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The Best Baby Gear For Small Spaces
When our oldest was born, we did the normal things that every parent does. We planned, we registered, we had a baby shower. And we were so thankful for all of the stuff that we were gifted. With a 2,600 square ft. home, we had plenty for space for all of the things! But, you learn pretty quickly what you need and what you could have done without. I’m talking to you, wipes warmer! By the time #2 came around, we had moved into a home with only 1,560 square ft. and we thought we were pretty good at deciphering the best baby gear for small spaces.
Our current home is a whopping 1,300 square ft. (It seems we have a knack for downsizing!) We were able to create a nursery for our newest little guy (#3) in a converted closet and there really just isn’t a lot of space around the house for extra stuff. So we really had to minimize the baby gear this time around. Hopefully this list can help you out if you also are working with a small space!
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Mini Crib
In such a small nursery, we were really limited with the options we had. If we wanted to be able to walk into the room, we definitely needed to go with a mini crib. We chose the Dream On Me 4 in 1 Aden Convertible Mini Crib. It fits perfectly in the space and is as big as the average pack and play, so we know it will work for him for awhile.
Rock ‘N Play
The Rock ‘N Play was a life saver for us! Since our sweet babe had trouble with re-flux, we found that letting him sleep in the Rock ‘N Play really helped him out. Tired mamas love sleeping babies! Plus, the Rock ‘N Play folds up, so we could easily move it to another room for nap times or store it away in the small space next to his crib.
Door Jumper
When your square footage is limited, finding a spot for a baby activity center or jumper is pretty much impossible. However, with a door jumper, we can hang it up when the little guy needs to burn some energy and tuck it tightly away in the closet when we are done.
Diaper Caddy
We aren’t lucky enough to have room for a changing table and I honestly just don’t really think they are necessary. As long as you have a portable changing pad, you can change that baby on the bed, a couch, or even the floor. We keep ours in an awesome diaper caddy that also holds diapers, wipes, toys, etc. That way we can carry around from room to room.
Storage Ottoman
We love these inexpensive little storage ottomans from Ikea for baby toys! They are so versatile in that they can hold pretty much anything you want hidden. Plus, they can serve as extra seating, a little side table, or just a spot to prop your feet up. And the covers are washable!!!
Sleep Sheep
Obviously there isn’t a lot of room for extras around here, but having a way to play white noise close by is a must. The Cloud B Sleep Sheep is awesome because it can be attached to the crib so it’s not taking up valuable space somewhere else. Plus, we can take it with us on the go!
Under Bed Storage
Probably one of the best space saving things we did for this baby was to get a plastic under bed storage container. Thanks to the addition of a make-shift bed-skirt, we can keep extra blankets, sheets, and out of season clothes hidden.
Things We Don’t Have/Need
- Baby Bathtub – Our home already has a bathtub. And a couple of sinks. Both of which work just fine for cleaning the baby.
- Changing Table – With a portable changing pad, almost any flat surface with supervision can serve as a changing place.
- Wipes Warmer – Unless you plan on providing a heated bidet for your little one in the future, room temperature wipes will do just fine.
- Diaper Genie – Pretty much any trash can with a lid will keep in the stench.
- Bassinet – It may be helpful for some, but was just something that would take up too much room for us.
- Baby Swing/Bouncer – Our Rock ‘N Play definitely served as both of these.
- Bottle Warmer – We bought one, used it for a week, and then sold it.
If you are working with a small space or home, I hope that these ideas can help you out! Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you have any other awesome space saving ideas for babies!
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Baby Farmhouse Nursery Reveal
How can our sweet littlest guy be almost 6 months old already??? Time in the NICU seemed so long, but since he has been home things have just flown by. Especially, since summer vacation for the bigger kids is here. I’m happy to announce though, that we have finally finished up the nursery! Today I’m sharing all of the details and sources in our Baby Farmhouse Nursery Reveal!
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This space has come a long way from the walk-in closet that it used to be. Coming in at only 4’3″ x 7’6″, designing in such a small room was definitely a challenge, but one that we were excited to tackle!
We knew that we would need a few basics, like a crib and small dresser to hold clothes and accessories. We were also able to work in a little bit of hidden storage. But my favorite part of this nursery is the farmhouse decor!
If shiplap doesn’t scream modern farmhouse, then I don’t know what does.
After we removed all of the old wire shelving, the walls got a simple shiplap treatment thanks to my hubby. Then, we painted them with Sherwin Williams paint in Alabaster. I also added these adorable baby farm animal prints in some Ikea frames.
The vintage looking farmhouse light above the prints is a fun addition too! After seeing the “Magic Light Trick” that Brooke from Nesting with Grace does, I knew that this hack would be great for the nursery. (I purchased the puck lights with remotes I used here.) And since there wasn’t any electrical wiring to be done, I was able to install the light by myself in just a few minutes!
cow print | donkey print | wall mount light
We are hoping that the tiny, mini crib will be able to hold our little guy for awhile. The mattress height is adjustable and the crib can also convert to a toddler bed and twin bed with or without the foot board option.
The neutral, vintage-look rug is the perfect soft spot for our little man to stretch out and kick right now. It will also be a great place for him to play as he gets bigger!
I love that all of our kids have been able to use this small dresser.
It was one that my parents passed on to us and it is perfect for holding baby clothes, burp cloths, accessories, and a few baby toys. The oval chalkboard was a Christmas gift and we have been using it for the little Snuggler’s monthly photos.
Olive Tree Topiary | Piggy Bank | Teddy Bear (handmade gift)I found this gray hanging storage at Babies R Us right before they went out of business and I’m so glad I did. (Here is a similar option.) I use it to corral extra diapers, wipes, etc. that don’t fit in our diaper bag or the diaper caddy we move from room to room.
See that ruffle-y crib skirt below? I made it out of an old sheet! It helps to hide an under-bed storage bin that keeps all of the receiving blankets and extra crib sheets tucked away. There is also a little space on each side of the crib that we use to store a boppy and play mat when they aren’t in use.
It’s all about being creative with your storage space, folks!
We just love how this room has turned out and that our baby boy has a room to call his own. It’s an added bonus that it’s attached right to our bedroom so that we are just a few steps away if he needs us at night! What do you think of this Baby Farmhouse Nursery Reveal?
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SURPRISE! We’re Expecting: Pregnancy Week 18
Yup, you’ve read that right. We are expecting baby #3 and I’m already 18 weeks along! If you are following along with me on Instagram, then you probably already know about our big news. However, I wanted to share some more of the details over here.
HEALTH
Physically, it has been a pretty rough road so far. I’ve been dealing with extreme morning/all day sickness which has pretty much stopped me in my tracks for the past couple of months. I’m not surprised about that though since my previous pregnancies were very similar in that way. Luckily, it seems to be easing up just a bit!
FEEEEEEELINGS
There are so many feels going around during this pregnancy. To say that I’m not nervous, would be a lie. I’m a hot mess! I had some major end of pregnancy/birth complications during my last pregnancy with my son. (Pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome) So, naturally, I’m somewhat concerned about the outcome with this babe as well. Plus, I’m over 35 now which puts me in the “geriatric” maternal age range and raises the risks of genetic issues. All of that, plus the normal crazy pregnancy hormones raging through my body have made me pretty emotional this time around.
NURSERY
Not only will we be adding to our family, but we will also be trying to fit another small human into our already tight and cozy home. Since this is a home decor blog, I, of course, will be sharing our nursery plans, whatever those may end up being. We have yet to figure out the logistics of all of that, but there are some ideas rolling around in my brain. (Closet nursery possibly?)
So, that’s what’s been up with me/us for the past several months! We are so excited (and still a little anxious) for what is to come. I hope you will follow along!
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We Got Chickens!
We got chickens and ducks! You read that right and I wanted to make it blog official! This place is feeling more farm like already. I’ve shared little snippets about our newest family members over on Instagram, but I wanted to share some more of the details about our fluffy little friends!
I’ve been wanting to tell you guys about our poultry news here for awhile, but honestly, we’ve been dealing with a few things that have kept me from being very blog productive. First of all, I’ve had some sort of stomach issues for awhile and I meet with the GI specialist this coming week. (Any prayers you could spare for a good outcome would certainly be welcomed!)
Second, during the process of doctoring, I also found out that I am extremely anemic, which probably has contributed to my lack of motivation and general laziness over the past couple of months. I’ve started taking iron supplements and that seems to be helping a bit.
Third, about a week and a half ago, we lost our sweet kitty Rowan to congestive heart failure. He was only 2.5, so it was pretty devasting for our family to lose him so quickly. He was such a friendly little guy and we will miss his antics and snuggles.
Anyway… back to the chicks and ducklings! Aren’t their fluffy little butts so cute?
We currently have 10 Silkies (white), 4 Plymouth Barred Rocks (black and white), and 2 Pekin Ducks. Originally, we only wanted 3 of each chicken breed, but the silkies are sold in 5’s and as a straight run (males and females) and we wanted to make sure we had several females. Plus, the hatchery sent 1 extra of each chick breed! Unfortunately, we did lose one Silkie the first night, but the rest have been growing at amazing speed since then!
They are about 6.5 weeks old now (in the awkward teenage phase) and have been so fun to watch grow and change.
The ducklings are massive (I had no idea they would grow this much in such a short time period!) Both of them are female and have the cutest sister bond ever. We named them Poppy and Paisley.
As for the chicks, each member of our family has claimed and named one of the Barred Rock cuties. Their names are Obscura, Robber, Lunch, and Sable. Our plan is to raise them and enjoy the eggs they produce, but my husband thought that Lunch was an appropriate name for one of them. He can be a bit cheeky.
Unfortunately, we have yet to name the Silkies. Since we don’t know whether they are pullets (female) or cockerels (male), naming them seems like a bit of a waste of time. Plus, we will more than likely rehome the cockerels at some point. In the meantime, I do have a list of names prepared!
My hubby has also been intently working on transforming an old shed on our property into a chicken coop. He has done so much, but there is still quite a bit to finish. Once it is all done, I will be back to share all of the details. I can’t wait for you to see it finished!!!
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