Don't Buy a Changing Table

I am a huge fan of reusing what is already out in the world. When it came to my son’s nursery I knew we didn’t want to buy anything new (except the crib). I know many moms with beautiful nurseries full of brand new furniture and that is fine by me. Here’s why I chose not to buy a changing table.

1.       Using a dresser will let you keep the piece longer than the first few years of your baby’s life. When you use a changing table it explicitly looks like a changing table and cannot be repurposed after it's no longer needed. 

 

2.       There are so many pieces already out in the world. You will be surprised at the amount of waste that already exists. Check craigslist, Facebook marketplace, your local donation center, or the side of the road.

3.       You can get something else off your registry besides furniture. If a changing table costs anywhere from $100 and upwards, save that possible $100 purchase for something else you need for the baby.

4.       Buying used furniture allows you to customize it to your nursery theme. The piece we found was already grey and white and matched the nursery, but the original knobs were not our style. We opted for black geometric pulls from TJ Maxx and they made all the difference.

 

 

Tips for Keeping Baby Safe:

I can see why some families want everything brand spanking new for their bundle of joy with furniture recalls and new safety protocols coming out every day. Here are a few tips for keeping baby safe if you choose the used route:

1.       Inspect the piece of furniture you are using for the changing table and make sure it is structurally sound. Remember, it needs to be big enough to support a changing pad and steady enough to hold a wiggly baby.

2.       Thoroughly clean your furniture. We noticed that the drawers had some residue from what looked like paint stripper. After cleaning it and still unhappy with the result we put down contact paper to line the drawers.

 

 

 

 

3.       Do you feel comfortable making repairs if necessary? In our case, the dresser drawers had nails sticking through the bottom of each drawer in multiple areas. We removed all of the nails and reinforced the bottoms of the drawers.

4.       Consider using no VOC paints or milk paint when painting in the nursery. Wear a respirator and paint outside if possible or with windows open.

 

Need some inspiration to get started? Check out this before and after or give me a call! We can use a dresser you already own like this client did.