IKEA Stepping Stool
I’m in love with this stepping stool from IKEA. I have the hardest time washing Henry’s hands. I’m either pressing his abdomen into the side of the counter, getting his feet soaked by sitting him on the edge of the sink, or honestly not washing his hands even when I should.
I’ve been eying this stool for awhile, but our spending hiatus made that purchase utterly impossible. When we went to IKEA to get Henry an inexpensive easel, I spotted a similar stool for a much more reasonable price. I love that it reaches so high up, it’s sturdy, it’s natural wood, and it’s narrow so its footprint isn’t too bad. It doesn’t make our bathroom feel claustrophobic.
We also got a plastic stool for him to sit on while he’s taking off his underwear to sit on the toilet, a new pot for a jade plant that is outgrowing its current home, and the aforementioned easel–all for $45. Since we don’t have much money left in our budget for this month, we decided to purchase it with money from our personal allowances.
As I celebrate my inexpensive finds, I also want to take a moment to acknowledging the environmental costs of purchasing cheap products. I hate that my values often contradict each other and I’m forced to prioritize one over the other (in this case I am prioritizing budget-mindedness over eco-friendliness). I try to be very conscientious about what we purchase and bring into our home. For example, I tried flipping over an old basket and using it as a little stool for the past six months, but it’s sagging in the middle and it’s very scratchy. That’s why the $5 plastic one seemed like an okay purchase, especially since we want to have another child and will need it for many years to come.
7 Comments
Virginia
Cute stool! I am curious that you reference Henry taking off his underwear, etc in the bathroom, and wondering if you can do a post at some point about how the early toilet training has gone? It sounds like he's trained or pretty close to trained, which seems crazy impressive for an 18-month-old! Just curious to know how you pulled that off (and if the elimination communication stuff really helped or you ended up going a different route..).
Thanks!
Catherine
My parents have one of those which they keep tucked away in the kitchen. It is great for reaching high shelves safely! I think that you made a great investment with that stool & you will use it for many, many years to come.
Carrie
We have a stool in the kitchen and one in each bathroom. However, I just use a washcloth to wash hands and faces…
Sarah
Thanks for sharing the stool. Another product that was purchased for us that can help with handwashing in places where you don't have a stool (or the kid still can't reach) is the aqueduck faucet extender.
Julie R.
How funny that you are posting about this very stool. We're enjoying are holiday away from Tortola, and actually near an Ikea for a change, which we have since gone to twice. Alas, they have been out of the stool on both trips. I'll probably have something made when we get back, which is always a nice way to support our wood workers (they did a fab job on Anna White's helping tower plans!). But like you, I was really trying to keep costs down.
Anonymous
We have this stool (2 actually, one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen). If you have tile floors, I recommend putting some rubber feet on the legs, as they get slick with use. Makes it harder for kiddo to push around, but worth the safety when s/he's on it/climbing up.
lizza kim
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