Skip to main content

Not a TOP SECRET Fort

As the summer break rolled into the fourth week our tiny apartment started to feel much smaller with the kids home all day long. It was apparent that even the kids craved a little individual space  - they converted their bunkbed into a three (separate) compartment fort - desperate times call for creativity and innovation.

While I wholly support the idea of some personal space, I could not embrace the aesthetics of the thing. Also, nary a blanket could be found and Mummy could not get comfortable on the couch. A fort makeover was in order.

Our Fort

These instructions are specific to the IKEA SVÄRTA Bunkbed and SVÄRTA Pull-out Bed but could probably be adapted to another similar style of bunk bed. This project cost me about $60 ($20 per child).

 You will need:
Bed Tent - $20
Curtains - $16
Curtain Rings - $2
Tablecloth - $13
Grommet Set - $6
Binder Rings - $2
Cable Ties - $0 (I had left over from a previous project; I only needed five)

Instructions:
1. Assemble the IKEA KURA Bed Tent per instructions. The tent will not attach to bed per the instructions as it is made for a KURA bed. Just hook the tent to the underside of the top bunk. The mattress will hold it in place adequately.

View inside the top bunk ten

2. Two sets (four panels) of 36" length, grommet top, kitchen curtains are needed to enclose the bottom bunk. Use shower curtain (or 2" binder) rings to attach the curtains so as to be able to easily remove them for laundering.

Entire set up with trundle and trundle tent stowed

View inside the lower bunk

3. I found it most challenging to tent the pull-out bed. We needed a solution that would not prevent stowing the trundle under the bunk daily. I settled on a 54" x 80" tablecloth on which I installed five grommets along the short sides.

Use binder rings to connect the tablecloth to the side rails of the top bunk (my shower curtain rings were a bit too thick) and cable ties to attach the other side to the the trundle. The binder rings allow for the tent to be disconnected and stowed under the bed with the trundle.

Trundle pulled out

Trundle and tent stowed

Cable tie attachment on trundle
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bulk Yolks and Reward Points

Since my No Ramen Here post about grocery shopping, I have made some adjustments to the way we shop for food. I increased the frequency of our Costco orders to weekly when I realized that we were visiting the local grocery store very frequently and spending significantly more for basics - eggs, milk, juice, and fruit. I determined that it was better to order in bulk and get more bang for our buck. For example, a tray of 1 dozen eggs at our local supermarket costs about $3 but I can get 2 dozen eggs for $4.29 from Costco . We are at the end of the third week this month and still have about $60 left in our $700/month food budget. The fridge, freezer, and pantry are stocked such that we won't need to go to the store for groceries through the end of the month. Under budget months are my opportunity to stock up on baking supplies, canned goods, and bulk snacks. Here is a breakdown of our shopping trips and spending: 3 x Costco - $436.82 3 x Whole Foods - $126.52 1 x Trader...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Perfect Fit

For Foreign Service families, to be unsettled is normal. The thrill of an unknown, future adventure prevails and mitigates any discontent with the present. This is how we cope. We survive, even thrive, because we look forward. We are many, but we are few. A fraction of a country's population that has chosen what can only be described as an awkward existence. We choose to jump in, family members in tow, without knowing what is on the other side. We show up at each new post and, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that is placed in wrong spot, not where it ought to be but blending in enough, we fit in until we are uprooted again. We do not have a road map, and retirement is the only final destination. We experience the world in all its grit and glory and our lives are enriched. Friends and relatives back home imagine that we are living their wildest dreams; wandering across the globe, living in fabulous homes, and meeting the world's rich and famous. We cannot deny our glamo...
Post a Comment
Read more