I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. On one hand, I enjoy browsing through the boards people curate, showcasing everything from mouth-watering recipes to clever quotes and beautifully designed spaces. On the other hand, it can easily lead to a bit of a DIY frenzy if you’re not careful.
Before you know it, you’re thinking, “I could totally create that! I’ll whip up a funky coffee table from reclaimed wood and bicycle parts in no time! Bring on the power tools!” Forgetting, of course, that your most ambitious home project up until now was sticking stickers on your kid’s wall. You can see where this is going, right?
My oldest, Max, is in first grade now, and I realized he needed a proper desk. His makeshift one from a toy workbench was creative but, let’s be honest, a bit sad. Instead of just hitting up IKEA or Target, I thought, why not find an old desk and restore it? Super eco-friendly and a little budget-friendly, too.
One day while walking, I stumbled across the perfect desk at a yard sale. It was a kid-sized desk with tons of storage, complete with a top that opened and bookcases on either side. Sure, it was covered in cobwebs and had some seriously chipped blue paint, but I could see its potential—thanks to all those inspiring Pinterest posts I had seen.
Now, I know some parents can juggle yard work while their kids play nearby. I’m not one of them. For example, I attempted to sand the desk while my boys played outside, but they were way more interested in the electric sander than their toys. And let’s be real, lead paint dust isn’t great for little lungs.
Then I tried painting it while they splashed in the kiddie pool. I managed to get half of one leg done before my three-year-old decided jumping off the deck into the pool was a great idea. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. So, I put down my paintbrush to tend to his “boo-boos.” I realized I’d have to wait for a day when my partner could take the kids out for a bit. It took two whole days and two-and-a-half coats of paint to finish that desk.
But you know what? The final product turned out amazing, and Max adores doing his homework on it. Now, all I need to do is post a picture of it on Pinterest to reel in another unsuspecting parent into an “easy” weekend DIY project.
Can you actually get things done with your kids around?
How do you manage that chaos?
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Summary
Navigating Pinterest can be a double-edged sword for aspiring DIY parents. After embarking on a project to create a proper desk for her son, the author reflects on the challenges of getting things done while managing kids, sharing both the humorous and relatable moments of her DIY journey.
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