|
As of today, the bambino is about 8 weeks away, and the child-to-be’s room is mostly complete, with only a few finishing touches left to do.
 Side view diagram of changing table. Click to enlarge.
That, and the goofy floor plan of our apartment meant giving up either the pantry or the office/den/guestroom, and that just seemed silly.
But with only 30 square feet, space is at a premium, even for a wee person. With the crib and dresser in place, we’re left with only about 3’ by 3’ to stand in. Therefore we’ve been working to utilize every inch as best as possible.
If you’ve ever toured a submarine, it’s a lot like that.
 Here's the table in the upright position. Handsome, no? I’m all for stimulating the economy, but no one needs a wipes-warmer.
As we held our noses and began registering for baby items, we kept seeing changing stations being sold for big money. If you haven’t seen one, a changing station is basically a wood tray that rests on top of a crib to places your kid in a better position to change its diaper.
However, because changing stations don’t actually change the baby for you, there is no friggin’ way to justify the price tag on some of these things. So we decided that I should build one. And, since space is at such a premium, I designed it to pivot up and down like a Murphy Bed or airline tray table. You’ve likely seen similar designs in many public restrooms.
Using ¾” plywood, I constructed a platform to hold the changing pad, and provide a firm anchor point to the wall. When in it’s upright and locked position, a hook and eye keeps it up and out of the way.
 Frank demonstrates weight bearing capabilities of the changing table.
When the table is in the ‘down’ position, most of the weight is supported by the crib rails. With the help of Frank, my tubby tabby, I’ve determined that the table will support at least 14 pounds. |
