This post was sponsored by P&G as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.
Being a three year old (or two three year olds as is the case in my family) brings a lot of change in a short period of time. Over the past few months we've potty trained, registered for preschool, and the most recent milestone - upgraded from a nursery to a "big kid room." And by making sure that all the little details were covered, we made the transition not only easy but really fun.
My twins transitioned from cribs to toddler beds about a year ago, thanks to their overzealous climbing skills. But their room had remained pretty much the same since they were babies - all the same furniture and decor that I had painstakingly picked out before they were born. But after a few recent growth spurts they were quickly outgrowing their toddler beds, and they were more than ready to ditch the baby stuff and transform their room into a big kid space.
To celebrate their growing independence, and make sure their room would be a place they would love to call their own, I involved them at every step of the way. Here's how we made the change and turned their nursery into a fun big kid space.
Getting Ready
The first step for our big kid bedroom transition was getting the boys excited for the change. We talked about what kind of bedroom they would like to have (they still share, so there was a bit of negotiating, but they each have their own half to decorate as they'd like). We made shopping for new beds a big family outing, and let them pick out their own bedding and a few items to decorate their room. Making them a part of the process and allowing them to exercise their own opinions on the room really made a difference to make them ready for the switch!
Cleaning Up
Since we were taking down the cribs/toddler beds that had been in place for almost four years, I wanted to take the opportunity to deep clean their bedroom before we put the new beds in. We took a trip to Costco to grab our cleaning essentials. The boys were so excited for this first step towards setting up their new room, and I was so happy to get all my household needs in one spot. The little details in these Proctor & Gamble products make a big difference for me.
Once the cribs were out of the room, I grabbed my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and got to work. The baseboards needed a lot of attention, but thanks to my Magic Eraser I could quickly wipe out the dirt and grime without a lot of effort. They really are magic and my baseboards are sparkling now!
I also decided to grab a set of Swiffer Duster refills to keep every nook and cranny dust and allergen free. Removing the old furniture and assembling the new beds stirred up all kinds of dust (and with three pets, we do have a bit of dust and dander flying around). I love using Swiffer Dusters because I can get all the dirt and dander quickly and easily, then just toss the duster in the trash. So easy!
Once our deep clean was done, it was time to start moving in the big kid beds and get our new bedroom organized and decorated.
Bye Bye Baby
Transitioning from a nursery to a big kid bedroom is more than just switching beds. You need to also make sure to say good bye to the baby things to make room for all the big kid necessities. I took a quick inventory of everything in the room and moved out the things that we no longer need (bye bye diaper pail!)
When you're moving to a big kid room, it's important to decide what kinds of things you'll allow in the bedroom. My boys are prone to getting over excited at bedtime, so we're making their room a quiet zone - besides clothes and beds (of course) they will only have books and stuffed animals. Toys will stay in the playroom.
This has been our rule for a while, but as we were setting up the big kid room it was a great opportunity to sort through our bookcase and stuffed animals and purge anything that they no longer used or was now too young for them. We have a few new babies in our lives, and this was a great chance for the boys to help me choose things to give away.
And as a bonus, by clearing out some of our older books and rotating in a few from our downstairs library, the boys are more excited than ever about reading!
Time to Decorate
The last, and most fun step was making our new big kid beds and adding some decorative touches. The boys were so excited to sleep on the new sheets they had picked out, and I made sure that they were clean and extra soft for them by washing everything ahead of time and using my favorite Downy April Fresh fabric softener.
In addition to making them fresh and soft, Downy April Fresh will also protect their new sheets so they stay their best longer.
Check out all the P&G Household Needs products at Costco and see how the little details make a big difference. Which is your favorite? Leave a comment below and let me know.