I’m back to share a tour of 3-year-old Libby’s updated bedroom! Earlier this week, I showed you the pennant banner I made to fill the big empty wall above her bed. Now you can see the full effect in the room. I used several different fabrics I’d saved from when we decorated her nursery two years ago, so the banner really coordinates with the rest of the room.
Our girl’s been in her twin-sized bed since the beginning of the year and she loves it! The bed, sheets, and white quilt were a Christmas gift from her Papa Joe, so I’m sure that added to her excitement. Keep reading for a few things we did that really helped with the transition from crib to bed.
Another thing she loves? Her new reading nook!
We used this white canopy above her crib for a few months before she moved into her new bed. I was worried it would be too much of a distraction above the new bed, but it turns out it’s perfect for filling the space at the end of the bed and creating a cozy reading and snuggling area.
The bed itself has a metal frame and is quite low to the ground. The height makes it really easy for her to get in and out of bed herself. The headboard has an adorable criss-cross detail you can check out here.
We read books every night at bedtime, so instead of a nightstand, I opted for this small white bookshelf. Lucky for us it was a freebie from our neighbor and is just the right size to hold some of our very favorite reads. Not only are we huge fans of books in this house, we especially love beautiful books. Stephen has been known to browse Amazon for classics with gorgeous illustrations and covers like The Adventure Collection and the illustrated version of The Hobbit.
Stuffed animals always seem to find their way onto these shelves, and on top of the bookshelf we keep a lamp, special clock, and sound machine. We searched and searched for a low wattage LED bulb with a regular base, and the winner was this 200 lumen bulb from Ikea. It gives off just the right amount of light to read by without being too bright to wake up tired toddlers.
Are you ready for our top three tips on making the transition from crib to bed?
- Set expectations. We talked to Libby a lot (for weeks beforehand) about how things would go down once she had a “big girl bed.” We always acted really excited about the change and told her how special having a new bed would be. Most importantly, we set one rule: “You have to stay in bed until mommy or daddy comes to get you.” We still have her baby monitor (with wide-angle lens) in her room, so if she needs to go to the bathroom or wakes up in the middle of the night, all she has to do is call us.
- Get one of these clocks. I’m not even kidding. This is the number one thing that keeps our girl in bed every single night and until 7 am each morning. It’s called the Ok to Wake Clock and turns green at a pre-set time every morning. Libby is definitely a rule-follower and knows she has to stay in bed until that clock turns green. When it does, she says, “I’m ready to get up!” and we start our day. I think she’s gotten out of bed herself two times in the five months since she moved to her bed, and our success is 100% because of this clock. We also love that we can set the clock for a certain nap length and that it functions as a night light.
- Create a good sleep environment. For us, that meant adding a blackout roller shade to the window and a sound machine. We love this sound machine (baby sister sleeps with one in her room, too) because it creates true white noise without being distracting or moving air like a fan would. It’s actually our go-to baby shower gift because it’s just that good!
I’m loving that we were able to transition from nursery to little girl’s room without changing the major design elements in this space. I kept the curtains, dresser and chair (on the other side of the room), and that gorgeous chandelier and updated the bed and play areas to fit our little girl’s needs.
Are any of you approaching the move from crib to bed soon with your little ones? If you’ve already made the change (or did years ago), do you have any other suggestions to help with the transition?
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our home. Check out the list of sources for the room below!
pennant banner / bed (similar) / similar white quilt / purple chair / reading canopy (similar – sooo cute!) / blackout shade / sound machine / clock / owl lamp / similar bookshelf / baby monitor / wide-angle lens / similar chandelier (similar, similar, similar – closest match but goes out of stock quickly!)
The bird pillow, mint green pillowcase, and colorful quilt were handmade.
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