Name: Emily
Child's Name and Age: We're expecting a boy in June 2008
Location: Nottingham, Maryland
Category: CLOTHES
Items used for the project and favorite part of the storage solution:
The closet shelves, desktop (to be used as a changing table), drawer units and laundry basket are all from Ikea's Antonius collection. The plastic bins are also from Ikea. The bookcase is an Ikea Billy bookcase with the back painted to match the closet color. Crib is Ikea Gulliver. (Can you tell we live 10 minutes from an Ikea?) The paint color is Lobster Bisque, from Martha Stewart's line of colors (at Lowe's). The paper for the labels came from a scrapbook store that was going out of business.
The baby's room is small - only 8x12', so I wanted to be sure to make the most of the space. This meant maximizing the space in the closet by using it for folded clothes, a changing station, and storage for future clothes, bedding, and other miscellaneous stuff. The nice thing about the system we used is that it is adjustable, so as our son gets older and his storage needs change, we can reconfigure the closet without too much trouble. I also decided to take the closet doors off and replace them with curtains in order to use every last inch of the opening. Right now we have more shelf space than we need, though we're quickly accumulating more and more baby items.
My favorite parts of the solution are the 4 large plastic bins for future clothing sizes. I try to buy things at end of season sales, which means I have to buy things in advance. With the separate bins, I can put things in their appropriate bins and not have to worry about sorting through things later. When our little guy is ready to move up to the next clothing size, we'll be able to pull that bin down, knowing that everything is where it is supposed to be. I even made a few extra labels for the next larger sizes so that when we're done with the 3-6 month box, we can relabel it with 2T.
Best storage tip for families with children:
I'm trying to get as organized as possible before the baby comes so that when he's here, we aren't faced with any more confusion than necessary! The best storage tip that I have is for everything to have its place - and if that place has a label and is easy to find, all the better. Labeling the drawers for the baby's clothing means that things should be right where we expect them, even if we're sleep deprived and confused when we're putting away the laundry.
Thanks for entering, Emily!
looks great! i wish we lived 10 minutes (instead of 10 hours) from an IKEA. :) the bins are a great idea.
view pyjammy's profile
I also wish there was an IKEA within driving distance to me! It seems so handy for a child's room.
The room looks great! Very organized.
view schnappycat's profile
That's a great idea. So much easier to fish stuff out of a bin than trying to deal with those little hangers. Easy for laundry too!
view tgray99's profile
I wish I had seen this 3 months ago before my twins were born! We are planning an IKEA trip soon so I may steal some of these ideas. We also have the Gulliver cribs (ordered online) and love them. Buying two of them was much better than buying two modern cribs from anywhere else. Good job!
view design.is.good's profile
Implementing a great label system also simplifies the tasks of people who are helping you taking care of the baby. Good job!
view At Home with kim vallee's profile
Ditto, the label system is genius for helpers. Do you really want your mother interupting your nap when she's trying to put away laundry for you? Hells no! great idea.
view DahliaCactus's profile
This looks really great. I do have a warning, though. The sizes on baby clothes can't be relied on to be right. I had B's clothes separated that way and we missed out on him wearing a bunch of clothes because he was long enough for 6 month clothes by the time he was 4 months old. My advice is to pull out the next size up a few months before that time comes to see if it fits. There were a few sweet home-made things that never got worn and it killed me.
view phoneill's profile
Looks like you have a nice stash of cloth dipes there too. :)
view lb's profile
What unique colors for a baby's room. They are very pleasing to the eye-I love it!
view JackieL's profile
I like this a lot. I can't read the labels, I am curious what the steel bins are for, small items like socks? I see sheets but wondering what else could go in those. Are those also from Ikea? Very inspiring as I also have an Ikea 10 minutes away :)
view charlita's profile
love it! great use of colors. what's the name of the big white ikea bins? thanks!
view selena's profile
great idea, I have three boys and that'd be nice to keep hand-me-downs labeled in bins like that.
Thx!
view Lizzykewl's profile
Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone!
phoneill, thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to go through things periodically.
charlita, the steel bins are acting as the dresser: the drawers are labeled for things like onesies, sleepers, tops, bottoms, outfits, and outerwear. The bottom two baskets are for sheets and blankets.
The big white Ikea bins are named Slugis.
view emilymch's profile
Where did you get that adorable pattern for the labels?
view Elle78's profile
Elle, I didn't see your question until just now - sorry! The background paper for the labels came from a scrapbook store that is now out of business, so I'm not sure what brand/designer it is. As for the actual word labels, I designed those myself with a font I like (century gothic) plus a dotted border. I printed them with a laser printer and then stuck them on the background paper with foam double-sided tape.
view jaygriz's profile
Am I the only one who thinks the carts make it look like a hospital or laundry room?
view honeyhaze's profile