Last weekend I rearranged Clara’s nursery—again. A few of you noticed things had moved and asked for an update, so here it is. It wasn’t a major overhaul, just a few simple swaps, but for a little while the room looked like it had been turned upside down from floor to ceiling.
As usual, Clara was in there “helping Mommy dec-rate.” According to her, decorate has only two syllables. You can’t see her in some of the pictures because she’s not tall enough to peek over the changing pad; she was “juggling” cloth diapers and singing “Firework” by Katy Perry the whole time.
For context, I used to move things around a lot—here’s a reminder of the last time I went nuts and reshuffled everything. It looked similar then, except she was wearing summer clothes.
Here’s a quick summary of what changed this time (the sketches of the previous makeovers help visualize it):
- The crib that used to sit on the wall opposite the door was moved to the far side of the room, across from where it had been.
- The dresser that was on that wall was moved into the crib’s former spot.
- The chair and side table stayed mostly put.
- The floor lamp that used to be behind the chair was moved into the kitchen and now lights our sitting nook by the fireplace.
- Clara’s hamper was tucked where the lamp had been, which helps hide it a bit (more on that later).
After the switch, it’s much nicer not to walk straight into the side of the crib. The crib is back on the wall I originally intended—when we first moved in we put it in a corner, then shifted it near the door, and now it’s finally where it “belongs.” Since the dresser is about half as deep as the crib, the room feels more open when you enter.
There’s a small “C” on the door from Anthropologie I picked up on clearance a while back. It was six dollars, and whenever we walk by Clara says “C for Clara.”
Clara’s hamper now sits behind the reading chair. She loves emptying it and scattering things around, so having it slightly out of the way helps a bit—though it still doubles as an obstacle course sometimes.
I finally pulled the crib away from the wall about 18 inches, which keeps the framed pieces above it safely out of Clara’s reach. Everything is hung securely with screws and anchors where possible, and I reinforced them with heavy-duty adhesive strips as extra protection. They’re removable without damaging the wall, but sturdy enough to prevent anything from falling even if there’s an unlikely tremor. Call it first-time-mom paranoia, but safety is worth the fuss.
Opposite the green mirror and chair is a corner that still needs art—some walls remain blank and I’d like to add pieces there eventually. I also still love Clara’s closet; it’s probably my favorite nook in the house.
One of our best furniture projects is still Clara’s $20 Craigslist dresser. It gets roughed up by toys and wooden fruit but keeps looking great and holding up well.
There are lots of little handmade elements that make the room feel personal, like the bookshelves John built and the mobile I made. The art wall has sentimental pieces that make me misty-eyed whenever I look at them.
And yes, there are silly detail shots—like a stuffed monkey and a plush alligator—because every nursery needs a few charming, goofy touches.
I’m tempted to be dramatic and hand out toys like Oprah—“You get a car! You get a car!”—but really, I’ve learned not to make absolute promises about room arrangements. This is Clara’s third layout since we moved in, and while I’ve sworn I wouldn’t move things again before, I genuinely like this setup better than the previous two. For now, it’s a keeper—at least until the next bout of rearranging inspiration hits.
What rooms in your home get shuffled often? Do you have spaces that stay the same for months while others are constantly evolving? For us, the bedroom and living room have stayed relatively steady since we moved in, while Clara’s nursery and the kitchen are the rooms that change the most.