Bachelor Alums Chris and Peyton Lambton Reveal How They Made Room For Baby
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Bachelor alums Chris and Peyton Lambton are certainly no strangers to the world of home design and renovation, with hosting creds for both HGTV's Going Yard and DIY's Yard Crashers successfully under their belts. But these days, they are taking on quite a new challenge that many young couples can relate to, and that of course is parenthood. With the birth of their daughter, Lyla James, in November of last year, both Chris and Peyton have started to adjust to life as a party of three. And with that comes baby-proofing the home and also finding new ways to organize their space. Read on as we sit down with the couple to gain insight into their favorite tips and tricks for daily living with their new bundle of joy.
On Designing For a Baby
Chris Lambton: We had so much fun designing our baby Lyla's room. I think it's a time when you can work together as a couple and add both of your design ideas to their room.
Peyton Lambton: Kids come with a lot of stuff! Make sure to plan for storage so all the toys, gadgets, clothes, and other items you need on a daily basis don't overtake your home. Having a piece of furniture that provides a way to tuck items away is key.
On Kid-Proofing Your Home
CL: I love having cubbies with baskets in them. We have baskets filled with everything from diapers to spit rags. They are easy to access when you need them (which is very frequently) and can be hidden from view when not in use.
PL: We keep these baskets upstairs and downstairs so we can rotate them as needed. I like to keep books and toys in them as well. The rotation is great for us and for the baby so we aren't reading the same books every day. They also help us keep our home in order when adults come over.
On Home Organizing With a Baby
CL: Make sure everything has a place so it's easy to find when you need it and you know where to put it back to when you are done using it.
PL: I am all about making sure everything in our house has a home. I can't stand clutter, so becoming a mom was a huge shock to my organizational system. We have really tried to make sure all of Lyla's stuff has a spot so at the end of the day we can easily pick up and get ready for the next day. This is something that I hope she picks up on as she gets older.
Her closet is a space that we worked really hard to design so that it would make organization much easier. The space isn't huge, but we used every inch of vertical space, including baskets on the backs of the closet doors. I like that all the little stuff can go there, then we can shut the doors so it is out of sight. We did the same thing for book organization. My dad built shelves, and we installed them vertically on the wall. This way the books are put away, but they still provide some color and a fun design element for the room. We also didn't have to waste floor space with a giant bookcase.
On Maximizing a Small Space With a Baby
CL: We use plastic bins for just about everything. Once Lyla has grown out of clothes, we pack them in bins and label them for easy storage. They are also great for storing extra diapers, wipes, and other items you buy in bulk.
PL: As soon as she has grown out of a piece of clothing, it goes in a bin in the basement. If you don't have a basement or storage area, use the thin bins that can slide under a bed. Look at the furniture in your home. Make sure you are using each piece to maximize storage. If it has an open shelf, add a basket so you can tuck items away and keep the area from looking cluttered. Add a coffee table that doubles as a trunk or a TV stand that has solid doors for hiding toys and books.
Love these tips? Be sure to catch more of the couple on Chris's new series Controlled Chaos, premiering soon exclusively on the new online platform Build.Design.Live.