Clara has officially completed the crib-to-bed transition. We never expected her to stay in her crib for so long — we had a big-girl bed ready for over a year, since many of her friends had already switched. But she adored her crib, and we adored that she slept through the night. Even after being potty trained she held it until morning, so when our pediatrician advised “let sleeping kids lie — she’ll tell you when she’s ready,” we trusted him and waited.
The first sign of interest was when she began taking “play naps” in the big-girl bed. Those became real naps, and then she wanted to try sleeping there at night. The transition unfolded gradually and naturally, and now she’s been sleeping on her twin mattress for about a month — long enough for us to confidently say she’s fully switched.
Our biggest worry was that she might use the newfound freedom to play at night or start waking us up too early in the morning. To our relief, that hasn’t happened. Aside from a couple of late-night trips back to add another stuffed animal, she’s been sleeping through both nights and naps just like she did in her crib. We’re thrilled and relieved.
Half of me can’t believe she loved her crib for so long; the other half can’t believe she’s already sleeping on a full-size twin mattress. Time flies — one day they’re babies in your arms and the next they’re insisting on carrying birdcages around the room. (No, I’m not crying — there’s just dust in my eye.)
One of the most satisfying parts of the move was finally removing the crib from her room. We waited about a month to make sure she wasn’t attached to it the moment we took it away. When we did move it out, we explained how it would make room for new, fun things, which made the change feel positive rather than like a loss.
Here’s the “in-between” blank wall…
…and what it looks like now.
We promised Clara we’d “make room for fun,” and the dresser went in the new spot. The wall where the dresser used to sit is becoming a full-on play area. Between the striped toy baskets, the moose lamp, the play table and chairs, the daybed, and the art we plan to hang, her room is turning into a blend of nursery and playroom pieces.
The space still feels a bit sparse, so we’ll layer more art and maybe add something playful inside the birdcages — lately Clara is obsessed with ribbons, so that’s an idea. The room is evolving slowly, which is exactly how these things should be.
To hang the birdcages we used white plant hooks screwed into ceiling anchors for a secure hold. John held the cages up while I stepped back and directed placement until the spacing looked right. Then we adjusted the ribbon lengths until the hanging heights matched the room’s scale.
While we were installing the hooks, Clara happily played with the birdcages. She even picked them both up at one point and announced, breathless, “I love carrying birdcages around.” We were laughing too hard to photograph the exact moment, but I did get a shot just before it.
One small detail that’s been nagging at me was a bowl on the dresser that I’d spray-painted red for a project. The top looked glossy and finished, but the underside was splotchy and half-sprayed — visible because the bowl has curved sides. It was a tiny imperfection, but it bothered me whenever I looked at it, so I finally fixed it.
I prepped the bottom with liquid deglosser, then painted it with a small brush and a test pot of paint we already had (Behr’s Embellished Blue). Two thin coats and a little drying time later, the bowl looked tidy and intentional. The whole touch-up only took about twenty minutes.
From the doorway you can see that side of the room now. The hooks on the dresser used to hold wet bags for cloth diapers, but I repurposed them with ribbons to store Clara’s hair clips. She loves snapping them on and off — it’s become a small, independent activity she enjoys.
It’s funny how familiar corners of a room can feel different overnight — one day the crib was there, and now it’s gone. The most exciting wall is still a work in progress; I have a few more pieces to paint, hang, and drill, and we hope to finish and photograph it soon.
I’d love to hear about your crib-to-bed experiences. Did your child switch early because they were climbing out, or did they stay in a crib for a long time like Clara? Did you move to a toddler bed first, or go straight to a twin mattress? Every child progresses at their own pace — some are early talkers, some slow to walk, some attached to their crib — and that’s what makes each transition unique.
Psst — we’re also chatting about baby names and what we would have named a girl over on Young House Life.