There’s a vicious cycle going on. We blog about something and then we live with it. And while we do, we tackle other stuff and blog about that. Lather, rinse, repeat. So we’re not always good about keeping you posted on those older things that we’ve already talked about since we’re so busy gabbing about new stuff. Which probably explains why we get asked for updates on a handful of things nearly every day. In other words: it’s about darn time we followed up. So here’s a nice juicy post full of a bunch of those updates for everyone.
Cloth diapers: Believe it or not, we’re still using the very same original 12 cloth diapers that we got back in 2010 before Clara was born. We haven’t bought any more, replaced any, or bought liners. And two years later they’re still working really well for us. We do put Clara in a disposable overnight (she finally started wetting through the cloth – something we heard might happen for a while, and finally did), but one a day is only seven a week, so it’s not bad at all. As for their shape, they’re still holding up really well. We do have a busted snap here or there (we’ve lost one snap on two of the twelve diapers, but it doesn’t keep them from staying on since there are multiple snaps on each side to hold them). Their color and fabric is in great condition and they look pretty close to new, actually.
Here’s the inside of them (these pics were taken yesterday):
We’re thrilled that we haven’t had to buy any more diapers for our stash or add extra liners (they’re all-in-ones, read more on them here) and they really do seem to be one size fits all since they’re still working for us even with Clara being about 300% bigger than she was at birth. So that’s the update on the cloth diaper front. Here’s the original post all about cloth diapering (which has tons of info in the post and the comment section) along with a one-year-in update post on the subject.
Karl The Sectional: Love him. Still looks the same and feels just as comfy after over a year of kid/dog abuse. The dark slipcovers (we went with Dark Sivik Gray, which is almost like denim and super durable) hide almost everything. So much that we haven’t had to wash them much, but when we do we use our own washer and dryer at home (ya don’t need an industrial one or anything) and they go back on and look great. I think different Karl fabrics have different rules – the Dark Sivik Gray fabric says “machine wash” but other fabric choices might be “dry clean only.” Our one minor complaint would be that the hold-it-in-place velcro to keep the chaise cushion from slipping out and hanging over the chaise like an overbite doesn’t catch correctly (it doesn’t seem to line up) so that cushion migrates out slowly over time. So every few weeks I notice and shove it back into the sofa. No biggie. Probably could just add a strip of velcro on the back that lines up to solve it once and for all. Here’s the original post about getting Karl.
Ed The Bed: He’s the other man in our life from Ikea (Swedish product names like Karlstad and Edland made for some pretty easy nicknames) and we’ve been very happy with him. Still sturdy and comfortable, so when we collapse into bed at 1am after some DIY extravaganza (gotta get stuff done while the kiddo sleeps) we’re happy to be there. Here’s the original post about getting Ed.
ORB’ed hardware: This is something a bunch of you guys have wanted an update on, so here it is, complete with pics. Stuff still looks mint. Admittedly we don’t use the front door (or the doorknocker) very frequently, but here are some shots that I took yesterday of them:
On the other hand, we open the sunroom slider and the door that leads outside at least ten times a day to let Burger in and out and they’re also still doing great. So we would definitely recommend this method (sanding them with something very high grit is going to be our approach when we tackle the interior knobs someday) and we’ll keep you posted if they suddenly start giving us trouble.
Kitchen lab stools: We have only had these bad boys a few months, but we sit on them numerous times a day and usually eat dinner on them, and for $33 a chair, they couldn’t be better. Would I want to lounge in them for six hours while watching The Titanic on repeat? No. Are they comfy for proofreading book layouts, eating dinner, writing cards, paying bills, laptop usage or any other thirty-minute-to-an-hour-long activity? Absolutely. I would warn you that to get them without the back might seriously compromise the comfort-factor, since the awesome flexing back seems to be one of the things that makes them so comfy. Here’s a link to the original post about finding our kitchen stools.
Chair in Clara’s room: I probably logged five hours a week of nursing Clara for fourteen whole months in this chair, along with John and I sitting down to read Clara the occasional story (which still occurs) – so for our family, this chair has been great. That’s not to say that some of my very best friends don’t swear by a cushy rocking/swivel chair, but perhaps from getting used to nursing everywhere (in a parked car at Target? Check.) it’s actually one of the more cozy places. The rounded shape supported my arms in a nice way (an armless slipper chair might be a nursing challenge if you’re completely zonked and want somewhere to rest your arms) and we always keep an ottoman or pouf nearby for putting the ol’ feet up. Totally worked for me. Here’s a link to the original chair-finding post and the nursery reveal post about our $20 thrift store chair.
White cabinets: Sometimes people ask if white cabinets get dirty or are hard to keep clean, and perhaps we’re just used to them (we had them in our first house’s kitchen for over four years before moving here) but we always think they look clean by nature (after all, they’re bright white). And since cabinet paint is completely scrubbable, they definitely don’t seem high maintenance to us. It’s not like white fabric (which can be stained) since cabinet paint like the alkyd stuff we used is slick, durable, and can be cleaned with a wet rag, sponge, or paper towel (you know, because spaghetti sauce happens).
We probably wipe away some random cabinet splatter once or twice a week for a total of sixty seconds spent cleaning them. As for dusting them, we have yet to do this since painting them in December, and they still don’t have any dust collecting around the inset rectangle part, perhaps because it’s pretty shallow and angled as opposed to shelf-like (it did collect there in our old kitchen with shaker cabinets, so once every month or so I’d run a microfiber cloth over them – no biggie). Here’s a link to the original cabinet-painting post with more info about the process/result in the post and the comment section for ya.
White Corian: We’re much happier with our Corian (in Glacier White) than we feared we might be. We worried it would be a pain to keep clean and although we read that it was nonporous, we worried that something would somehow seep into it and stain. But so far, we have had zero staining issues (even with things like strawberry juice and spaghetti sauce), zero scratches (we hear white Corian is the best about not getting scratched up), and they’re easy to keep clean. We always wiped down our old counters every night before bed anyway, and they were veiny granite so nothing showed – which was a problem! We’d find a glob of peanut butter from three nights ago on the counter that we somehow missed. So gross! It’s nice to see everything and just swipe it all down and wake up to a sparkly white room.
The one thing we’ve heard is that you can crack Corian by setting a searing hot pan down on it, but in our last house even with granite we used trivets, so that’s just part of our routine anyway. But the best thing about them has been the zero seams thing. In our first kitchen crumbs would build up or get caught in the seams, but without them our entire counter with our undermount sink is truly seamless, so it’s so nice to sweep things into the sink without hitting any little divots where those seams are. When we ordered our Corian we didn’t even know it was a seamless material, so that was a total unexpected bonus. Here’s a link to our original post about choosing Corian and a post about getting it installed, both with tons of info in the post and the comment section for ya.
Open shelves: Love is a conservative adjective for how we feel about them. Sometimes I want to kiss them. Open mouthed. They’re definitely not for everyone, but we use the things on them so frequently that they don’t have time to get dusty. And you should see me unload the dishwasher or set the table, it takes two seconds. It’s also a lot easier to do things like pour a bowl of cereal with a toddler on my hip. Seriously, we’re so sold we’re a little sad that we didn’t work open shelves into our first house’s kitchen – we were totally missing out. Here’s a link to a post about choosing open shelves and a post about building them and loading them up.
HP Photosmart C4780: Truth be told, I tossed this guy in here because it felt like we were giving too many glowing reviews. So I racked my brain to think of something we don’t like. Hah. And it’s this poor guy. He just can’t be trusted to wirelessly print something (sometimes it inexplicably shoots out one page of something and then takes ten minutes to print the second page or never even prints it at all). It’s just a bit too quirky for our tastes, but we did have an Epson that we loved a few years ago (it didn’t print wirelessly, so we later upgraded to this one). We’ll probably go back to that brand and see how their wireless capabilities are someday when we get mad enough to want to throw this guy out the window (sometimes we’re thisclose).
Nikon D3000: Other than still learning how to use it, which is to be expected (we’re faaaar from pro photographers) we’ve been really happy with our camera. We saved our pennies for a while before taking the plunge into DSLR territory, but with a baby on the way (Clara) we thought it was time to upgrade from our little point and shoot. We’re so glad we did, because we definitely get better pics of our family and better photos for the blog. Our only gripe used to be that they didn’t make a cheap nifty fifty (an inexpensive 50mm lens) for this type of Nikon (it only worked with D90s and others closer to that model) but they came out with this one about a year ago and we got it (we don’t typically use it for any blog pics since it’s not as wide of an angle lens as the stock one that came with the camera, which is better suited for interiors). But it’s great for a moving kid or dog in low light, so we like it for Clara/Burger pics and general family stuff (like her interesting hair fashions). Here’s a post about getting our new camera with lots of info in the post and the comment section for ya.
So there you have it. Hope that was helpful. What do you have in your house that’s been surprisingly awesome? Or surprisingly disappointing? Are there any brands you always love or products you wish were different? It’s so great to hear about stuff that you guys like, and learn from your don’t-get-this warnings.
Psst- In the mistakes-we’ve-made/what we’ve tweaked vein, check out this post, this post, and this post. We definitely make our fair share of mistakes! We just try to keep learning as we go, and allowing our house to evolve over time.
Krista says
Hey John and Sherry,
Just a random tip I discovered one day as I washed my twins’ cloth dipes- if a stray disposable wipe gets in the wash with your cloth dipes, it will come out very much like a dipsosable liner (the rice paper ones you can buy to guard against poop). I was using the disposable liners for awhile b/c our old old plumbing did not like the diaper sprayer, but when I discovered what happens to dipsosable wipes in the wash, I started using those instead! Since you have a sprayer that may not be an issue but save yourself a couple of those washed wipes each time you wash a load and use them when you’re on the go! That way there is no trying to dunk AIO’s in a public toilet or digging them out of the wetbag to spray later! I also use old flannel cloth wipes as liners but we struggle with rashes A LOT (food sensitivities) so I use them mainly to protect the dipes from creams just in case they would hurt my dipes. Yay for cloth diapers!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great tip for folks without a diaper sprayer!
xo,
s
Melissa P says
Cloth!!!!! I love love love ours…and like many others, we bought BG’s primarily based on your experience. I saw the suggestion of prefolds at night, which I also love, but another option is a BG 4.0 (or any pocket) stuffed with a prefold…works wonders!!!!! Heavy wetter can go all night long (12 hours) without a leak or change.
My small amount of advice doesn’t even compare to how much you guys have given us, but it’s something :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Melissa! So glad you’re loving cloth, and we’ll have to try that nighttime tip!
xo,
s
sayward says
Some things I’ve bought and LOVE to the point that I’d totally be the product’s spokeswoman for free:
– Walmart’s memory foam mattress. Five years later it’s still in mint condition, and it eliminated almost all of my back pain for a tiny fraction of the cost of a brand name memory foam mattress. God I love that thing. I got the full size and my roommate at the time got the queen, and hers was a lot less firm than mine. I personally love them firm, but I’m not sure if the density still varies like that today.
– Target’s Nolan leather chair and ottoman. The chair is really comfortable and both pieces have held up really well over the last year, although I’m insane about trying to make sure I don’t scratch them. I get a ton of use out of the ottoman’s lid, which flips over into a hard wood surface for entertaining. It’s a great anchor for my living room, and the chair is so pretty sitting in the corner of my bedroom that sometimes I actually resist heaping my clothes on top of it. Sometimes.
– my Bissel Helix vacuum (same as yours). It was so affordable. To me it’s the greatest little vacuum EVER. Lightweight, cute, great suction, low maintennance. Tons of bang for your buck. (Tons of clean for your green?) I love using it. I named him Helix. Obviously. And I lovingly greet him every time I get him out.
– the little white ceramic owl from West Elm. Completely adorable and I’ve already made my $9 back in joy and smiling.
Danielle says
Just starting on a cloth diaper adventure with baby two – so happy I visited your site today! That toilet sprayer is something I never would have thought of…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, it makes all the difference! We think it’s why our diapers are still so clean looking!
xo,
s
Michelle N says
We have the same printer and we do not like it. It worked great for the first few weeks then all of sudden just stopped printing. Good thing we have a laptop and it’s easy to direct connect but it’s still a pain because we want wireless. ugh
I have a question about the lens for your camera. I also have the D3000 and bought a 50mm f/1.8D AF lens a while back but doesn’t auto focus. I’m still learning the ends and out of the camera as well… Does the 50mm f/1.8G AF-S auto focus?
After reading the reviews on the 50mm f/1.8D AF I found out that it will not auto focus on on D3000 but on other bodies it does. If you already answered my question just ignore and I will go through the comments. Have a great day!
Thanks guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, the one we got (that we linked to in this post) auto-focuses for us! So happy it does because we’re clueless without that! Haha.
xo,
s
Michelle N says
Thanks for answering you guys are awesome! Yeah…auto focus is my best friend. At least until I learn the camera better. Thanks!
Kim Senn says
Hi guys! I replaced my HP printer with an Epson a few months ago and am really happy with it. I talked to someone at the store and they did say that HP printers are notoriously bad at playing nicely with Macs, which was probably my problem. (I see you already have a ton of comments on printer recs, but thought I’d share and say “hi” since it’s been a while!)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Kim! So funny that they might have an issue with our Mac!
xo,
s
Kerrie says
I’m a software engineering and we print wirelessly between and HP laptop and printer. AND sometimes is just doesn’t work either, AAARRGGHHH. I feel you pain.
Liz says
My almost 2 1/2 year old soaks through any combination of cloth at night…but since Clara is just soaking through AIOs, maybe try adding a layer of hemp to help with absorbency? It doesn’t leak when compacted, so it’s perfect for night- and naptime diapers. Just a thought :)
Also–I can’t figure out how you’ve made it 2 years on just 12 diapers! I had to buy more. Because, you know, they’re adorable…Uhhh, I mean, I was doing laundry too often. Definitely the laundry factor. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks for the hemp suggestion! As for them being so adorable, I agree! It’s hard not to buy more just because they’re so cute!
xo,
s
Ayisha says
I totally understand about the printer. I still have an Epson Stylus R200 (Circa 2004)which prints awesome but isn’t wireless. I wanted a new Epson Stylus with a few added features but they changed their line up and now the prices are out of my reach. This Christmas my Husbs got me a Canon Pixma MG6220 which rocks. It prints wireless from my Android phone and from my iPad3 every time. It does use 6 different inks which can be costly if you do a ton of high res color prints but the trade off is a dedicated black ink that is used specifically for black and white prints and a grey ink. The papers also are interchangeable with Epson high quality papers I love it.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the printer recommendations and info everyone! So helpful!
xo,
s
Robin says
Sherry, quick question about your barstools! Can the fiber board center be popped out? Curious if we could add some foam batting and upholster the tops with some indoor/outdoor fabric. thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a good question. I’m not sure if it would be easier to pop out the center (haven’t tried that) or just to upholster the whole seat (maybe using some sort of cord to tighten the fabric under the seat and secure it like a drawstring). Anyone else have them who has popped off the seats? We’d love to hear how it goes!
xo,
s
jae says
Just a tip re issues with overnight cloth diapering (although judging from the knowledgeable comments, I’d guess most know this alreadY:) Fabric softener inhibits absorbtion. If you use it, either in the washer or dryer, try omitting it & see if things improve before you invest in alteratives.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we don’t use it! We only use free and clear detergent. We have been a fabric softener free household for about four years now! We ran out and noticed our clothes were the same without it so we never bought it again! Haha.
xo,
s
Melissa M says
Brother wireless printers are the way to go! We love ours and are so happy we followed my friend’s advice to get one.
YoungHouseLove says
So far everyone who has a Brother has raved about it! Canon is also getting lots of love too! So interesting!
xo,
s
Mari says
Did you guys ever switch to cloth wipes? I searched around your website, and didn’t find anything on it (apologies if I missed a post!). My husband and I are planning to cloth diaper when our son arrives this August, but I’m shying away from cloth wipes. Just seems messier for some reason. I’m curious if you switched or not, and if you had a good experience. I hate the idea of all the waste of disposable wipes, but I’m not sure about going cloth for wipes too. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
You know, for some strange reason we just never switched. I think we kept thinking when we run out of this pack of wipes we’ll get out act together and then we didn’t and we’d panic and buy more wipes. Hah. But maybe for the next baby we’ll try!
xo,
s
margaret says
Go for the cloth wipes! I already posted about this on J&S’s original diaper post, but it’s so easy to just toss the wipes in the bag with the dirty diaper. Plus, I like just using warm water to clean my daughter off, instead of whatever is on the disposable wipes. I really like the GroVia cloth wipes – I got two packs.
Kerry says
I had trouble with a sliding cushion on one of our chairs too. My solution was one of those rubber dish mats that people put in their sink. I put it between the cushion and the base of the chair…worked like a charm. I bet you could even use a rubber bath mat (the ones that go inside the shower) for your bigger chaise cushion.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, that’s amazing! I have to try it!!
xo,
s
Casey says
My daughter is 20 months old and one inexpensive thing we did for cloth dipes overnight was to buy a few Indian prefolds and put them inside the diapers we already had. I think they’re around three dollars apiece (we bought six in all) and now we don’t have to worry about nighttime leaks.
Sorry if others already said it, I didn’t read through all the comments :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Casey!
xo,
s
Kiki says
I love love love this idea of posting updates on some of your DIY projects and other happenings you’ve written on in the past. I was actually wondering about the ORB-ed hardware (trying to convince my parents it’s do-able!) and so I’m glad you wrote about it.
And even though this is nowhere near as funny reading it, I just had to say that when I was first reading this post, I read “white rabbits” instead of “white cabinets.” It made me super confused because I thought I had missed a post and was wondering why people wondered about cleaning white rabbits. Whoops, my bad!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahahaha, that’s hilarious.
xo,
s
Carissa says
Yay, an update!!!
I have a five week old and 1.) thrilled to finally be able to stop in and read again for a few minutes in between feedings, 2.) can’t wait to try out our bum geniuses on him, and 3.) have totally nursed in the Target parking lot already…twice. :-)
Missed you guys and love your blog, as always!
YoungHouseLove says
Yay! Welcome back Carissa! And congrats on the new baby! SO exciting. Yay for Target nursing!
xo,
s
Tamara says
Thanks to you two, I tried ORB’ing some interior door knobs, one door to a closet and one door heading into the garage. I didn’t do anything to them…no sanding, no deglossing, nothing…and so far, so good (and they were really shiny to begin with)! It’s been only about 2 months and it’s just me in the house, no kids, so they don’t get much use or abuse. But I love, love, love them and can’t wait to do the others as I get to those rooms!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw so glad to hear it!
xo,
s
Jenny says
We bought a Brother HL2270-DW wireless printer and absolutely love it. I print about 5000 pages per year for my job, all wirelesly and have never once had a page not print. The toner is about $50 but lasts me about a year or a year and a half. We have had it for two years. It is a laser printer, so it is very fast and very effective, but ours is only black and white. It cost us $88 online.
Jenny says
Also it does double sided, which is great for my classroom handouts.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s awesome!
xo
s
Leigh says
You can add a hemp insert (I like Joey Bunz ones) into the BGs to get them through the night. Just lay it inside.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Leigh!
xo,
s
Narissa says
For the cloth diapers do you have to use the inserts?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, we don’t use them since they’re all in ones. Check out the link to our original post about them at the bottom of that paragraph. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Joy says
A little random, but Nordicware makes a microwave popcorn popper. You use regular kernels and can add what ever toppings you want. Butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, and parmesan cheese is AMAZING.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love all the random reviews!
xo,
s
Cathy says
We cloth diaper as well, and our (now 15 month old) son started leaking overnight a few months ago. We then added a Thirsties hemp/cotton liner and it works really well for us! A 2 pack is like $8. I know you said disposables are working for you overnight, but if you wanted to, you could try a liner to see if it helps. Just thought I’d pass on what works for us!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip Cathy! We’ll have to check that out!
xo,
s
Nicole says
We bought Karl too and the chaise cushions slip on ours too! Some of the other bottom cushions do too..I am constantly fluffy and pushing them back! I always tell myself I need to give the velcro a try…..funny how that seems to be a common problem!
Joanna says
I follow your blog everyday and so I hope you can answer this question. I’ve painted furniture before, but you are so loyal to spray paint I thought I’d try it this time. I have a low double dresser (4 drawers side by side) that I found on the side of the road (yeah – free!) How much spray paint will it take to cover it with lots of nice thin, even coats?
Any tips. I live in the country so I’m driving an hour to a big home improvement store to find the best color options. I can’t just run out and pick up another can.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no for a double dresser I wouldn’t spray paint it! Definitely apply one thin and even coat of stainblocking primer with a small foam roller, followed by a few coats of semi-gloss latex paint (also with a foam roller). We have a furniture painting tutorial on our Projects page for ya! We just spray small things like a small wood high chair or a lamp or a ceramic animal- haha.
xo,
s
Alisa says
Just to throw my opinion out there- I got the stools without the back and I literally sit in them for hours working on my thesis and I haven’t had a single backache! I think they’re great! :)
And can I tell you how jealous I am of the hardware in your house? It’s all sorts of quirky and I LOVES it!
Alisa says
Oh, and we also went the Bum Genius route after reading about your luck with them and we LOVE them. My daughter has to do disposables at night too, but with how much that girl pees it is SO nice to not have to go out and buy disposables every couple days. We got 18 (all as baby shower and Christmas presents! horrray for free dipes!) and it’s the perfect number. I’m excited because I found out you can just take out the insert and use them for a swim diaper. Since we live in a lake community, there will be LOTS of beach-going coming up, so I’m thinking about buying one or two with the cutie patutie prints :)
j says
I’m impressed & jealous that your BGs have held up so well! I bought the same ones for my second son (after using one-size velcro BG pockets for my first) because I was so excited about the snaps. I had 1/4 of them replaced within the first year (yay for the warranty!) because the snaps kept popping off. The others held on for about another year, but the insides developed a TON of huge holes! We kept using them until he potty trained at 2y10m, but the holes & missing snaps were pretty disappointing. We’re not rough on our diapers, either, and wash in a front loader. But having said all that, I’m still happy with BG and Cotton Babies overall. They’re a great company; I’m just bummed to have to buy yet another batch of diapers when we have kid #3!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so odd! I wonder why they wore so differently? Did you use a diaper sprayer? Not sure why that would help. Hmm. Maybe it was a difference of detergent type? Or just a different brand of washer or something? So sorry they got beat up- but so glad they replaced those snaps for you! Yay warranty!
xo,
s
Kourtney says
I use cloth diapers as well and have had snaps come off luckily they were replaced by the company no questions asked. You guys may check with a local shop that carries cloth diapers and see if they have a snap press. The snap may not match or they may charge a small fee for this but it might be worth looking into if you plan on using the diaper for another child/selling/passing on the diapers. I alway enjoy reading your blog! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip Kourtney!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Epson Workforce 845. It has changed my work life immensely. The. Best. Printer. Ever.
I sat on my back porch yesterday and printed stuff to my printer…which is in my basement office.
YoungHouseLove says
Amazing!
xo
s
josh o. says
love the cloth diaper update, and all the supporting comments – we’re thinking about this for our first baby, due in august. What i really want to know about, though, is your crib – seeing as how we have the same one downstairs, ready to assemble. how has it held up, things you love/hate about it, etc. and how off-gassy was it? off-gassey? not sure how you would spell that.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh the crib! We did lots of research on that here. Check it out to see why it wasn’t off-gassey (yay! we searched far and wide for an eco crib that wasn’t made of MDF and was sealed with something non-toxic). We’re not sure over 2 years later that it’s still made the same way, but here’s hoping! It has held up really well (even through a move) and has a few minor dings and scratches that you only see when you put your face next to it but we figure that’s par for the course so we’re very happy with it. The drawer under it is really handy. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
josh o. says
believe you me, i read and re-read your post about cribs. we also went with the matching changing table, and there were some reviews that talked about the off-gassing – some said both did it, some said only one of them did it, but we were getting mixed reviews, so i thought i’d check. the changing table isnt 100% wood – there is some MDF in it – so we’re going to assemble and let it air out downstairs or something.
thanks for the feedback!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so weird about the mixed reviews! I wonder if they started manufacturing it a different way or something. I would definitely set it up in a room where it can air out for a while if you have it! I think we assembled Clara’s crib a few months before she came along just to let it acclimate and make sure it didn’t have any smell (and just because I was nesting like crazy and wanted it done, hahahahah). Good luck to you guys!
xo,
s
LaurenTummel says
Thanks for the update on the cloth diapering. I thought about it when I was pregnant, butnthen when my son was born I was so overwhelmed with all the poop I forgot about it and just used disposables. Now that he is 15 months and I’m a sahm I think I could totally cloth diaper ESP after your tutorial….one question, my son has started to take off his diaper, with the snaps, is Clara able to take it off on her own? I’d think no, which would really be appealing and the deal closer to make the switch!!
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve never had an issue with her taking off her diaper, but I’m not sure if that’s thanks to the snaps or just thanks to Clara not being interested in trying. The only diaper coming off incidents have been overnight in disposables, but I think that’s more been due to us putting them on poorly and her wiggly (or “filling”) her way out of them – not necessarily her own ingenuity.
-John
Lauren says
Love the update!!! I can’t wait to by my own Karl when we move someday.
On the potty training I would recommend the book diaper free before 3. It’s about elimination communication but it’s written by a pediatrician. I thought EC was crunchy when I heard about it – but her researched approach is fantastic. My daughter has been going on the potty since ten months. She’s not fully trained (eighteen months) but prefers to poop on her potty and goes in the potty before bath time (instead of in the bath) – both which we love!
I know it sounds crazy. But she really debunks several cultural myths about it. EC is more work. But we really love it.
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting!
xo,
s
Lush says
I am loving the nursery chair! These were a massive fashion trend in the 50’s & 60’s (at least in Australia). Used both inside & on covered verandahs. I just love the way they seem to hug your body. They used to be one colour (red, black, green or blue) with a white stripe feature. I seem to recall they also came in child size.
Yay for re homing an old chair & at only $20!!
Your home is really coming along beautifully, so much for the theory that gorgeous living takes loads of money.
Cheers
Lush
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so awesome! Didn’t know that, but now I love our little Aussie chair even more. Haha. Love that it used to come with a stripe feature and also for kiddos. So cute!
xo,
s
Sonja says
I’ve been happy with our Canon Pixma printer. We’ve had no problems with the wireless printing (once we replace our 6 year old wireless modem for a new one). Plus, it has a document feeder so you can stack up to 30 pages, and the printer will scan them (even both sides!) while you go do more interesting things. Unfortunately, you can’t scan wirelessly – you have to connect your computer or scan to USB, and the scanner jams on occasion if I’m scanning light weight notebook paper (like my old college notes).
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Sonja!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I love your kitchen painting. It looks like 2 of mine I have hanging in my living room. I can’t remember the artist’s name but etsy, right? I have to say your blog is the first one I’ve seen where I love EVERYTHING.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! Yes, she’s an etsy artist named Samantha French. Love her stuff!
xo,
s
Jen says
Never ever voluntarily buy an HP printer. My husband used to have two, and they were always “spooling” or “cleaning” or just not printing when we tell it to print! Everyone we know that has had an HP printer hated it. In fact, we have an HP printer here at my office and it is the worst – it will print one sheet and then say “misprint” or get a paper jam every 3rd sheet.
We have a Brother all-in-one printer that works really well – I print wirelessly from my laptop, and my husband prints from his desktop with a usb cord.
I’ve also heard that HP printers tell you they are out of ink long before they are. The Brother printer we have has been telling us we’re almost out of ink for a month now, but it keeps on printing!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the printer tips everyone! Sounds like Canon and Brother seem to be the favorites among the group!
xo,
s
Ashly Coggins says
I put off buying a printer forever because they make my craft spact feel too office-y, but I recently bought the HP Envy- it is so sleek. And since it’s wireless, I was able to put it up out of the way. I’ve been really happy with it. If you want to make yours last though, you may try uninstalling the software and reinstalling the latest software/drivers from HPs website- it may tweek whatever is happening with yours. Also, we’re using the bumgenius cloth diapers on our 3 month old. We only bought 18, but since she goes through 18 a day it’s been a lot to manage. We’ve been supplimenting with disposables while I wash and dry the diapers. What always takes me the longest is sitting down to put those durn inserts in- did that not ever aggrivate you? I’m tempted just to lay them on top and see how that works.
YoungHouseLove says
We actually intentionally got all-in-ones (no insert to add, they’re sewn in, instead) because we heard it can be a pain to stuff them- so we love that! Hope it helps! We also wash the cloth diapers at night while she’s sleeping so we don’t have to put her in a ton of disposables while they’re being washed. Oh and thanks for the printer tips!
xo,
s
Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
If you’re using the microfiber inserts that came with the BGs you cannot just lay them on top. The microfiber will irritate baby’s skin.
Allison says
I recently tossed a year old HP printer through a window. Not really, but I would have liked to. I did take it to an e-cycle facility recently though, and purchased a Brother laser printer in it’s place. I have just had the worst luck with HP printers, so it was no surprise that was an item you found to give a negative review to. Since we don’t print much at all at home, and when we do it is a coupon off the internet or something random like that, the laser seemed like the way to go. Not to mention the toner lasts forever when you aren’t using it very much and is overall much cheeper to replace than ink cartridges. Though it only prints and copies in black and white, it does scan to the computer in color which is nice. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a printer if their use is similar to mine.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the recommendation, Allison!
-John
Anne @Its a Baltimore Life says
Hey guys! We are also a cloth diapering fam and our little girl started soaking through her cloth diapers over night at 3 months. She is a super heavy wetter…even wetting through the disposables! Franklin Goose (a local Richmond cloth diaper store that is AWESOME in Carytown if you havent been yet!) carries a Blueberry one-sized bamboo deluxe diaper that works wonders. It has two bamboo inserts so you can adjust the amount of absorbency you need. She sleeps throug the night regularly now and has yet to wet through. Also since they are one sized they will last for a while. At 10 months (and 20lbs) we just unsnapped the last row of snaps and still have plenty of room. The only downside is that this diaper is a little pricey ($28 I think) but washing diapers every other day two of them is all you need and no more disposables!! Also if you decide to check it out make sure you specify the one with the bamboo inserts. They sell a simliar version that is cheaper and the diaper is bamboo/cotton blend but the inserts arent bamboo. Bamboo is GREAT for CDs!!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- thanks for the tip! We love Franklin Goose so we’d love to check it out!
xo,
s
RVA Cloth Diaper Mom says
So glad you are getting by with 12 cloth diapers! I have 14 pocket diapers (but I use two exclusively for overnight with hemp inserts). I’m always shocked by the people who say they have 2 dozen or more. I don’t understand the need for so many. Have you tried cloth swim diapers?
YoungHouseLove says
We have! We got some handmedowns and bought two speedo brand diapers from Target. So far Clara’s only pooped once in them do there’s never been much clean up.
-John
Lindsey says
I have the same HP printer, got it for free from Apple when I purchased my macbook. I have the same issues with the wireless printing and it drives me crazy! The only reason I haven’t given up on it, is because it was free, and free is better than not free, at least for the time being.
Camille says
Hello!
We want to purchase the exact same Karl! Do you happen to know the dimensions? I can’t find the model with the chaise on the IKEA website…
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, it’s 194″ long and the chaise is 64″ long and the couch end of it is 96″ long. It’s the corner sofa plus the add on chaise (not one model, we combined two). Hope it helps! It’s giant!!
xo,
s
Laura says
So how do the back pillows on Karl hold up to your dog sitting on them? Thinking about getting one of these sofas and curious how it will hold up to our cats sleeping on the back of the couch.
YoungHouseLove says
They’re doing good! Burger tends to sit on accent pillows on this couch more (maybe because the back pillows are less firm or more firm – I’m not sure why) so they don’t get much action except for Burger walking across them behind our necks while we watch TV. Haha.
xo,
s
Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
I can’t believe you’ve lasted with only 12 diapers! How often do you wash? I have WAY too many diapers, but I still wash every 3rd day because I have 4 designated for nighttime. If you want to try to use cloth at night pick up a hemp liner or two (Thirsties has a 2 pack for $8) and stick one in her Elemental. Cotton + hemp works great for my almost 2 year old over night.
YoungHouseLove says
We washed every day and a half in the beginning (since she went through like 8 a day) and now wash around 5 a day (so we usually do two and a half days or so). Thanks for the hemp liner tip- $8 is a great price for two!
xo,
s
Robyn in Chicago says
I’m loving all the cloth diaper comments! We have been using them (Charlie Banana sold online at Target are our faves) for about a year and just love them. Anywayyyyy…..
How does Clara’s chair work on your kitchen stools? Never see it in the pics but you are using it there, right? We have the same chair which seems to move around a bit when our daughter gets excited. Ha. So i am curious on how it works with the small backs and also being high up on a stool – does Clara ever bop around like my daughter causing the chair to move at all?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, sometimes she sits in her yellow high chair (if we eat at the table in the living room or dining room) but also sits in her clip on seat in the stool. It’s hard to explain it, but it has two straps to clip (one around the chair back and one around the chair base) so if both of those are tight (we tighten them once it’s clipped in place) even if she flails around the seat stays firm and doesn’t shift around. Hope it helps!
xo
s
mp says
I’m tickled to hear about your love for your all-white kitchen. I bought the annual Consumer Reports Kitchen issue this week, and one of the trends-to-avoid-dating-your-kitchen was white cabinets. One of the cons of having a long time to consider what I want for my gut renovation (have to save up that moolah!) is swaying back and forth between white painted cabinets and natural wood like birch or maple.
YoungHouseLove says
I love that! Good luck with everything! I know what you mean about having so much time to keep flip-flopping!
xo,
s
Michelle DuPuis says
I have an Epson Artisan 835 and love it! (http://www.amazon.com/Epson-Artisan-Inkjet-All-In-One-C11CA73201/dp/B003XDU8OE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335623741&sr=8-1) I was afraid the wireless might not work well since the printer is in my basement office and I often print from my laptop upstairs, but I’ve never had a problem. Ink is expensive though. Guess it always is…
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the printer tips everyone!
xo
s
Healthy Branscoms says
we had corian in our last house for 6 years and I never had a problem other than it scratched easily but then with a microfiber cloth and cleaner it buffed right out. Super durable! :)
Morgan @ A Bright Idea says
Hi John & Sherry! I use cloth diapers too. We started when our 2nd was 5 months old. He too uses a disposable at night though. We have the same 12 Fuzzi Bunz and 6 Butterbears we had from the beginning and it’s been 16 months now. I love how they hold up. To keep them longer, I wash in Dawn original soap in the washer once a month at least (not too much or the thing will overflow with bubbles!) I’ve also used vinegar, baking soda and castile soap to rid of any bad scents.
Lisa @ Floating Along... says
Love all your reviews! Especially the cloth diapers, I will have to store that one for future reference :)
Our printer died a few months ago and we decided to upgrade to a wireless printer. We got the HP Photosmart D110 at Best Buy for $40 (with ebates, coupons and a sale). It’s been awesome! We can print from the desktop, our two laptops, and even from our iphones. It also prints great pictures (we’ve only tried 4×6). We love it!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Lisa!
xo,
s