tragedy.
- a few slivers of sunshine landed right in the crib due to slipping out the side of the thick curtains & closed blinds (which also occasionally woke her up at the crack of dawn)
- her taller height/longer reach meant she was getting closer to grabbing the nearby curtains from her crib, which evoked visions of finding her swinging from the rafters in the morning like a happy little monkey
- the bench under the window wasn’t ever something Clara seemed interested in, but we worried when she got older she might try to climb up on it and get out the window (you know, when she enters the Houdini stage)
- the ceramic table lamp on the side table was a lot more pull-downable thanks to our tall & active bean (time for something not-breakable and not-reachable)
Also:
- there are just certain types of people who like to rearrange furniture, and we’re it
Here’s what it looked like before the switch:
So here are the changes I made (John was working and I was on Clara duty, so she loved “helping” me push things or clapping while I did all the work):
- I pushed the crib around the room against every available wall and in every possible configuration and decided that we (Clara and I) liked it best under the high-hanging and securely mounted mobile & floating shelves that used to be over her changing table (bam, no more air vent or stream of sunshine issues – and everything hanging on the wall is a good foot out of Clara’s reach)
- I was sure to pull the crib further away from the curtains so there’s no way Clara’s long arms can grab them from the new location (in some shots they look close but they’re over 2 feet from the crib, and the crib mattress is in the lowest position)
- I played around with a bunch of places for the changing table and eventually settled on the wall full of frames (although some of them hung too low so I tweaked the arrangement so they wouldn’t get kicked mid-diaper-change)
- I moved the chair, ottoman, and side table under the green mirror and added a not-ceramic-or-kid-height floor lamp that’s a lot more bean-safe
- I moved the bench away from under the window and stuck it on the wall with the closet
And since all those bullets are probably as clear as mud, here’s a little sketch for ya:
Now that the rearranging dust has cleared, it’s deffffffinitely nowhere close to perfect. But it’s a huge improvement in the function department (no more safety or early-wake-up worries). And Clara, who has always awoken at 7:30 (at least for the last 5+ months straight) has slept til 8:00 since the switch (two days in a row!). Which is no small miracle. So if the room looked beyond ugly we’d probably leave the furniture right where it is. Haha. Just kidding. Not really.
Anyway, here’s the new setup:
And here are some details that make my sappy mom heart happy:
Of course there are more than a few things we’d still like to do in there (although we’re set on finishing the other projects around the house that we have in progress, so there’s no rush). But here’s the ol’ list:
- get/make a less awkward side table for the chair and ottoman (that’s an already-had-it nightstand from our old guest room that we stuck baskets in to create drawers – and later removed since Clara now
likesdemands easier access) - hang something over the green bench in the corner (I already know what’s gonna go there – and let’s just say I’m feeling ducky about it)
- sew a new pillow cover for the chair (the green pillow under the green mirror is a little “meh” for me – and we have lots of spare fabric from Clara’s photo project
- expand Clara’s frame wall (height and width wise) with even more photos (John’s baby pic had to come down so it didn’t get kicked from the changing pad, and I’m dying to get it back up there out of Clara’s reach along with some other stuff)
- DIY a dollhouse
- make a beanbag for Clara’s closet reading nook
- paint the area under the window with leftover magnetic paint under wall paint so she can have a fun “secret” magnet wall
- add crown molding
- paint the ceiling
There are probably a bunch more things that I’m forgetting. Oh well, one step at a time, right?
Did you guys do any list-making or room rearranging this weekend? Did you do it while your hubby got his laptop on and the baby “helped”? Did you find all sorts of nasty dust bunnies that horrified you behind the furniture? Did your dog whine audibly and try to distract you by bringing in a toy to play with because he was so against the activity?
Psst- See how we made the flower mobile here, refinished Clara’s veneer dresser here, painted and upholstered the bench here, painted the green mirror here, made the curtains here, built the book ledges here, found the capiz shell chandelier here, made the art wall here, painted the walls here, and stamped Clara’s closet here.
Lindsey says
I’ve been looking for a table fan for my little girl’s (who’s still on the way!) nursery, and I LOVE yours! Where did you buy it??
Lindsey
YoungHouseLove says
That was from target.com a while back. We hear they might not sell it anymore but it might be on amazon.com? It’s called a Deco Breeze fan in “Sky” I think (that’s the blue color).
xo,
s
Nicole Lindquist says
I feel like I just watched a “my baby can read” commercial :)Very impressive. And you can tell Clara I said that!
Jackie Sousa says
Also, one more question, I did some no sew curtains this weekend, any tips on placement of the clips and how many should be used?
YoungHouseLove says
We like to use seven per panel and space them evenly across the top of the panel (so you get some nice even waves when they’re hung).
xo,
s
tracy a says
she sleeps until 8? wow, lucky parents. (not that that is all i took away from your post!)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we’re extremely blessed with night sleep! Naps, however- let’s just say they’re few and far between. Haha.
xo,
s
Julie says
Can I ask you where you bought that cute, espresso-colored side/end table that used to hold Clara’s lamp and piggy bank on it?
YoungHouseLove says
That was an old table from Target a while back (maybe four years?). It used to be in the guest room as a night stand. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Samantha says
We L-O-V-E in all the sense of the song the pigeon books! Our current fav is Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!!! I just can’t get enough of that little pigeon and all his expressions!
PS did I get the song stuck in your head? I’ve been mentally singing it since beginning this post!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, for some reason I have “The Wheels on The Bus” in my head. Thanks to Clara and Raffi. Haha.
xo,
s
Amy says
Oh, I love the video! I can’t help it, I’m a teacher–seeing babies with books makes me so happy!
Amanda says
We (erm, my boyfriend) cleaned under the coach yesterday, and we found the plug for our tub, which has been missing since I’ve moved in here (four months ago!). I blame the cats. And a few other cat toys.
This post owes you some thank yous:
1. Thank you for giving me a break from studying for my exam which is today. (THEN I’M DONE! Until September..)
2. Thank you for posting a picture of Clara all blurry. It’s adorable. And I can just picture her “helping” you rearrange furniture.
3. Thank you for posting an up close picture of Clara’s curtains. I was interested to see how many clips you use to hang the curtains as I was having difficulty getting mine to flow/hang right (with the loops, they’re not loops but I’m calling them that!) and was going to look back in the archives at your curtain posts, but now I don’t have to!
4. Thank you for being you. (can I get an “aww!”?) Don’t get all blushy now you two!
Sara @The Fat Hydrangea says
I love when you show real life pictures of the chaos! Makes me breathe a sigh of relief!
I have been a homeowner now for just over a month, and our house is turned upside down with projects – All I can think to myself is they make this look SO much easier on TV and on all the blogs I read! :) Thanks for keepin’ it real!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
I have been feeling extremely daunted by decorating my home lately. There is so much to do and I’m overwhelmed! I recently started a Google doc spreadsheet of a room-by-room list of projects. Just doing that helped so much to get organized!
Quiana says
Great rearrangement! Our LO turned one on Friday and we’ve already switched around her room once. It’s a doorless room that’s technically and office so we hung a dark curtain up to create light. I totally feel you on the “visions of finding her swinging from the rafters in the morning like a happy little monkey” bit. Currently our crib is in front of the window and we’ve trained her not to pull on it, but even still I envision her yanking it down and hurting herself. Hopefully we can either move to a bigger place or come up with a different configuration that works better. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mandi says
Cute! I can see how that suits a toddler better. I didn’t read all the comments so sorry if it’s been mentioned – I grew up in Alaska, where all-night summer sunshine is a huge sleep-deprivation issue. Lots of us sew that light-proof liner stuff to our curtains . . . especially when we have kids who think anytime the sun is out, is time to be out of bed. (Seriously, a big problem for all parents north of a certain latitude!!) When we are desperate we put foil on the windows, and pretend it doesn’t look trashy, lol! But with your newfound sewing skills, I know you could totally hack the liners – you just sew them onto the existing curtains, and it makes the room SO much darker. They are white, so the pretty pattern still shows nicely.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip! Our blinds and curtains are super thick and full of sun-blocking power, but the way the sun rises it slips in through the sliver of space between the curtain and the wall if that makes sense! So one slice of light hits the floor where the crib used to be (while the rest of the room stays dark). Now with the crib moved, that sliver of light no longer can land on Clara’s sleeping face since she’s on the other wall. Hope that makes sense!
xo,
s
Ingrid says
Wow Clara’s nursery looks great! I really like the placement and if it is getting you more sleep than stick with it! I would love to know where the cute bin is from under the bench. It has such cute detail!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from Target a while back!
xo,
s
Melody says
It looks really great! I love how there’s an emphasis on reading spaces in the room. And I’m still head over heels for the closet!
Jenn says
I couldn’t help but notice that book on the shelf, “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog.” That series is hilarious! I think my favorite is “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.” If you haven’t read “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale” yet, I highly recommend it.
Hubby and I discovered Mo Willems’ books while we were shopping for our nephew. We can’t wait to have kids of our own so we can have these books in our home without people thinking we’re a little strange. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh never read Kniffle Bunny but can’t wait!
xo,
s
Maggie says
I totally thought from the “a little moving” comment that we were going to see a toddler bed for Clara. Any idea on when you’ll be making the monumental change?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe not until she’s two or even a little older? Right now I think she’d just get up and play all night! And go hunting for the dog. Haha.
xo,
s
Kim S. says
Lovely! Where did you get the wall shelving with the books and stuffed animals in it? I love that!
YoungHouseLove says
John actually made those! There’s a link to that project at the bottom of the post for ya!
xo,
s
Sara says
Her room is so adorable. I love the art wall and that white chair. Oh and Clara is pretty darn cute too!!
Marci says
You guys have such a good eye for things… its quite amazing. I loved Clara’s room before and didn’t think it was possible but I love it even more now.
I didn’t arrange furniture this weekend but used the rainy Sunday to sit in our attic crawl space (with fan) and spent hours organizing clothes by size since everytime something is out of season, too small, too big or a handmedown, I just throw it in there. I’m organizing by size and thanks to my love of shopping for me 2 yo and 6 yo plus hand me downs, it was pretty ugly in there. So although I still have a bit more work to do in there, you can now see the floor though and the clothes are contained in there as opposed to piles around my house. Feels soooo good :-)
Kit Lang says
Love this post – makes me wish my kids were small all over again. Okay, no. But it gives me great ideas for decorating a future grandchild guest room (whom I intend to kidnap for great swaths of time, you see. ;) )
Saw in the comments that you weren’t sure how to DIY a doll house – you might try Call of The Small for some ideas!
http://call-small.blogspot.com/
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- so much fun!
xo,
s
Christina says
I noticed the pink owl art on the left-hand side of your art wall. Is that a Sweet’n low ad or did you find the actual art? I cut it out of a magazine and have it hanging on my bulletin board (because I have a thing for owls and I loved the style), and I recognized it immediately. Here’s a link to the illustrator’s website http://jenskelley.com/SNLowlillustration?DokuWiki=7b2ed25202fcc8f5bca693b8439d2ab8
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- yes! We posted about that over on Babycenter a while back. We just ripped it out of a magazine and framed it!
xo,
s
Zoë says
I was inspired by your Clara closet overhaul and just last week I cleaned up and reorganized so my girls can actually play in their room. This was accomplished by:
a) clearing out the closet of all items that I plan to sell on ebay and rearranging the closet so I am no longer scared to open the doors.
b) removing the changing table that hasn’t been used since my eldest girl was a baby (all middle of the night changes had to be done in the living room when the baby was still not sleeping through the night so that’s where the diapers live), then squeezing said table – and accessories – into the minivan so it could be taken to Goodwill.
c) lowering the crib mattress and removing the bedskirt so it, along with the old bumper, can be sold on ebay. (We use a mesh bumper now to stop the pacifiers from escaping in the middle of the night).
d) adding under-the-crib storage with these cute boxes from IKEA: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30163260. Some poor dust bunnies were evicted during this process.
e) putting together this night stand from Pottery Barn Kids: http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/flower-accent-table/?pkey=dnightstands – we got the white table – so my eldest girl has somewhere to put her books and glass of water.
Yay, the girls room is a happy, tranquil place to be again. I rearranged my sons room the week before by adding a new dresser and switching out the placement of the dresser and the bookcase. His room looks soooo much bigger for it too. Now I just need to get our room organized by finally hanging pictures, shelves and a mirror (we’ve lived in this house for four years and our room still isn’t finished).
ps Don’t you just hate floor vents? It makes furniture placement so difficult. In fact, the new nightstand is right over a vent which is why I had to go for a more “open” style. But with two windows, one preschooler and a baby, we have limited options of where to place a bed and a crib without blocking a vent.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah! Sounds like you’ve been busy. Congrats on all the new changes!
xo,
s
Sara says
Did you notice how Clara would point out without any trouble to the things that were decorating items? like flowers, rubber duckies, etc. But things like “socks”… who cares?! they’re just for folding and that isn’t fun!
I actually dreamed about YHL today. I dreamed you guys stopped posting…. I woke up freaking out! Between here and Pinterest I learn everything I need to renew my studio!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- so funny that we worked our way into your dream! Our site crashed this morning so maybe your dream came true for a minute, but now we’re back! Whew.
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
My parents made me a dollhouse for Christmas one year when I was young and I loved it! It was mostly just a box divided up into different rooms ‘apartment style’ and 3 ‘stories’ high. (This was taller than me when I was little so I never thought to climb on it.) They made some of the furniture and bought some from little shops here and there, but they painted it to look like our house. My mom also made little quilts and pillows for the beds. It was really special and I played with it for years!
Jess says
wow! i am SO impressed with clara! what book were you using with her in the video?? how did you teach her to do that?! you guys are GREAT parents! also – i was wondering what outlet covers you guys prefer??
YoungHouseLove says
That was just a book called “Slide & Seek Colors” – it was a gift from my mom. Clara loves it! As for how we taught her to identify images like that – she just loves reading. So I think that reading and pointing to things as we read helps her learn the words for each thing after a whole bunch of repetition (did we mention the girl loves reading? haha). As for outlet covers, so far we’ve had luck with these: http://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/adventures-in-babyproofing/
xo,
s
T.D. says
Great room arrangement goes to show a little switch can mean so much (letting the little one sleep longer).
I’ve been meaning to ask since I saw the closet reveal– how you managed the angle in which you took the ‘birds-eye’ shot (the one of the closet, which sort of focuses on the white rug and the pillows). Did you ‘mount’ the camera and use a remote? Or maybe there was some gymnastic routine haha?
YoungHouseLove says
It was far less high tech than that. Haha. Me + standing on a chair outside of the closet = the shot. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Angela says
I recently used your velcro on the picture frame trick since my 1 1/2 year old had been messing with the two frames above her crib. I feel much safer with the industrial strips of velco!
I saw that you still had the changing pad on the dresser. Do you still use it? With baby #2 we didn’t even both with a changing pad/table.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s the only place we can change or dress Clara! If we put her on the floor or a bed she goes crazy wiggling and trying to get up and walk away. But magically, she just looks up at us as we sing or talk to her on the changing pad, so it’s the only place that seems to work for us! Haha.
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Where is Clara’s ottoman from? I have been looking for something just like that!
YoungHouseLove says
That was from Michael’s actually! In the basket section for 50% off. I think it was $20?
xo,
s
Lauren says
Your Clara is such a good little reader! My parents pushed reading so much when I was little and I am so so glad that they did. Reading is still my most favorite thing to do as an adult, almost to the point of being antisocial. I have no idea how I managed to catch a husband. One who doesn’t read at that. I guess we balance each other out?
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
LOVE the new arrangement! We don’t have kids yet, so I can’t say that I would’a thought of the reasoning why you guys switched it up, but I’m LOVIN the new layout! I a switcheroo-er at heart too, so changing it up is a-okay with me!
Also, how cool is it that you didn’t even have to re-do any wall hangings… they all still look perfectly placed! :) And ya… I’m still MAJORLY diggin’ your potato stars in the closet/reading nook!!! Go Pinterest for giving great inspiration!
Corinne says
Adorable! I love the little reading nook in the closest and the chair in the corner.
I did a couple little tweaks in the kitchen this weekend, and for the whole two hours I was in there, my puppy Chloe kept running up to me with a different toy every few minutes to get my attention. It was very cute at first. I got Chloe a toy basket this weekend to keep everything in one place, and let’s just say that she loves to share!
Kayla says
Love the changes, and love that they add function!
How about some side-by side photos, like before and after of the frame collage wall?
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to whip those up for you sometime if we have a moment! So many other projects are in progress, so maybe after we conquer those? Haha.
xo,
s
Danielle says
This has absolutely nothing to do with the room rearrange, though it looks great. My girls LOVE the Pigeon book series! If you like that, check out the Scaredy Squirrel series, as they are hilarious.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, even the name of the series sounds hilarious.
xo,
s
Jacqueline says
Clara’s room looks so cool – even more cool now with the rearranged furniture! By the way, what’s the name of the book she is reading on the video. I was trying to get one of those books with simple words for my daughter.
YoungHouseLove says
That one’s called Slide and Seek Colors. We think it was a gift, so not sure exactly where it came from, but we’ve seen it on Amazon.
-John
Dana says
I just noticed your copy of The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog! I love that book! I bought a copy for a baby shower a few years ago, and my mom and I stood in the store reading it and laughing out loud.
Jen says
My grandpa made me a dollhouse when I was 5 (so 22 years ago) and I still have it in perfect condition. I was a very careful child. Hobby Lobby has alot of dollhouse items. People, mini food, accessories, even shingles, and flooring. Perhaps they would have some sort of DIY book?
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! That’s a great place to look for something to start us out.
xo,
s
Zoë says
I didn’t mention this earlier because my comment was already epic but I’m also going to give a shout out to Mo Willems. We love his books (and have a signed copy of The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog) and along with Knuffle Bunny, Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, our favorites have to be his Elephant and Piggie books. Once Clara hits two, she will love those and you will have a ball reading them together.
I really need to read to the baby more but all she wants to do is eat the books so story time becomes a battle. I guess that’s a different kind of book loving.
Katie says
This is sheerly to make your parental hearts swell: I am so amazed by Clara’s grasp of the pictures in her book! Seriously. I’m not a parent yet, but of the kids I know and babysit, NONE of them were that advanced. Y’all are doing an awesome job “teaching” her and she’s one smart little cookie! So cool.
Lauren says
I love rearranging furniture! It’s like BAM new room without spending a dime. Looks great!!!
A.S. says
Cute post! What book is Clara reading in the video? I would love to buy it for my son.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s called Slide & Seek Colors. I think they have it on amazon.com. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Emily says
Hilarious that Clara still has the measuring tape in her hand during that video. Has she put it down since last week? Haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Seriously- she’s married to that thing!
xo,
s
ruthie says
Where did you find the retro fan?! I’ve never seen any that are blue and the super old vintage ones I’ve come across are super pricey!
YoungHouseLove says
That was from target.com a while back but I think they also sell them on amazon.com? It’s a company called Deco Breeze and although it looks vintage it’s new (so it’s safe for a nursery).
xo,
s
Vicki says
DIYing a dollshouse is such a cute idea!
When I was little, my mum got one for my siblings and I to play with. She decorated it all nicely and made cute little furniture items for it, but all we wanted to do was draw on the walls and decorate it ourselves with stickers and random items from around the house. I think letting clara decorate it would be the so fun for her!
Kimberly says
Man, you guys have the life. Blogging and getting paid about rearranging furniture. I’m a little bit jealous as I sit in my cubicle.
YoungHouseLove says
You can do it too! Just write 2,000 posts over four years and who knows where you’ll end up! No one is more surprised about this entire accidental gig than we are. Haha. Happy blogging!
xo,
s
Wom-mom Ethne says
Super cute post. As a matter of fact, we cleaned house (moved/rid of furniture) and kicked up a bunch of dust bunnies – terrible! I also downloaded an old camera SIM card from when my girls were 1 – so sweet! Tear.
kathy says
I finnnaaaallllyyy mounted our toilet paper holder to the wall on Friday because we were having “new” (AKA people who haven’t seen our house yet) guests over for a BBQ. I also mounted a little mail holder/leash hook by the front door so we could stop piling things on our railing ledge. Of course, both those things will have to come back down when I get around to painting those walls, but they’re nice for now!
Jen says
Cutest kid’s room ever. Enough said! :)
xoxo,
Jen
Tina Bland says
I LOVE THE PIGEON BOOKS!!!!!
Mikki says
Is it me or does everyone else look forward to Clara’s videos? I swannie…I just love that little kiddo! I loved watching her face while she was picking out the different things…she was really thinking them through. Being a teacher, I can tell you she’s gonna be a smart kid in school!
Amy Wolff says
Not on this subject… but I finally got around to redoing my enclosed patio…
For the floor and porch paint,
How dirty did your floors get and what did you use to clean them? We have a dog that comes in and out of the patio and are afraid how much wear and tear the floors will get.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Burger ran in and outta there with muddy feet (as did we with muddy shoes) so we just swiffered them whenever they were looking a little dirty or cloudy (but the dark paint hid a lot actually). Hope it helps!
xo,
s