F's Corner

A while back, Mark and I deemed this weekend "Operation Baby Set Up," as it would be our first chance in at least a month where we could dedicate a chunk of time to organizing, arranging, and setting up for F's arrival. As it turns out, we didn't have much to do--the "Operation" took all of about 4 hours and we were able to do most of it while Sam-minding. Most of it was spent clearing out the corner of our room where I had my office (AKA a card table with lots of craptastic on it) and parsing the various odds and ends I had stored there to different locations in the apartment. This opened up a little nook for the O'Connell cradle (lovingly loaned to Sam, then us, from Stella), where F will sleep for the first few months. After that, we plan to set him up the Emily Mini Crib (ideal for small spaces; thanks to Leezie for the inspiration!). And the wall decor? I'd like to say I slaved over that for hours, but it's actually a decal sent to us by Aleta. Took about 3 minutes to put up, and it comes down just as easily. Genius!

Also on the agenda: Setting up the changing table and washing, sorting, and folding piles of onesies, which I'm a pro at by now. F has enough ootfits for the first week, at least. :-)

This all seems so basic, but I'm actually relieved we don't have a "nursery" to set up, because I am trying to keep things as simple as possible. I've been browsing lots of decor and design blogs focused on apartment living and seeing how folks make the most of their small spaces and you'd be surprised how creative some people get. One couple in Brooklyn even parlayed a 6'x6' closet into a (tiny) room for their baby. Simply put: there's a ton you can do with little space!