Having a baby is life changing in every way possible. My entire world now revolves around what is essentially a hurricane on adorably chubby, little legs. I never expected my house to remain immaculate and while I recommend reasonable expectations I also maintain that you can still love your space.
Easy to Make Bed
I love watching Architectural Digest home tours and one of my all time favourites is Aaron Paul and Lauren Pasekian’s “Rustic Getaway”. Everything about this home feels like a perfect fit and I love that this home feels so intentional but not contrived. Designer Jake Arnold explains how in creating the children’s bunk rooms he opted for a “less is more” approach. Something that really stuck with me was the choice to use linen bedding because it doesn’t need to be made perfectly and linens will still be beautiful even when they are laying on the ground. I share a home with a soon to be toddler and two dogs so there is nothing to be gained from making my surroundings too precious.
I could barricade the door like I was preparing for a siege and he would still find a way to get into my room and up onto my bed. I quickly grew tired straightening out the bedding and the pillows several times a day. Linen is never the wrong choice and less throw pillows is less pillows to throw.
Less Decorative Items
I firmly believe in editing down the items you surround yourself with, and this is extra important with children. Do you actually have time to move your brick-a-brack around and keep up with dusting? Is your brick-a-brack in danger of falling into the hands of a young child who might break it or turn it into a weapon? Are you spending your energy protecting your brick-a-brack from sticky little hands?
Tough Furniture
Will scratches and dents destroy my pieces or will it contribute to the character? I am a big fan of aged wood and vintage pieces and I love that I am not going to fixate on a tiny little scratch. Obviously staying true to your personal style is important, but if you’re choosing between two pieces give extra points to the one that looks good wearing fingerprints.
You Don’t Live in a Store
If you are looking around wondering when you moved into the toy aisle at your local big box store it might be time to donate a car load. I keep toys minimal and rotate them often. Instead of having all of my son’s toys visible at all times I like to keep some stuffed away so that when he gets bored we can switch some of them out instead of just adding and adding. I would really hone in the urge to shower your child with toys anyway because my kid has been carrying around an empty shampoo bottle all week and it is Redken, not Melissa & Doug.
Storage
You want baskets in the living room where toys can be quickly collected and stored out of sight. Regardless of what your set up is it is nice to have a space where you can quickly stash blocks and stuffed animals. This can be your every day thing or this can be the thing you too because you’re tired and your kid is napping and you just want everything out of sight for the next hour.
Couch Covers
Sofa technology is next level now. I’m sure you’ve seen at least one advertisement where someone dumps a glass of red wine on their fabric couch and it beads off effortlessly. Obviously this is amazing, but if this is not your reality I recommend having a couch cover. I used to buy large pieces of faux fur from the fabric store that would cover most of my couch. It was a cuter, less expensive, and cozier option that the dogs appreciated.
Compromise
At the end of the day I still coexist with a little hurricane; while that means finding toy blocks in my shoes and scraping noodles off the floor I still appreciate living in a home that reflects my grown up style and needs. Or at least it mostly does! I don’t always love to be completely surrounded by primary colours, but it’s a small price to pay for a happy kid.
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