There have been several great posts lately about the cost of having a baby. When you are on baby #7 things are pretty cheap. You own everything you could possibly need and you know what works and what doesn’t. All babies are different, but the learning curve is not very steep.
One question that does arrive when you already have a lot of kids is where to put the baby? Even when we had extra room, I have always preferred to keep the baby with me. It seems to simplify those middle of night feedings and I like being able to keep my “ears” on the baby.
My very kind and helpful friend helped me clear out my room a few weeks ago and it has stayed pretty neat. Last weekend her husband came over and helped my husband move furniture and set up the cradle while I sorted clothes. If you remember the corner of my room looked like this.
They moved the dresser to the window to make room for the cradle. Now the room looks like this.
The bin below the cradle holds sheets, blankets, and other baby linens for easy access.
While there has been much debate on the necessity of a changing table, I prefer some sort of elevated surface to change the baby since I had back surgery a few years ago.
I do not however spend money on changing tables. Fourteen years ago my dad bought this secondhand dresser for $30. It makes a perfect sized changing table with the changing pad
placed on top.
This dresser is in our bathroom, a perfect place to deal with diapers. I emptied the top drawer of the dresser to hold baby items.
We also installed a shelf, that had been sitting in our garage, and a hanging rack from Ikea to help organize wipes and other diaper changing necessities.
Total cost to make room for baby…
$16
By utilizing items we already had in our home as well as hand-me-downs we have created a nice cozy space for our little one.
This post is linking to A Beautiful Life, Blissfully Domestic, Tightwad Tuesday, Tackle it Tuesday and Talk about Tuesday.
{ jamie } says
Looks great, and the price is right, too!
We may be having to make room for baby, too. Actually, for a couple of toddlers! We’re in process of adopting & the ones we’re pursuing at the moment (their caseworkers are talking to our caseworkers) are nearly 3yrs old and 1 1/2 yrs old! Our youngest is 8yrs old now, and I can’t even remember what I’d need for these two! 🙂
MNKristy says
How exciting! I remember having our nursery set up and everything in place for my daughter’s arrival before I was even halfway through the pregnancy. I had so much fun decorating and shopping for all that baby stuff. How fun!
Carrie @ MoneySavingMethods.com says
It is always so fun to gear up for a new baby!! How fun. Looks nice.
Amy says
It looks great. We have 6 and with the last couple there wasn’t much we needed. #5 got a new infant carseat only because she was teeny tiny and we had new seat in order to bring her home. Not all infant seats accommodate 4 pound babies. With #6 the only item I bought him was a going home outfit before he was born. I always have so much fun pulling out the old baby stuff getting it ready.
Nicole says
I love the idea of the changing table in the bathroom! I wish our bathroom was big enough for ours. My FIL built a beautiful changing table for my first baby, so baby #3 will just be using it. I’m also hoping to get a co-sleeper for our baby #3. With the first two I used a bassinet, but I hated having to actually sit up on the side of the bed to take the baby out and bring him/her to me in the bed. I like the idea of just scooting her over to me, and not having to actually share my sleeping space!!
Anyway, this has turned into a really long comment, and I’m not even sure if I’ve commented on your blog before! I love reading it!! Nice to meet you!! 😉
mistiestrain says
oh.. im so jelous i want another baby so bad, and we did the same thing with the changing table..i had two dressers one in our room and one in my daughters room i got both my changing table pads as baby shower gifts. while i went all out on my first babies nursery, when we had our little boy i wanted to do his room in camo, but all the bedding sets were well over 100 dollars so for 25 i got the material half price on sale at the sewing store and recovered my daughters set ,,its mossy oak camo on the outside and pooh bear inside i made them to just slip on and zip up so if i have another girl they can be easily removed.we did buy some outlet covers on sale half price at the grand opening of a sporting goods store and the biggest expense was the 40 wall boarder. so for altogether a hundred bucks i have my dream nursery for my little hunter..
Lawanda says
Awww! All your stuff looks so pretty!! I never felt like I had to make room for the new baby. But then I only have 4 kids. LOL
Hannah says
I love it! It looks very sweet! The “sweetest” part about it though, is that you can do all that for $16. How awesome! I’ll have to remember that for when I get married and have kiddos of my own.
Shalom!
~Hannah
JessicaAPISS says
Awesome use of space! Love the wall-mounted shelf and basket. I too put my babies in the room with us and all their gear too, to eliminate the middle of the night room-to-room mambo…and we’re only up to 2 so far!
Michelle aka Applie says
It looks great!
Sharon says
Wow, no. 7. I’m overwhelmed with 4 and two are adults…but alas, you are much more organized that I ever was!
It looks great!
NancyP says
I remember buying my baby bedding used from a friend – feeling guilty that it wasn’t new, but knowing I had so much to buy for my first child that going second hand was better. When we finally had baby #2 I couldn’t bring myself to spend money on new bedding, so I made a baby comforter to go with what we had.
Now my first baby is 17 and is still good friends with my friend’s son – maybe when Chris has his first, I’ll give him some of his original bedding. It’s still in great shape. (I have most of it, because my daughter used it for her baby dolls!)
Joy says
A changing table in the bathroom will be wonderful for cloth diapers! Every day, I wish my son’s bathroom was big enough for a changing table.
Upstatemomof3 says
Wow!! $16. That’s great. And everything looks so wonderful. She is going to be one very lucky little girl.
Brianna @ Heart(h) Management says
Sixteen bucks. Not bad! I love the beautiful cradle. I, too, prefer to have baby with me. Perhaps I need a beautiful cradle as well. . .
🙂
Eve says
Our seventh little one (now 6 months old) shares our room with us and has a dresser in our bathroom. Such fun. Our twins, that are now 2 1/2, did the same thing. It worked out fairly well for us. Blessings with your new one.
Liz says
Is that new/different bedding on your bed? Everything looks great. Except, shouldn’t we see your feet dangling in the bed seeing how you are on bedrest? Don’t do too much, OK?
Donna ~Blessed Nest says
so cute! Looks great and nice price too!
Katie says
That looks perfect! I love the dresser changing table. We did the same thing! Thank you for sharing at ‘I Am Blissfully Domestic!’
Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings says
Great problem solving and it looks like you’re ready! Like the idea of having the changing area in the bathroom. Makes sense! Cute cradle, by the way…love the bumper.
Kelley says
Love the bath!! Super cute!
Amy Walton says
My older son’s first bed was a $12 basket we bought at World Bazaar. His “mattress” was a bed pillow! The little Moses-like crib stayed in our room for two months, and everyone was fine!
I personally think expensive, themey nurseries are overrated.
Shelly says
Love it! What great ideas!
Monique says
Each child is a wonderful blessing from God! I love the dresser you put in the bathroom. I used a dresser too but I didn’t have the room to put it in the bathroom. I put my boys in the bed with me while they nursed. We only used a crib for naps. Have you picked a name for the baby?
Lara Gallagher says
It looks good! I don’t think we have spent any money getting ready for our last two babies. We already had everything we needed. We didn’t buy much with the first two either. I never wanted swings and bouncy chairs and such. With the first we bought car seats, cribs, and I made the bedding. With the second I made new bedding because she was a girl. The best thing we ever bought was a portable crib. I bought it on impulse one day but it was worth every penny!
Liz@Hoosier Homemade says
Looks great! You have the same bassinet that I had for my boys, it’s stored in the attic for grandbabys some day.
Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
Tricia says
Beautiful and practical, it looks perfect.
Tracey - Girls to Grow says
Very cute! My sister is expecting her first baby in September, so I’ve been loving all the ideas I can share for getting ready for a baby as frugally as possible.
Mary @Raising 4 Godly Men says
All you need now is the baby to makes it’s apperence. [0; I love your simply perfect set up. Very well done ! And the price was RIGHT.
Blessings and ((HUGS)) my SSiC
In Him<
-Mary
susieshomemade says
What a great and resourceful tackle!!
L2L says
Love the idea of using the dresser as a changing table. After my first, I only have 3, I opted for the couch, the floor, and our bed once we got one that is like climbing Mt. Fugi, lol.
Lisa@BlessedwithGrace says
That is amazing.
Nell @ Casual Friday Everyday says
I love the cradle. Looks a lot like the one I have… that has never gotten used cause the kids wanted to sleep with me in the beginning. LOL
Nell
Anne-Marie says
You mean you didn’t buy all new stuff & decorate a nursery? LOL Neither did I. With our 1st, I bought essentials at thrift stores. When I wanted something specific, like an expensive-type double stroller or nursing clothes, I placed a $12 3-week-ad in the Pennysaver. Other moms were happy to offload their used items. Many threw in extra free items too.
I also kept my babies with me too. And our two girls slept in toddler beds in our master bedroom for awhile too.
We joke that we only have more seat in the SUV and would need a bigger house if we had more kids, but in truth, we’d make do…at least for the first two yrs.
Organizing Mommy says
Good job on re-org of the room/ changing table in the bathroom… Hope the baby arrives safely and soon.
teresa says
Great idea for the changing table in the bath- I would of loved to have room to do that-
Great ideas.
Laura Ingalls Gunn says
Happy birth! Happy Friday, Happy Spring, Happy~Happy Everything!
Sandy says
Wonderful tips and cost effective tricks to welcome your new little one! Blessing on the arrival.
melissa @ the inspired room says
Oh, a sweet new baby! What a blessing! Thanks for sharing your tips!