I ain’t no snob when it comes to material things… I can carry a Givenchy bag on one arm and be perfectly happy with my Charles & Keith bag on the other! Though that would look ridiculous, wouldn’t it?! But you get my drift…
I probably realized this more after being a mom; that I feel the same way when it came to receiving hand me down baby furniture and stuff. In fact, I think it’s a great blessing and we’ve saved a lot of money when re-using the pre-loved items from friends and family members. Many of which are big ticket items that would have cost a bomb!
Most stuff were in really good condition and just needed some ‘love’….
Here are 5 things I did to spruce up my pre-loved baby furniture:
1) Clean it up good – Access what the spots/stains/marks are caused by and find the right cleaning agent to counter it from your local DIY hardware store. I realized many stains are surface spots and can be cleaned with simply JIF and a good cleaning sponge, not to mention a lot of scrubbing & patience. Most marks come right off.
After using these harsh detergents, do wipe them down (multiple times if need) using baby safe cleaning agents.
2) Cover up scratches – Use same colored paint or paint markers to go cover them up. If the colour difference is great or the scratch is deep, you’ll probably need multiple coats. Do allow each layer to dry before touching up with additional coats.
Sure, the colour might be slightly off or show up with a different finishing (sheen, matte, etc), but at least it helps make it much less obvious. For example say a black scratch on a white cupboard, as compared to an off-white scratch on a white cupboard.
3) Or cover up with a cute decal or decorative tape which can be easily purchased at most stationary or craft stores. You’ll be surprised at how fast and easy it is to instantly prettify your furniture! See pics below…
4) Cover up by also giving thought to its positioning. For example, place the better conditioned cupboard on top or where its more obvious to the eye. Or place the more worn out part of the furniture against a wall.
5) Add finishing touches like quirky light bulbs, cute soft toys, letter blocks or whimsical pieces that reflects your desired nursery style!
I really enjoyed this process and had a lot of fun putting his nursery together!
