Bunk Beds!

For the past month or so we've been getting ready to move the kids into the same room -- a big kid room!  This room will have bunk beds in the closet and then nothing but toys in the room.  All the kids' clothes I plan to keep in the next room over, mainly so that I can stay on top of the clothes organization a little better and utilize nap and bedtimes to work on them. Staying on top of the clothes situation has proven to be much more overwhelming than I ever anticipated.



But that is the subject of another post.



We didn't so much "draw up plans" for these bunk beds -- they are pretty simple.
 

A few measurements and trips to the hardware store, and we were well on our way.

 

Actually, Daniel did most of the building, 30 minutes at a time between dinner and the kids' bedtime, while I kept the kids entertained... or at least safe.  



Initially we planned to just install 2x4's along the three walls and set the plywood beds on top, like deep shelves.  But we realized the beds needed a little extra support (and also a place to attach the ladder), so we added an extra 2x4 along the front of each bed frame.  Daniel built and attached the ladder, he painted the whole thing, and then we acquired "mattresses" (memory foam, cut to size from a full size memory topper).  I covered the foam with vinyl fabric to make it water-proof and then ordered matching bumpers to soften the hard walls surrounding each bed.  The rails are thick dowel rods installed into curtain rod supports so that they are removable when it comes time to change the sheets.



And those are the bunk beds!  The rest of the room still needs some attention, but this part of the "big kids" room is pretty much finished!  I put "big kids" in quotes for obvious reasons.  They are still so so little!!  But they are so excited about their "big kid" beds :).  They can't wait to start sleeping in them.  We are just gearing up now for the transition, which we anticipate to be long and difficult.  Will update when there's progress on that front.