Making Room for Baby: Family Room

I already showed you what changes we made in our bedroom to accommodate Cam, but it's pretty much a given that our family room had to change too. We've managed to keep our formal spaces (living and dining rooms) kid-free and we plan to keep it that way. And I don't mean they aren't allowed in there, those just aren't rooms we play in and leave toys. However, our family room will be just that. A space where we spend our time and enjoy one another...and fill it with kid schtuff. But at the same time, I didn't want it to look like Toys R Us threw up in here either. A happy medium needed to be accomplished.

First a quick look at the family room pre-Cam:




I wanted to be able to mostly put the kid stuff away if needed, and I also didn't want to buy any new storage items. Tough customer, I know. Here are our best solutions.



Not a ton different, huh? We pulled the couch back just a touch, which actually opened the space up a bit, but still gave plenty of walking space to get into the area. With that, we gained the space up by the TV to put any large toy Cam might be into at the time. At first it was the swing, currently it's his beloved jumperoo and play mat. Is it visually pleasing? Meh. But we're able to put it away at the end of the day and not have it in the middle of the room if guests are over.
And then see that little basket under the side table? That was my saving grace the first few months, and even now. Cam's room is on the 2nd floor, so going up and down the stairs multiple times a day was not in the cards. I created a little basket with the essentials- diapers, burp rags, wipes, diaper cream, hand sanitizer, a changing mat I borrowed from Carl's diaper bag, nail clippers and bulb syringe. All items that get used every day, multiple times a day. I can set it on the table for easy access, but it also slides nicely, as shown, under the table to get it out of sight.

Then there's all the little knick knack toys. I wanted somewhere to keep them that was easily accessible, so I re-purposed our wicker basket. Before it held a random assortment of blankets and electronic goods which have all received new, more appropriate homes.

So that's that. Our living room, post-Cam's arrival. We'll eventually have a play space for him in the basement, but this works for now and we aren't quite ready to do the basement transformation! Do you have a space you've had to transform for one reason or another? Share a link in the comments or on Facebook. I'd love to read about it!