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2nd Trimester
How much are you planning to spend...
on nursery furniture? I am torn between getting good stuff because well, I like good furniture, and getting something not too expensive. Are there good compromises out there that look nice but aren't crazy pricey? And if you are on LO #2 or more, do you have feedback on stuff NOT to buy because it doesn't hold up etc.?
Just trying to figure out what will be good quality and hold up without breaking the bank.
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Re: How much are you planning to spend...
We got the Baby Bargains book, and that lays out your options pretty well. There are lots of great things available for not a lot of money.
It also taught us that there's no reason to spend a gazillion bucks on certain pieces of baby furniture whose prices have been jacked up just because they say "baby" on them.
Our decision was to buy a new crib, then get everything else (dressers, etc.) either from our own collection or the same way we'd shop for any other furniture (i.e., antique stores).
Our crib was about $800 (not including the conversion kit). We aren't getting a set and are refinishing an antique buffet (that I am still searching for). I would imagine we will be around $1200 - 1500 when it is all said and done.
I am planning to spend around $1000 - $1200 w/ tax and delivery....
I am getting a convertible crib so I am planning to keep the same furniture for years....
We will be spending about $800 total on furniture.
I don't mind spending more money on pieces that can be used for a good long time, like a convertible crib or a nice dresser or armoire. We spent the most on a Stanley armoire for the nursery that could very well be the sturdiest piece of furniture we now own. If LO decides not to keep it in her room forever, we'll use it in another room in the house--it is a distressed white, beadboard front that can be used for clothes and eventually a TV--fits very well with the cottage-y decor of our house in general. It cost around $1700.
I wouldn't spend much on a changing table, though--we're just using DH's from when he was a baby, and had it painted white and distressed, which cost less than $100.
For my son I spent a lot but I got him real furniture he can use (convertible crib, dresser and tall dresser). Now not sure what our bedroom arrangements will be when they get older so for this one I'm buying the $99 Ikea Gulliver and a cheap dresser to get me through the first few years.
This! I went this route, as well. Spent a similar amount of money (Thank goodness for tax returns!)
We picked high quality furniture, that I intend for LO to use for a very long time. Since we plan on having a couple more children, I plan to get plenty of use out of this furniture. We bought a convertible crib, dresser with hutch, and chest of drawers, as well.
wow ... I am falling off my chair looking at all these prices!!!
We co-slept so we never bought a crib. Our home has built in shelving so we use that with decorative baskets as drawers and works the same as a dresser.
The changing table was probably the only piece of furniture we purchased for DS and we will be using the same one for LO2 ... it was a whopping $10 on Craigslist and it looks brand new, luckily I had some gift cards left over from our wedding and I used that to buy a changing pad and small accessories to tie the whole thing together.
Now at 16 months baby has transitioned to his own full size floor bed and we plan to re-do our magic with LO2 ... co-sleep then straight to their full size bed!
Truly, we didn't spend a dime.
The crib was a hand me down that's in great shape and will be used again for #2. We used an antique long buffett style dresser as a changing table/clothes storage.......along with a matching armoire that I used while growing up. My parents stumbled across the set at an estate sale when I was little. We cleaned it all up and painted it white to match the room.
Now that #2 is coming, we'll keep the buffett and crib for the new baby and move the armoire with Molly in to her new bedroom. We also have a tall chest of drawers that matches the set but would need to be cleaned/painted. I don't think we'll need the storage but it's nice to have just in case. (Obviously both bedrooms also have a closet)
I love the look of this furniture - it's solid wood with gorgeous woodworking details........it doesn't match the crib but that doesn't bother me at all.
Honestly, the crib is the most expensive furniture we're getting. We really like Munire since it's solid wood - but not uber-expensive, and has fabulous reviews.
That being said though, I could care less what we get for the dresser, and/or changing table. As long as they are usable, I don't care. The child will never be left on it for longer than it takes to change a diaper and get him/her dressed, nor will he/she be left unattended while on it.
Asides from that, poop happens anywhere - I really don't care where I change the baby, as long as I have the changing pad with me to (A) protect baby's butt, and (B) protect the surface from accidents.
We spent $700 on our crib. Which is a lot. But it is solid wood, this is our first child (and we hope to have more) and it is made in the USA, which I actually do care about.
We spent $700 on two dressers. Which I thought was a reasonable price since they were both solid birch. We were only able to get such good quality at that price b/c they were a children's set on sale at a major furniture retailer, not a baby store.
We also bought a super awesome chair. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that we spent over a grand on this. BUT, it is a recliner and a rocker and a glider. And we got it in custom fabric that matches the nursery decor as well as the guest room so when we are done having babies it will be able to be repurposed. And it's a Lay-Z-Boy with a 10 year warranty so I have no doubt that it will be in good enough shape to be able to do that.
The crib I like is top rated by Consumer Reports and less than $200.
We have a dresser that we'll plop a changing pad on and voila - instant changing table.
I'll probably spend another $100 or so on decor and nursery accents.
We didn't spend any money on furniture for DS until we bought him a crib mattress when he turned one (he co-slept with us). We borrowed a crib from my sister, used one of our dressers for his clothes and as a changing table, and my ILs bought us a rocking chair. We got him an Ikea toddler bed and mattress off of craigslist a few months ago, which was about $100.
This time we'll buy a $100 Ikea crib for the new baby, who will sleep in our room. DS will be getting his own room, so we'll get a fold-up twin-size futon, dresser, and probably a kid-size table and chairs for him. I'd like to get most of them used, so we'll probably spend about $500 or so decorating it? I'm definitely of the thought that I'd rather get furniture that isn't specifically for nurseries or kids, and I don't like matching sets of furniture either, though...
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Im spending about 900 on a crib and 800 on the dresser! Its furniture that will grow with baby so I see it as a great deal. As for decor and what not, it will be all home goods!
No changing table needed, my nanny days remind me that I always changed the little ones on the floor or a nearby bed!
I plan on spending between $1000-1200 (including tax).
That will include crib, mattress, bookcase, dressers, and glider w/ ottoman.
The best thing to do is start a spreadsheet with a number you know you dont want to go over. Then start finding furniture that fits within that range. Dont forget to include shipping and tax.
For DS #1 Our Nursery In a Box brand new: convertible crib, changing table, and dresser was $200 for all three pieces in a beautiful cherry finish. We bought a crib mattress for under $100 at BRU with a 20% off coupon. We are using all the same pieces for DS #2 and we bought DS#1 a Racecar toddler bed since we're going to use his crib/toddler bed for the new baby instead of buying a second crib that we won't use for more than a couple years.
When the boys are older we'll buy them "real" furniture depending on theirs/and our wants/needs. In the meantime that $200 set will be lasting us 2 children and at least 5 years!