Every new parent knows that the second most important piece of baby furniture – after the crib, of course – is the changing table.
A newborn can go through more than 10 diapers a day and infants go through at least 6 diapers a day, if not many more. So, having an efficient diaper changing station is essential for any parent. But many aren’t satisfied with the changing tables on the market.
This superdad was one of those dissatisfied parents. But instead of just dealing with an inadequate diaper changing station he decided to make his own! And it’s pretty brilliant.
Diaper Changing Stations That Just Don’t Cut It
A perfect diaper changing station needs to be stocked with everything a frazzled parent might need – wipes, diapers, diaper rash cream, and new clothes in case the dreaded diaper blowout ruined the day’s outfit – within arm’s reach. Every parent knows how frustrating it is to find that the one thing you need isn’t available at the changing station.
To prevent this situation, most parents look for a changing table with lots of drawers, compartments, and shelves. But many of the changing tables on the market don’t have enough space for every little thing parents need.
Building The Ultimate Diaper Changing Station
Most parents just buy the best changing table they can find and deal with it. But mechanic David Pike wasn’t willing to settle. He knew he could build a better diaper changing station than anything he could buy.
Pike is well-known for his YouTube channel MotorCityMechanic, where he breaks down his everyday hacks and showcases his ingenious building skills.
So, when he found out he was having twins, it’s not surprising that Pike’s mechanical problem-solving genius came to the forefront. While he and his wife were shopping for changing tables they weren’t impressed with anything they found. Pike joked that he should just craft his own diaper changing station.
And what started as a joke became a serious challenge for Pike. How did he get his wife to agree to let him put his skills to the test? He stalled on purchasing a changing table until his frustrated wife told him to do whatever he wanted. Maybe not the best strategy to use with a very pregnant partner, but it resulted in something amazing.
Pike headed to his local Home Depot to brainstorm. While he was there, he found a tool cart on wheels that sparked his interest.
The tool cart had multiple drawers and shelves that looked like they’d be perfect for everything an ideal diaper changing station needs. And he thought the recessed area on the top of the tool cart was about the same size as the changing pad they already had at home.
So, he bought the tool cart. When he got home and found that the changing pad fit perfectly, he knew it was meant to be.
The Final Product
How did Pike go about transforming the tool cart into the ultimate diaper changing station? It actually didn’t take that much work! The Husky brand tool cart already had most of what he needed.
Pike placed the changing pad they already had in the recessed area on the top of the tool cart. He put wipes, diaper rash cream, and a few diapers on the small side table attached to the top of the tool cart.
Pike stocked the top drawer with an additional package of wipes and a huge stock of diapers. He filled the other drawers with changes of clothes.
Using simple wire baskets on pull out tracks, Pike transformed the bottom shelf of the tool cart into storage for everything else he might need – extra wipes, diapers, and diaper changing accessories.
He even added an LED light strip to make middle of the night diaper changes easier!
Ultimate Convenience
Since the tool cart is on wheels, this ultimate diaper changing station can be moved from room to room as needed. And since no fundamental changes were made to the structure of the tool cart, Pike can move it into his workshop when the twins potty train!
Of course, the Internet went wild for this Ultimate Diaper Changing station. When Pike posted about it on his MotorCityMechanic Facebook page, the post got thousands of likes and comments. “Very cute and practical too! Much less expensive than wooden furniture!” wrote the top commenter. We couldn’t agree more!