Being vertically challenged myself, I’ve always been a fan of step stools and have them scattered around my house for reaching cabinets, obviously designed for giants. Once I had a child walking (and bumping into things) the need became urgent to expand my selection.

Key places for a step stool are in each bathroom in the house and in the kitchen. Getting into the habit of hand washing is much easier, especially as the child becomes less dependent if he or she can actually reach the sink! Good dental hygiene habits also get much easier to enforce if both the toothbrush/toothpaste and the water supply are within reach.

My first consideration is safety. Is the stool solid? Can it tip over…intentionally or not? And second, do I mind having it in my powder room/kitchen where adult guests are sure to venture?

This sturdy step stool in a natural pine color fits the bill for me. I like the two step model as it works for little and littler kids and provides a way for even the tiniest toddler to reach the sink, without standing on tippy toe. The storage compartment is great for extra diapers and wipes in a downstairs bathroom or for tooth brushing supplies.

Face it, buying baby furniture is a losing proposition. That is, buying furniture, JUST for baby is. At most you might get one to two years, out of a crib. If you’re lucky, you may be able to use it for several children depending on spacing, gender and well, space…i.e. if you have somewhere to store it between births.

With dressers you fare a bit better as even the most aggressively cutesy baby style will be tolerated, if not adored for at least 3-4 years. A more neutral style can last the full eighteen years and be dragged off to inhabit an overcrowded student apartment.

But, the changing table. Well, that’s another story. While many folks seem to do just fine without one, I find it makes life just so much easier to have a home for all the diapering accoutrements…even if most changes happen elsewhere.

The problems with changing tables though are lifespan and space. After a few years and a few thousand diapers, their primary use is gone. Long before that, typically, they fall apart. (Changing tables seem to be one of those things that you can’t scrimp on and expect it to last.) And…they take up a lot of space!

Solution – the changing table that well…changes after the diaper days are gone. Here are two great choices from South Shore. The Natural Maple Changing Table turns into a dresser, while the Petite Changing Table converts to a bookcase. We’ve found this solution an excellent way to justify buying a nice piece of furniture that will last and look good for years.