It feels like just yesterday I was sitting here writing about C’s nursery transformation. But now that C has turned 2, things are changing big time in his room! While a lot of baby things are moving next door to the new nursery, there are a few things that we wouldn’t dream of moving because they are that great.
Diaper Pail
When we were getting ready for C’s debut, we didn’t think we needed a diaper pail. We thought, “We will totally take out the trash at least once a day!” *hearty, sympathetic laughter* After a month of carrying a teeny tiny bathroom trash can up and down the stairs a million times a day, I happily tossed a Diaper Genie into my Target cart. I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but a diaper pail is SO worth it- even considering the ongoing cost of buying special liners (we always buy the off brand and they work great!). The odor containment and handiness of the diaper pail is unparalleled.
Blackout Shades
Delirious, sleep-deprived parents will try anything to get their baby to sleep. When C was still sleeping in our room, we were so desperate for him to take naps that we covered our window in scrapbook paper, trying to prevent even the tiniest sliver of light from hitting his bassinet. It was a real style choice. Once C moved to his own room, we came to our senses and bought a set of blackout curtains and black out shades. His room is like a deep cave during nap time- it could make anyone want to take a snooze. Another major perk is that they are cordless, unlike our old, definitely not baby-friendly shades. We just installed another set in our room for Baby #2, lest we have to wallpaper our window again.
Marpac Dohm White Noise Machine
While we’re on the topic of sleeping- white noise machines. They really do work wonders. We tried a couple of cheap options from Amazon but, despite having lots of different sound options, the white noise always sounded kind of like a humming vacuum cleaner, which we didn’t love. We hesitantly purchased the kind-of expensive Marpac Dohm after reading thousands of glowing reviews. There’s actually a fan inside so it only does one thing- fan noise. We love that the noise isn’t electronic, but that’s a totally personal preference. Most importantly, it keeps C asleep through our noisy late-night house projects.
IKEA Bookshelves
We are still loving these bookshelves- they are perfect for displaying C’s favorite reads. Check out our other post about this IKEA hack! We are currently loving The Good Egg by Jory John and My Dad is Amazing by Hello!Lucky.
Diaper and Wipe Storage
There’s nothing more annoying than realizing you’re out of diapers mid-change and having to find something sharp to open a taped-up diaper box. We bought this Sterilite drawer cart to store packages of diapers and wipes in lieu of keeping a stack of boxes in the closet. It looks nicer and having a package handy to grab when you need it has saved us on more than 72 occasions!
Changing Table Height Dresser
If you look closely at any nursery photo on Pinterest, you’ll see this dresser. It’s the HEMNES 8-drawer dresser from IKEA (ours is in “white stain” which is less shiny than the plain white version and, therefore, less fingerprinty). We love not having an extra piece of furniture just for diaper changes. It’s the perfect height, with handy drawers for storing diapers, creams, and wipes. Plus, we’ll be able to keep this furniture in C’s room for the many diaper-free years to come!
We’ll absolutely be repurchasing these things for the new nursery! If we don’t buy another HEMNES dress from IKEA, we’ll definitely be looking for one that is a similar height so we can use it as a changing table! We’re excited to show you C’s “big boy” toddler room, even if I have to write it through uncontrollable tears. How have these years gone by so fast??