I left my part time job in social services in May. Because we pay pretty hefty tuition for the older kids to attend Catholic school, it's important to be as economical as we can. But despite the tight finances, I really wanted to have a cute nursery for our new addition. So this is how I managed to make it work for about $300.
This is the crib we purchased from a friend. It converts into a toddler bed and a full size head and footboard. My friend's toddler used the railing as a teething tool, so I picked up railing covers at a consignment shop for $3. The crib, originally $350, cost us $100. The navy blue curtains work very well with the colors of the room and we've had them for years, so I didn't have to buy them. (Woo!) A good friend has an extra crib mattress, so we'll be putting that to good use (for free - double woo!).
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| Sweet Dreams Baby Wall Decals by Roommates Peel and Stick Decor Paint: Pineapple Soda by Behr |
The only thing I actually saved from G(8) was his bedding, so that wasn't a big purchase. In fact, the only thing I actually bought in this picture are the wall decals. I picked them up at Target for $10. We didn't use the entire decal, actually. We opted to skip the word "Baby" just to keep it more simple. There isn't a link directly from Target, but you can find them here. (Note: They're more expensive through the website, which seems silly.) Oh - apparently Babies R Us carries them, too, but again they're more expensive than Target. They were very easy to put up and there are a ton of pieces left over for another project... as soon as I come up with one.
These shelves are a serious work in progress. My sister knitted the dinosaur, which I promptly named Sir Englebert VonHossenfeffer. I picked up the C at Michael's for $2 with a coupon. (So even if we don't go with our name, it's not a big expense!) Everything else was left over from the big kids or given to me by friends. But seriously, this needs work in a big way.
And speaking of needing work... this disorganized mess is the dresser I purchased from the same friend for $150. It was originally $400.
My sister was kind enough to come over this afternoon and together, we organized the heck out of it. Definitely a big improvement. The changing pad was a hand-me-down from my brother and the yellow cover was purchased at Burlington Coat Factory as a repackaged item for $7. The baskets, which were found around the house, will house diapers and wipes. I'm sure I'll move things around as we settle into a routine. And no, the Dyson won't live in the nursery. (But oooh, do I love that thing!)
The frames and artwork were part of G's room decor before he moved into K's room. He really loves the prints. I may buy him some new frames and put them in his new room, but these frames are staying in the nursery. The holes are already in the walls and I like their positioning. I think I may use scrapbook paper and velum and create something similar to things I've seen on Pinterest, only more my style. I'll choose quotes that have something to do with stars and moons. Most likely I'll start with "I love you to the moon and back" because I say that to my kids all the time. Now I just need to come up with a second saying.
So that's the nursery so far. I still want to add a bookshelf at some point. We'll probably go with something from Ikea. The older kids have managed not to destroy their Ikea pieces thus far, so that's pretty impressive. I will work on the wall shelves over the next few weeks and see if I can't come up with something cute to do with it.
And there you have it! $272 and a ton of repurposed, hand-me-down pieces with - in my opinion - really cute results!
***Update***
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| Wall art! |
$2 worth of scrapbook supplies and repurposed frames! The paper was left over from Wizard of Oz projects we did for the high school and works perfectly with the bed. The vellum was really $.60 a sheet, but we'll round up just for the sake of keeping things even. That takes the final budget up to $274!
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