How To Transition A Nursery in 6 Easy Steps

Congratulations; You made it past the most difficult part of childhood (for me anyway; my oldest is 5 ?)!

Yes, the sleepless nights are finally gone. Your infant is now a toddler and you’re left wondering where all the time went.

Unless it’s your first. Then you’re more like, whaaaat? these last two years felt like an eternity. Am I finally going to stop being a crazy, zombie lady who checks to be sure my baby is breathing every 2 seconds? Not that I have any experience in that department…

Any who, now that you have a full fledged toddler running around like a never ending tornado, you realize it’s time to transition from nursery to grown up boy (or girl) room. Here’s the top things to switch out when your baby has outgrown the nursery:

Crib: If you were planning ahead you likely got a convertible crib, which is a great way to extend the life of the crib. Convertible cribs can last you quite a while, especially with some of them being able to transition from crib to toddler bed (and sometimes even to a twin sized bed). But eventually you’ll need to switch out the crib and get a big kid bed. Jumping straight to a full sized bed is a great idea. It will save you the hassle of upgrading again one your kiddo hits his next growth spurt. I like a neutral bed frame, like the black one above, that can be paired with lots of different colors.
Nursery Chair: Now that you aren’t feeding your little one at night or for naps, the nursery chair is just taking up valuable space. Clear the space and make room for a play or reading area. A tent or teepee, a play kitchen, or a reading nook are all great ways to utilize open space.
Mobile: Chances are your bustling toddler outgrew a mobile a loooong time ago, but if it’s still hanging up, switching it out for a pendant light is a great way to update the the room and get away from the “baby” look. I replaced the mobile with a bold red pendant. The bright color adds youth and vibrance while the modern design makes the room feel right on trend.
Changing Table: Let’s face it, the changing table screams infant. Even though you may still be changing diapers, you don’t have to worry about having a dedicated space for it in the new big kids room. Swap the changing table out for storage. A lot of storage. You can grab a dresser if you don’t already have one and a toy box, basket, or bin. I opted for this gorgeous dresser; it works in this space because it adds a bit of “grown up” style and helps bring warmth into the room.
Art & Accessories: If you opted for a more baby like theme, you’ll want to revamp all the art in the room with artwork that your kiddo will enjoy as they grow up. Try to think of styles that won’t need to be swapped out for a few years. I decided to refresh two of the art prints from the nursery and only add one more art print to add another bright pop of color to the room. Switching out small accessories like pillows and knick knacks can help add more color and transition out of the previous theme. In the room above, I switched out the neutral gray pillows for a graphic black and white pillow and an ombre blue pillow to add more visual interest.
Safety: Although this isn’t something you necessarily will have to swap out, you should really reevaluate the safety of the room again now that your child will be outside of the crib playing around. To a mom like me, whose imagination runs rampant with every scenario of potential danger, there’s no way I can tell you all the things that could pose a hazard to your child, but there are a few universal things to go over:
1. Check to be sure all outlets have childproof covers on them.
2. Look for any low hanging wall art that you kiddo may be able to grab (and therefore have fall on them) from the ground or from any item they could use to stand on (toys, toy box, etc.)
3. Secure any heavy furniture that has a risk of toppling over like dressers, bookshelves, etc.
4. Look for any strangulation hazards like blind cords or lamp cords. Basically cords of any kind.
5. Check to make sure your kid’s windows have locks on them, even if they aren’t currently able to open a window yet.

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Sam

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.