10 Nursery Staples That Grow With Your Baby

Wouldn’t it be cool if your baby never outgrew the stuff you painstakingly picked out for them? Well, when it comes to their nursery, there’s actually a way to do that. These convertible furniture pieces adapt to your little one’s growth spurts, going from baby-sized to big-kid sized and saving you money, storage space and emergency overnight shipping in the meantime. Here are 10 nursery furniture staples that do double, triple and even quadruple duty.

Convertible Cribs

If you opt for a convertible crib, all you’ll need to go from crib to toddler bed (and possibly even a big kid bed) is a conversion kit and some elbow grease. But there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a crib like this:

• How convertible is it? Some cribs go from crib to toddler bed. Others can convert all the way up to an adult-sized full bed. So check the specs on your crib before you buy, to see just how much mileage you can get out of it. In general, the higher the number (aka 4-in-1 vs. 2-in-1) the longer it’ll last you.
• Is the conversion kit included? Some cribs come with a conversion kit in the box, and others you’ll need to purchase separately. If yours is the latter, it’s always a good idea to register for or purchase the conversion kits at the same time you buy your crib. Inventory is always changing, and those accessories might not be available when your baby is ready to upgrade in a few years.

Here’s what it looks like with one crib, four different ways:

And a few of our favorite picks:

Nursery Chairs with a Twist

A comfy nursery chair can be a godsend in those early days of parenthood when your baby’s feeding and soothing schedule is basically every hour on the hour. But when things slow down a bit, there are two ways to give your nursery seating a second life:

• Convertible rocking chair. These smartly designed rocking chairs feature removable legs, so you can turn your rocking chair into a regular chair and continue using it in your baby’s room or give it a renewed purpose in a playroom or family area.
• Glider and recliner in one. If a glider is more your style, consider one that does double duty as a recliner. You won’t necessarily need a glider forever, but a stylish recliner? If grandparents are any indication, you can use those for decades.

Here are just a few of the chairs that let you do that:

Changing Tables that Change It Up

Diapers are typically only part of the equation for a few years. But you’ll pretty much always need a space to store your baby’s clothes. That’s why these smart changing tables include a removable topper—once your diaper days are behind you, remove the topper and voila! Dresser.

You can often find changing table/dresser combos that are a direct match for your crib, like this versatile changing table that coordinates seamlessly with this classic crib, or this mid century changing table that pairs perfectly with the (no surprises here) mid century modern crib. But if you’re looking for a statement piece that also goes with everything, we’ve got two for you.

Time has a way of speeding up once babies arrive. Or at least, that’s how it can feel when you watch your newly mobile toddler try to climb out of their crib for the first time. Next thing you know, you’re Googling motion sensors and window locks. But with grow-with-me nursery gear, at least your furniture will be at the ready when it comes time to level-up your baby’s living space. In the meantime, click here for tips on how to create a nursery you’ll truly love.

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