When my son began climbing out of his crib, I took off the front side rail and made it like a daybed. This saved us from buying another bed for a few years.
By susan from Elkhart, IN
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I use an old crib's rail to separate and hang pants on. It fits easily inside my closet, providing easy access and time saved.
I saw a photo of a crib recycled into a nice desk. The front rail was gone and the bottom board was painted with chalkboard paint. It was really cute!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have the crib my father used when he was a baby and do not wish to give it away (it is probably no longer considered safe for a baby today anyway). It is about 3.5 feet high, is on wheels, is 3.5 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. The sides are not moveable.
This suggestion depends on whether or not you are willing to modify the crib. If you do a lot of crafts and/or gift wrapping, you could add a hinged "lid" to the top to use as a work-table while storing your craft/gift-wrap supplies inside. Since it's on wheels and is relatively small, you could roll your "workstation" from room to room. A barstool would probably be about the right height to work comfortably.
I recently saw a crib 'converted' to a daybed. One of the sides was removed, legs were shortened and the mattress was covered. Pillows were added and it became a daybed.
You could always use the sides and springs as a garden trellis.
You could stand the sides on end and put boards across into the slots and make shelving.
Use one side panel leaned against the wall and store folded quilts or magazines in each slot.
If the head and end are solid wood panels, you could create a wall hanging by decoupaging old photos of your father onto the panel and give it as a gift.
You could use it as a decorative magazine rack or hold newspapers until ready to recycle.
If you knit, you could store yarn and projects in the crib.
Hope these ideas help.
I have seen a home near me take a neat bed frame with the headboard and footboard and put it outside and fill it in with beautiful flowers-- a true "Flower Bed". Very eyecatching!
I was thinking of a display for dolls, especially old ones, or special toys. You might think of a way to make it into a stand for potted plants, without having to put it outside.
I received a four post custom crib for a steal when I was going to have my baby. Now as she approaches turning two I was wondering if anyone knew if it was possible to convert ANY crib into a full size bed? I know I would need to find a really good carpenter/woods man however, I just wondered if it could be done when the crib was not originally made to be converted. Thanks
Truthfully, I feel that if it is a crib size mattress--you really shouldn't go to all that trouble to make a bed out of it unless you are going to have a headboard made and possibly use the posts/rails for legs of the bed so you can put a full size twin mattress on it.
We took our son's crib apart and put the mattress on the floor next to a twin mattress on the floor.
It was done for safety reasons and we didn't want to spend the money on safety rails. Besides the fact, that they will soon outgrow the mattress.
Thanks for the feedback. I guess I should have mentioned that yes, I do plan on buy a full size mattress for this bed. I would like to have the post made into a head board and foot board but I just didn't know if it would be possible. Thanks.
Sorry, I just reread your e-mail and you did say full size. After watching countless home improvement shows--anything can be made out anything. It just takes someone who know carpentry.
