I'm a big fan of just using what you've got, whenever possible. You can creatively repurpose almost anything; it saves money, reduces waste and just makes sense.
When you have a baby, there's a big push (no pun intended) to buy all new furniture, including a changing table. I really didn't want a matching nursery set anyway, so I looked around the house for what would work for a changing station. Virtually any sturdy piece of furniture that is about waist-height can be retrofitted for that purpose.
For our firstborn, I ended up using an antique table I had in storage. I painted it white and situated a changing pad on top. To allow easy access to diapers and other necessities, I purchased a stand-alone cabinet with shelving and hung it above the changing table.
For the second iteration of the changing station with Baby #2, I updated the cabinet with some discounted paint. I used my grandmother's sewing machine cabinet, changing out the hardware for a more contemporary look. I like the extra storage that the drawers provide. A new changing pad and a wall lamp complete the ensemble.
I used a $15 antique sewing machine from a yard sale for my 1/2 bath sink! We dropped a round white basin / sink in it and it is so cute! The swing out doors has a small caddy in it (where sewing supplies were kept) and my son keeps his toothpaste and toothbrush in it so he has one on every level of the house.
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful idea, Vicky! I see a yet another purpose in my sewing machine's future. :)
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