When Sherry’s mom visited a couple of weekends ago for Clara’s birthday party, she spent hours helping us get the house ready. Her most impressive accomplishment was tackling the future playroom/second kids’ bedroom (currently our junk room). It looked like this when she arrived (no joke):
We had planned to simply close and lock the door for the party because the pile of stuff basically begged to topple over on any curious toddler. That plan fell apart when we discovered the door wouldn’t close—mainly thanks to a large box of replacement parts for our recalled outdoor grill that arrived the day before the party.
Before you labeled us candidates for Hoarders, my mother-in-law took charge and organized the room. The change was immediate and amazing.
Now the door actually closes, which was essential with kids roaming everywhere during the celebration. Surprisingly, Diana didn’t toss much—just a few boxes we’d been holding onto for sentimental or “maybe someday” reasons (like the sewing machine box we kept in case Sherry and Oh Brother needed extra protection early on). Mostly she sorted and put things in logical groups: pillows with pillows, baskets nested or stacked, and so on.
With everything more orderly, the room now functions a bit like our personal decor store—a place to pull frames, accessories, and pillows when we refresh other rooms. We console ourselves that having a temporary holding room for undecided items is practical rather than lazy after five months in the house.
One sweet find in the room is a vintage kids’ chair that Sherry’s mom gifted for Clara. It’s the same little chair Sherry and her six siblings used at the family table when they were kids. It’s charming, if not exactly up to modern safety standards. Still, it’s a meaningful piece and we plan to use it as Clara’s “big girl” chair once she’s out of her highchair. Sherry has already been researching how to restore it safely—checking for potential lead paint or other old-material concerns—because she wants it both beautiful and secure.
Although the room isn’t ready to be a full playroom yet, it’s a huge improvement to have the floor visible and the space walkable. There’s no hurry anyway—right now the living room, office, sunroom, nursery, and kitchen all double as play areas. Still, Clara and I took a moment to enjoy being able to actually lay down on the floor together. Being able to stretch out all six feet of me in there felt like a small miracle.
Thanks, Nonna! We’ll do our best not to mess it up again.