When we first bought this house, there was this tiny room at the top of the stairs that we never really knew what to do with. Our house was built in 1943 and our best guess is that this room was built with the intent of being a nursery (it's just big enough to place a crib in the middle with about two feet on all sides and no closet) but since we didn't have any kids it kind of became a catch-all room. When we found out we were pregnant, this was the obvious choice for our little one's nursery (it's right outside our bedroom), but since it's so small I made sure to keep everything light and bright to make it feel larger. Now that we have Ellis it has become my
favorite room in the house!
The down side to this room being so tiny is that it creates some storage issues (remember I said no closet!). For his clothes, we just have his dresser. That's it. It holds all of his clothes, his bibs, burp cloths, towels, sleep sacks, blankets, etc. So we are very selective about what we actually purchase. If we don't absolutely need it, we don't buy it. It's also helpful that my sister had a baby 3.5 months after I did, so we can get things he outgrows out of the dresser as quickly as possible to make room for his new needs.
We have a long wicker basket to hold diapers, wipes, creams, and ointments. This room isn't big enough for a dresser that can double as a changing table, so we typically change him on a portable changing pad in his crib or on the rug on the floor. We also needed a lamp for night time use - I found this small one so that it wouldn't take up too much visual space.
Side note about this dresser and the crib: my mother-in-law used this furniture when my husband was a baby (1990) and again when his brother was born (1997). It's so special that Ellis gets to use it now too! The black rocking chair is a family piece too. In fact, the first question I asked my dad after we told our families we were having a baby was if I could use this rocking chair. This was the one my grandmother used when my dad was a baby. I love that the major pieces in this room are a part of our family history!
Since the wallpaper has woodpeckers and owls on it, when I saw this owl basket at Target I knew I needed it for Ellis's room! When storage is an issue, cute baskets go a long way - this one houses toys and books and we have another cloth basket next to the dresser that acts as a hamper. Even with our best efforts to keep everything to a minimum, I ended up having to use the space under the crib for storage too. Therefore, I wanted to hide it with a crib skirt, but I couldn't find one at a price I was willing to pay nor could I find one that would actually go to the floor based on our measurements, so I "made" one! This is the best part of DIY projects - you get exactly what you want/need!
The first thing I did was to cut a 1x5 down to the length of the frame the mattress sits on for all four sides (I ended up using 2). Now, instead of sitting on top of the frame, the mattress sits level on top of the wood frame. Then, I simply used a drop cloth and a staple gun to attach the fabric to the wood. I used the pieces of the drop cloth that were already hemmed, but on the cut side that hangs down I used fuse tape to iron a "hem" so that there are no raw edges on the visible skirt.
Lastly, another struggle with the room size was where to safely put the camera. We tried to put it on the wall, but the only way that we could position the camera on the wall and actually have full view of the crib is if it was angled in the corner (which wouldn't work because the camera has to mount on a flat surface), but if we moved it over on the door frame it worked just fine. I was
really hesitant to drill a hole in this old door frame, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
What else do you do to create storage solutions in tiny spaces? I'd love to hear more ideas!
(ignore that cord in the corner - we've since gone up in the attic to finish pulling it through)
Because being frugal is in my roots (raised by two teachers/am a teacher myself), I like to see how far I can stretch my budget. Here's how well I did for this room:
(I'll link to what I bought/something similar where I can - none of these are affiliate links)
peel and stick wall paper - target (online) $25(4 rolls) + $20(1 roll) =
$120 (it's gone up in price since then)
also sold at home depot and lowe's (both online) for a little cheaper than target's new price
paint color on bottom half of wall and trim - Wispy White from Valspar
free (leftover)
crib - family furniture
free
crib mattress - gift from MIL
free
crib sheets - target
$10
crib skirt - DIY
$23 (here's the drop cloth I used with plenty leftover)
gray/blue wall hanging - kirklands
$30 (If I were to do this again I might just attach planks together, paint them blue/gray, and then frame it out in a chippy white)
E initial sign - Hobby Lobby
$8
owl toy basket - Target
$35
rocking chair - family furniture
free
boho fringe pillow cover - Hobby Lobby
$9
rug - wayfair
$42
curtain rod - Walmart clearance 6 years ago
free (already had on hand but never used) similar here
gray curtain panel - At Home
$15
branch curtain tie-back - Urban Outfitters
$16 (worth noting, I LOVE this one but couldn't bring myself to spend the money on it)
ceiling light - Wayfair
$72
owl hook on door - gift from mom
free
dresser - family furniture
free
round gold mirror - TJ Maxx
$30 similar here (but more expensive)
eucalyptus around mirror - Hobby Lobby $5.50(2 sprays) =
$11
table lamp - Target
$35
wicker basket for diapers/creams - Target
$12
cloth basket (hamper) - TJ Maxx
$12 similar here (but more expensive)
gray trash can - TJ Maxx
$10 similar here (but more expensive)
GRAND TOTAL: $490
Entire room from start to finish, top to bottom, for around $500?? I'll take it!
(And if I hadn't splurged on doing the wallpaper and just painted the top half it would be at least $100 less!)
