Nursery Dreamdget

This post details what we spent on our baby’s nursery (less than $1,000!).  Click here if you’d like to see more photos of the space.  You can find out how we did those fantastic polka-dots here (for less than $40!) and just click on the links outlined below if you’re interested in another one of our projects.  Feel free to subscribe or add us to your Google Reader for more DIY and budget-friendly ideas!  Learn more about The Dreamers here.  

We’ve talked about our “nursery budget” here and there – but to be 100% honest, we didn’t have a budget. We just tried to cut as many financial corners as we could and DIY as much as possible. Thankfully, many generous people in our lives (we’re looking at you, Grandma and Grandpa! – among many others) hooked us up with much of the big ticket items. We also decided not to redo the flooring, just yet. The beige carpet has no place in our grand plan – but we’re not quite ready to implement said “grand plan” – so it stays for now.

So, how much did the nursery cost, anyway? Good question. Here’s the break down:

  1. $26DIY Valance box
  2. $39.99Chandelier
  3. $45 – Custom-cut blackout shade
  4. $59.98Curtains
  5. $22 “You are my Sunshine” DIY art
  6. $39.96DIY Silver Polka-Dots
  7. $75 – Leather elephant from local consignment store (half-off because we had credit)
  8. GIFTCrib and Mattress
  9. $9 – DIY Crib skirt (for yard of fabric)
  10. $35 – faux sheepskin rug from Tuesday Morning
  11. $19.98Ikea frames for baby portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Dreamer
  12. $45 – Baby Kenton portrait on canvas (via Groupon deal)
  13. $9 – fabric for detail on frames (used extra for other projects)
  14. $5.99Letter K – painted yellow with leftover spray paint from “Sunshine” art
  15. $5 – shelf from Crate & Barrel, bought at auction
  16. GIFT – customized Ping putter
  17. GIFToriginal artwork by Grandma
  18. $63.98DIY Dresser
  19. NADA – Changing pad/cover were gifts, customized box was DIY with leftover material
  20. $2.99 – Diaper/Lotion/Desitin/etc box, painted yellow with leftover spray paint
  21. $39 – SPLURGE! Pottery Barn Bulldog Bank (no longer available)
  22. $19.99Ikea wall basket DIY’d into diaper storage
  23. GIFTBest diaper pail EVER
  24. $21.99Book shelf/storage from Tarjhey
  25. $12Wood basket – spray painted
  26. GIFTpillows by Grandma
  27. GIFTS! GIFTS! GIFTS! – people love to buy baby clothes, FYI. Kenton is a well-dressed bambino.
  28. GIFTS! GIFTS! GIFTS! – people also love to buy baby accessories – and we re-purposed that basket from another gift
  29. $20 – for two storage baskets at HomeGoods. Everything inside them is, you guessed it, gifts!
  30. $9.98 – Two pairs of Ikea curtains instead of closet doors (I should have taken better pictures of the closet!)
  31. NADADIY light
  32. $13 – pillow from Crate & Barrel, discounted using leftover wedding funds (no longer available)
  33. $20 – table from Crate & Barrel, also discounted using same leftover wedding funds (also, sadly, no longer available)
  34. $300Pottery Barn chair & ottoman scored from Craig’s List
TOTAL = $959.83
Woo-Hoo!!! Under $1K! This is, however, a low estimate. We spent money on things I’m sure we’re forgetting and we will probably need to add things as the little man grows. So, what do you think? Does it look like we spent less than $1,000 on this space? Did you think it was less? More? Do tell!

About Michelle Fortin

Michelle Fortin is a follower of Jesus, a wife and a mom. She's also an award winning broadcast journalist and public relations professional. Michelle spent nearly a decade working in television newsrooms across the country, both behind and in front of the camera. Training future broadcast journalists in her faculty associate roles at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and at Arizona Christian University was a cherished focus of her post-TV career. Today, she maintains a roster of public relations clients focused on empowering fellow “momprenuers.” She also serves as a speaker for various women's and mom's events. Michelle received her bachelor’s degree from Biola University and Master of Mass Communication (MMC) from Arizona State University. She and her husband, two young kids and English bulldog call Scottsdale, Arizona, home.

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