Simple and inexpensive modifications to make a “loft” toddler bed from an old crib.
It was time. We finally moved Levi into a toddler bed.
I’ve been procrastinating the move because—let’s be honest—I liked having him confined at nap times.
But since he’s now been potty trained for several months, it just made sense that he shouldn’t have to call for one of us to come and get him out so he could use the potty.
Our boys share a room — a very strange-shaped room. There are two doors (on different walls) and the longest wall has near floor to ceiling windows the full length of the room. (It’s not nearly as glamorous as it sounds — it’s actually very limiting in the small space.)
On top of that, there’s no built in closet, which necessitates a freestanding wardrobe and dresser to hold clothes for both of them.
All of that makes for a very complicated room to fit a lot of things into—two cribs/beds, a dresser, wardrobe, changing table, book shelves, toy bins, and a reading chair—and a very irregular room size and shape to do so.
We needed to come up with an affordable solution that didn’t fill up the room any more than it already was.
I scored this plain, second-hand crib just before Judah was born and we bought a new mattress to go along with it:
And after a few simple modifications and a fresh coat of paint… we now have a toddler “loft” bed:
Originally we were going to cut it all down and make a toddler bed low to the floor, but decided to go this route instead so that we could add to our storage space.
We now have room underneath for a few toy bins and the boys “bikes”.
Levi can’t get enough of it. I keep finding him in bed “pwetending to seep” at odd times during the day. Here he is the first night we set it up (before we rearranged the furniture to where it all is now). He’s pretty impressed with daddy’s handiwork:
Dear friends, when did you transition your toddler into a big boy/girl bed? Would you ever consider a loft toddler bed… or do you think we’re a little crazy?
53 Comments
Susi
23 October 2012 at 12:51 amHi there. Just found you through a friend on Facebook and wanted to let you know I love this idea. Wish I had come up with something like this when my girls were sharing a room!!! 🙂
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Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:11 pmOh, thanks Susi! Yeah, it’s worked out so well for us. Really glad we went this route instead of buying one! Thanks for taking the time to comment. x
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louise
19 October 2014 at 7:24 amhow did you do this! its brilliant
Adriel
11 November 2014 at 12:59 pmHere’s the tutorial Louise: http://adrielbooker.com/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/
🙂
bernardeena
23 October 2012 at 1:48 amThat is an absolutely fabulous idea!! I love it.
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Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:11 pmthanks! we’re loving how it turned out!
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Ana
23 October 2012 at 3:15 amLove this!! We moved Isaac into his toddler bed around 18-22 months. It was a long transition that started with naps, and we eventually moved up. Ty build the boys bunk beds when Phinneas was around 18 months, and we started transitioning him as well (it worked out great because lil bro wants to do everything like big bro–score!) All that being said, I LOVE this bed!! Great work and Levi looks simply adorable pretending to sleep 🙂
Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:13 pmyeah, i was holding off as long as possible… and levi still hadn’t started climbing out really. in some ways i was hesitant, but the potty factor was the deciding factor for us. wow, phinneas started young! i have a feeling judah might be like that too. he can already climb up and down from levi’s bed! he just turned one and we’ve had this thing for five days now! so…… there’s that! (arg!)
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Leah
23 October 2012 at 6:08 amWould you possibly do a tutorial for this?
Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:15 pmhi leah, yes, i can put up some steps. i didn’t take photos of the process… but i can for sure add in what we did. i’ll try to do that next week sometime, ok? please check back then. 🙂
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Adriel Booker
12 November 2012 at 11:09 amHi Leah. I posted the tutorial here: http://adrielbooker.com/2012/11/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/ 🙂
Adriel Booker recently posted..DIY on a dime: How to make a toddler loft bed out of an old crib in 10 simple steps
aMUSEdone
29 April 2014 at 1:59 amthanks for the tutorial and tips! i suggested doing this, and was getting great opposition! this is definitely encouragement for me to go for it!!
Alicia
23 October 2012 at 6:55 amI love this idea! So creative, and I would totally do a loft toddler bed. Simon moved into his toddler bed at about 17-18 months. I was not ready for that change and so I wanted to “transition” him slowly starting with naps then eventually night time also. We had the toddler bed set up in his room for a couple days so he could “get used to it”. One day he climbed in it at nap time. That was it, he wanted nothing to do with that crib anymore. (He’s only fallen out once!) Funny how some of these transitions seem to be so much harder on me than they are on him!
Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:16 pmoh man, isn’t that the truth?! i think levi would have loved to do it long ago… but i wanted him contained! is that bad?!! 😉
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Bek {Just For Daisy}
23 October 2012 at 8:29 amI love this idea… Miss Daisy (2y) was 18m old when we moved her into a toddler bed. She tranisitioned really well. Not particularly agile so a loft bed may not have worked then but would be perfect now! 🙂 Love this idea! 🙂 Great job mum & dad!
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Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:18 pmthanks bek! levi wasn’t much of a climber at 18 months either, so it probably wouldn’t have worked for him then either! judah – who turned one three weeks ago – is already climbing in and out of it though!!! (Didn’t see that coming!) He is waaaaaay more into climbing than levi ever was. it terrifies me! crazy how different the kids can be, ey?!
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Christina
24 October 2012 at 12:37 amMaybe something like that would be the catalyst to getting our 19 month old daughter out of our bed every night. Very cute idea!
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Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:18 pmhmmmm…. maybe! but in bed with mom and dad is a pretty fabulous option! 😉
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Amanda
25 October 2012 at 8:41 amMy girl is 3 and she’s still in her crib. She just climbed out for the first time a few days ago. ::sigh:: I guess it’s time to transition her.
Love that little loft bed, though!
Adriel Booker
25 October 2012 at 7:20 pmthanks amanda! yeah, levi wasn’t really climbing out yet either so i was really tempted to keep him in there. (totally love having him contained!) the potty was the deal-breaker for us though, and now that we’ve done it i’m so glad. he transitioned easily and stays in bed… and now doesn’t have to yell at us to get him up so he can go to the bathroom! it’s a win-win i guess! 🙂 good luck with your transition!! x
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Janice
29 October 2012 at 9:11 amI will definitely be checking back for the tutorial. Our 2 year old has learned how to climb out and I would love to make this out of her existing crib!!!! What a fabulous idea!!!!
Adriel Booker
4 November 2012 at 2:59 pmThanks Janice. I’m working on the post now. Will let you know when it’s up later this week! 🙂
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Adriel Booker
12 November 2012 at 11:10 amHey mate. Here’s the tutorial: http://adrielbooker.com/2012/11/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/ 🙂
Adriel Booker recently posted..DIY on a dime: How to make a toddler loft bed out of an old crib in 10 simple steps
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29 October 2012 at 10:20 pm[…] Since the boys room is fairly small and already pretty maxed out, I persuaded him to go with the DIY toddler “loft” bed option instead. (Levi looooooves it, by the way. Incidentally, so does […]
Lindsey Whitney
2 November 2012 at 9:08 amVery fun. Both our kids went into toddler beds at 13 months… frankly b/c I think they are cuter. I like the kids to be able to get up when they wake up instead of crying for someone to come get them. I love the little loft though. Our crib is collecting dust downstairs… I wonder if we could still do something with it!
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Adriel Booker
4 November 2012 at 3:00 pmOur boys love it, that’s for sure! Judah loves it too. He’s already climbing up and down it by himself!!
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jesse leal
3 November 2012 at 7:12 amI love this idea i have and old crib and would love to do this could you post the steps and what you need to complete it please =)
Adriel Booker
4 November 2012 at 3:00 pmthanks jesse. sure will. i’m working on the post now so i’ll let you know a bit later this week when it’s up!
thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Adriel Booker
12 November 2012 at 11:11 amHi Jesse, here’s the tutorial: http://adrielbooker.com/2012/11/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/ 🙂
Adriel Booker recently posted..DIY on a dime: How to make a toddler loft bed out of an old crib in 10 simple steps
jesse leal
12 November 2012 at 12:32 pmThank you 🙂
Janice
4 November 2012 at 5:08 pmSuch a great idea Ariel. We are looking at moving Kira out of the crib really soon, so this is a great idea! Not sure about our time and ability to make it happen, but maybe!
Adriel Booker
12 November 2012 at 11:12 amHope you guys find a solution that works well for you! If you want to see how we did it, here’s the tutorial: http://adrielbooker.com/2012/11/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/ 🙂
Adriel Booker recently posted..DIY on a dime: How to make a toddler loft bed out of an old crib in 10 simple steps
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10 November 2012 at 10:02 am[…] I’ve had lots of questions about how to make this toddler loft bed: […]
Maggie
29 December 2012 at 6:35 pmlove this idea! quick questiond where u find/get the stair case?
Adriel Booker
3 January 2013 at 2:03 pmHi Maggie. Here’s the full tutorial: http://adrielbooker.com/2012/11/how-to-make-a-toddler-loft-bed-out-of-an-old-crib/
Hope that helps!! Happy New Year. 🙂
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Whitney
2 February 2013 at 2:58 pmI LOVE this idea! We have a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and are expecting our 3rd. I may have to modify this and make a toddler friendly bunk bed by putting my 2 year old’s mattress on the floor underneath. Wonderful way to use space!
Adriel Booker
2 February 2013 at 9:49 pmLove that Whitney! I thought about putting a mattress under there too… but I’m not quite ready to give our 16mo that freedom just yet! He’s a–how shall I say?–ACTIVE one. 😉
Would love to see your photos if you end up doing it! Thanks for taking the time to say hello.
Whitney
2 February 2013 at 3:02 pmP.S.- My son (now 3) went to a toddler bed when he was about 22 months. His sister is 11 1/2 months younger and wants to do everything her brother does, so she got one soon after him at the age of about 13 months. 🙂 We decided we’d rather move them out of their cribs before they climbed out and hurt themselves. Never have had a problem!
Renee
1 March 2013 at 6:38 amOMG i have been looking for something to do with the crib when our DD moves out of it, but we are not ready to buy another bed yet. This is PERFECT!! I’m doing it this weekend! Thanks!!
Stephanie
31 March 2013 at 7:16 amI love the storage under the crib and I’m been thinking about transitioning my little man from crib he is already older than my other 2 were. but he too shares a room with his older brother and it is a small bedroom so I need all the space I can get That is one reason we haven’t done it I store extra blankets and sheets in canvas totes under it. plus it would mean my little man is growing up.
Francis
28 July 2013 at 9:22 pmLove this idea. Need to put my two boys in a room and was wondering how to go about it. Great idea.
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15 January 2014 at 4:25 am[…] it hasn’t even been a full day yet. So thank you to Adriel Booker for the brilliant idea! http://adrielbooker.com/diy-crib-into-loft-toddler-bed/ And thank you to my Dad for taking the time to make it; it’s […]
Katie Korpan
15 January 2014 at 4:30 amJust wanted to say thank you for the idea! I just posted a picture on my blog and the link to your DIY of what my daughters crib now looks like! http://lainybugcreations.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/i-dont-know-whos-more-excited/
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Adriel
5 May 2014 at 11:03 amLooks fantastic Katie!! And props to your dad for making it happen! 🙂
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ashley
18 January 2014 at 4:36 amhey my toddler and share a room so we are pretty limited on space with me being a single mom and all i wish i had a bed like this for my son he would love this
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Amber Amber
5 February 2015 at 3:24 pmI Love this idea. We are full time RVers w/ a 17mo. & 9wk old. We opted for just the one BR vs the bunkhouse (which would give them their own room but take up a ton of the living space & rarely get used). We’ve been trying to figure out something to put in place of one of the couches. ive been looking at toddler bed ideas but storage is Gold in a RV… This is Perfect! Plus our large dogs will be less likely to think we bought them a fancy dog bed….
Adriel Booker
25 February 2015 at 7:08 pmI hope it works out for you Amber!
My family and I just moved into a caravan (perhaps a bit smaller than an RV) about three months ago and we’re loving it. My boys are now 3.5 and 5. It certainly has its challenges, but we’re learning so much and it’s helping to reveal our family’s values better than ever before (as well as our weaknesses and vulnerabilities that need addressing!). But anyway, I certainly know first hand how every bit of storage counts!! Hope you find the best option for you. I’d love to see photos when you decide! 🙂
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Lauren
14 October 2015 at 4:43 amSuper cute room! Don’t forget about childproofing doors with finger protectors for young children!