Adapting a Small Home for a Growing Child

Arts and crafts, coloring, carving pumpkins, playing with trucks, and dining with friends— these are just a sliver of the many activities our son enjoyed while at his compact, collapsable table. He used it daily, indoors and out, and it suited him from the time he began to walk until 2 years later. Now he’s a (tall) 3 year-old, and has officially outgrown the much-loved table. (Luckily we were able to fold it up and stash it in the back of the closet to keep for beach trips, canoe rides, etc., putting it to continued use.)

I quashed the we-need-a-replacement-right-now! impulse, and instead took some time to find a suitable replacement. I knew I wanted West’s next desk to be pre-used, space-savvy, and able to accommodate his current size plus a reasonable amount of growth. 

After browsing our local vintage shops and checking Etsy repeatedly over the course of a month or so, I finally found a unique piece that was perfect for our space and West’s needs.

It’s a vintage folding chair + desk combo with a tabletop surface and a flip-up chalkboard. 

The only thing lacking is a bit of storage, but we cobbled that together on our own with a couple of cupholders whose glass inserts broke long ago.

After eyeing the desk suspiciously upon introduction, West finally hopped up onto the chair when he was ready, and he has since been routinely using the desk for long stretches of time. (Success!)

All this to say that a second-hand purchase (which can enrich the style of your home while reducing your household’s environmental impact) can be well worth the wait— we just have to let go of our modern urge for instant gratification.