We enjoy tackling DIY projects, especially when it helps save money.
For new parents, here’s an interesting idea: a diaper-changing station made from a toolbox cart that costs just £160.
When David Pike, a 44-year-old mechanic and father of four from Detroit, needed baby furniture, he decided to get creative. He went to Home Depot and bought a £160 Husky Tool Cart, then transformed it into the perfect baby changing area.
To make it practical, he added a metal side shelf and wire baskets for storing diapers and other necessities. To ensure his twin babies wouldn’t get scratched during changes, he put foam pipe insulation around the top’s metal edge. David also thought ahead by installing built-in LED lights for nighttime diaper changes.
Once the twins outgrow the need for changing, the station can be repurposed as a tool trolley for David’s workplace, MotorCity Mechanic. It’s a more budget-friendly option compared to buying an expensive changing table that you’d only use for a short time.
In an article for CafeMom, David shared that his wife initially wasn’t keen on the DIY plan, but his creativity won her over.
He wrote, ‘Why a tool cart? My day job for the last 25 years has been a mechanic.
‘My other job is being an automotive Youtuber, making videos about the cars I worked on all day.
‘So, my life is 24/7 cars, cars, and more cars. Eventually, it spills over into my family life.
‘Fortunately for me, my loving wife and kids fully understand and have accommodated me and my all things automotive lifestyle. For that reason I truly am blessed.
‘After testing the waters with a picture of one I found online and getting shot down before I could get the words out, I knew I needed to tread softly and go with another tactic: delay.
‘The longer I waited to pick something out the more likely she would be more like, “Whatever, just find something and find something now”.’
David opted for a tool cart because he thought any furniture designed specifically for babies would probably have to be sold online once it’s no longer needed, just to recover some of the money.
He selected something he believed would still be handy after the babies had grown up. David claims the final product is the most practical diaper-changing table available.
‘After its job of helping to keep babies’ nether regions spick and span is complete its new calling would be the garage to help out with making more videos and fixing more cars,’ David explains.