So why a tool box diaper changing table? Well, let me introduce you to the team, I am David Pike, husband to a wonderful wife named Denise and a father to four beautiful daughters ranging from the 3-week-old twins to our oldest, who is 18.
Being 44 years old, you would think that having more kids would be something that would never cross your mind…. I mean why? I’m old! Well, my wife had been expressing her desire to expand the family one more time while we could and eventually I saw the light and agreed. Little did we know that this little blessing would become a pair of blessings!
Once we found out … the ball started rolling and the countdown began. Some items that we were going to need … crib… pack 'n' play … stroller were simple enough. But a diaper changing table, I don’t remember us ever having before? After a lengthy "discussion" my wife reinforced we will be getting one. Being the smart husband I am, I fully agreed from that moment on.
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So 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."
Well, guess whose evil planned worked? Plus, it didn’t hurt having everyone online giving their opinion on the post I created.
So, my process on projects is to think outside the box, which typically means wandering up and down the aisles at Lowe's and Home Depot looking for something to make work. Typically, I have no one thing in mind so being open to anything truly helps.
So, I break down what is a changing table. Well, it’s something with drawers or shelves to hold cloths, diapers, wipers, etc. OK … so, how many times will we be using this? Will it be another piece of baby furniture that we have to list on Craigslist or Facebook Market Place with the hopes to recoup pennies on the dollar? Well, I know the answer to that question and knew I could come up with something better.
Enter … the 'Tool Cart.'
It’s perfect! It has drawers and shelves on the side and bottom, and the exact same size recessed top for the changing pad we had already. That told me it was meant to be! Now, I could have picked out an expensive Snap-on, Matco, or Mac tool cart but I was happy to get permission and wasn’t going to push my luck, so I went with what I knew. I already had a Husky version at the shop from Home Depot. Found a metal side shelf and [some wire] baskets for the bottom for diapers and whatnots and then for safety … some foam pipe insulation to place around the metal lip along the top so that "No babies would be harmed in the changing of any diapers."
The results were the most practical diaper changing table you can find.
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.
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Over the last few weeks of getting to use it, my wife’s thoughts about 'that crazy idea' have changed.
She sees what I see, and she gets it. I can’t help but think that she had a plan as well. "Let him find something that he thinks is the greatest thing ever and that way he will be more then happy to change diapers!"
It all boils down to compromise … between a wife and a husband. Doesn’t hurt that it’s still a cool idea! So never be confined to what you have to buy or what’s on the market … think outside the box and experiment. You just never know what you will create and what affect it will have.
This post was written by David Pike of MotorCity Mechanic and reprinted with permission. Follow him on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.
