Step 1: Preparing for Baby

As promised: pictures of the first room that is done with the re-organizing we need to do to prepare for baby!


We live in a townhouse. The downstairs includes: entry, kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry machine and dryer, hall, and half-bath. The living room is quite large, so when we first moved in we divided it into the TV side and the "reading" side. I love to read so Matt thought having my own little area would be nice while he played videogames.


Originally this is how we set up the reading side. Later we moved the sofa to right under the canvas and the chair against the far right wall. A DVD rack was moved to the far left wall.



Well, we had to get rid of our 3 seater couch (fit more like 5 people comfortably) since Emily continued to urinate on it. It was really old and worn anyways, so we wouldn't have kept it much longer anyways. That couch was in front of the TV. We moved the sofa in front of the TV for now- less space and neither Matt and I can lay down comfortably on it. I can fit if I curl up, but we will certainly be buying a larger couch (hopefully a sectional) soon (well, maybe not until we move...).


So... step 1 of the re-organization. Buy another large bookshelf, bring my desk and bookshelf downstairs, move all to the old reading nook. Put it all together and voila! My new office, complete with kitten (on top of the right bookshelf)! I'm not sure where the lamps will end up yet, but we're working on it.
I left the bottom shelves empty. I plan to buy some large, decorative boxes to house Jackson's toys and other baby things. That way when he starts crawling around he can't get into too much mischief... at least until he can stand and get into the higher shelves! I would like to put some pretty things above the shelves... but the cats like to perch up there. We'll probably end up buying some kitty beds and putting them up there.


I still have a small, 3-shelf bookcase upstairs in what will be the guest room/Matt's office. That is full of books. I have three large piles (about the height of my knees) of books to sell on amazon/donate to goodwill. Yes, I am doing better. Sure, most of those are old textbooks... but not all of them. I had planned on keeping a lot of the textbooks because I find them interesting, but if Matt is selected for the Army then we'll be moving around a lot for the next while. I don't like the idea of moving around textbooks! Smaller, paperback books aren't quite so tedious and heavy.


Reorganizing the house is making me happy! Of course, I am over the moon about the upcoming arrival of baby... but this gives me a good excuse to have Matt help me move around furniture etc. Next to be finished will be the guest room/Matt's office. I want to buy a new comforter and curtains for that room (from Ross, so hopefully not too expensive)... but we'll see. All our money seems to be going towards baby now! I have some updates to do in our bedroom. Then the baby room will be finished closer to the due date. Pictures as each room is finished!