After finding out I was pregnant with our son, we knew it would soon be time for our little girl to move into a big girl bed because we didn’t have a second crib and there was no way we’d be buying another one. After thinking it through and recognizing that our third spare bedroom (which at the time served as her playroom) was in fact bigger than her current room, we made the decision to not only buy her a big girl bed, but also move her into a different room.
Sounds crazy, right? But it was the best decision we could have ever made. We had been waiting to do something to the drab space anyways and putting her in a new room meant making it totally hers, which she was super excited about. We were nervous with how the transition would go, but we were so happy with how great she did. She was a little scared her first night and needed a night light, but other than that she’s been a total rock star. We made sure to buy something that attached to the side of her bed and were very direct in telling her she was supposed to be in bed when the sidebar was up. To our surprise, she listened. So, if you’re reading this and nervous to put your toddler in a big bed, give it a try, he/she might do better than you think!
It was so fun creating her new world. From the walls to the little trinkets on her dresser, we wanted her new room to be fun, whimsical and just her. Because we don’t have a basement, her room was going to have to function as a bedroom and playroom, forcing us to become creative with the small space and the crazy amount of toys she has. Tough stuff! Luckily, her toy chest that I refurbished (you can read all about that here) hides a lot of the mess.
To help reduce more clutter, we painted wood crates and created a mini-shelving unit for her books and toys. It’s super cute and functional, and one of our favorite parts of the room. She also loves her books and it serves as the perfect little home for her her reads. Speaking of books, we also decided to display some of her favorites on the wall using IKEA photo frame shelves. Even though she has a closet, we bought her a little dresser to add a little more dimension to the space. In addition to that, she also has her kitchen set, little table and chairs and tutu holder (I plan on posting how I put this together soon).
We’re pretty crazy about how it all came together and based on the amount of wake-time she spends playing in her room (pretty much 99%), we know she is too. We love her bubbly, playful personality and are so glad she has her own space to dance, sing, be creative and channel her inner princess.
Most of the items are linked below, but feel free to comment with any questions!
Toddler Bed: IKEA// Sheets: Target// Photo ledges (cook shelves): IKEA
Darling Wood Sign: House of Belonging // Curtains: Target (my grandma cut them)
Table & Chairs: Pottery Barn Kids (Smoke Gray) // Play Kitchen: IKEA
Felt Garland: Esty // Illustrations: Etsy // Picture frames: IKEA // Wild & Free Sign: Etsy
Marina Makes 