Mom Talk with Rebecca of Maison Ellie Interiors
In a few sentences (we know you don’t have much time!) tell us about yourself and your little one…
My name is Rebecca! I love cute coffee shops, have a very musical ear and am freakishly good at organizing just about anything. I’m a mama to two littles ones, ages 2 and 4. They are the sweetest, funniest little rays of sunshine and I love them to bits. Professionally, I have a background in advertising, having worked on a home furnishing account for several years. After the birth of my second child, I decided to bring my passion for design and children’s decor to life, and took a leap of faith in launching Maison Ellie in 2018. Having realized there was a gap in the market for children’s design studios, I was determined to put my talent to use in order to give busy parents the gift of organized and beautiful spaces for their children. Starting my own business from the ground up has been quite a wild ride, but it’s something I am so incredibly proud of!
faves
What is one thing you couldn’t live without as a mom?
When both my kids were newborns, I couldn’t live without my solly wrap! My daughter especially loved snoozing in that thing all. day. long. It allowed me to move around freely while she was snug as a bug against me. I miss those days!
Now that they are older, I literally could not live without snacks, snacks and more snacks. Long gone are the days of needing to pack up the whole house before leaving (haha!), but I always need multiple snacks on hand for hangry moments. You can often find granola bar wrappers or banana peels in my purse…
What is one purchase that has been the biggest waste of money?
I was lucky to be able to borrow tons of baby gear from friends, and man am I happy I did. I quickly realized that you only need these items for such a short period of time, so being able to pass them along amongst friends is such a great way to be kind to the environment and to each other. Otherwise, in hindsight I think we could have gone without our expensive structured carrier, which I think I literally used once. I am the type of person that could live in a cotton tee, so tight buckles and thick material just wasn’t cutting it for me. Plus my kids preferred our solly wrap, so we just used that all the time instead!
You’ve been there, done that… so what would you say… save or splurge?
Sleepers? Save: With babe growing so quickly within the first year, they go through sleepers so quickly! One excellent tip I think every mom will pass along is to only invest in zipper sleepers, snaps just take too long. Nobody has time for snaps!
Swaddles/blankets? Save: I was gifted so many beautiful swaddles and also borrowed a bunch from friends and family members! I did splurge on a few larger toddler blankets from little unicorn that my kids still use to this day, they are honestly the softest things ever! My kids also never took to tight velcro swaddles, they always managed to sneak their arms out, so we didn’t use those at all.
Stroller? Splurge: Definitely invest in a quality stroller, but you can try to find them lightly used! Nothing like a good deal :) If you plan on having more than 1 kid, you’ll probably be using your stroller for at least 5 or 6 years, so make sure it’s one that can easily convert to fit a second seat or a standing board for the eldest! My 4 year old still loves using the ‘skateboard’ at the back of our UppaBaby Vista.
High chair? Save: we were gifted a pricy highchair at my baby shower but I think I would have just gone with a less expensive version had I been buying it myself, because they just get messy and gross! Whatever you chose make sure it’s simple and easily wipeable, you don’t want too many complicated nooks and crannies.
Diapers and wipes? Save: we just always bought what was on sale at Shoppers or Loblaws! I never saw the value of splurging on fancy looking diapers and wipes, although those cute printed diapers are suuuuuper fun for photoshoots.
Three things that are always in your diaper bag (besides diapers)?
Snacks (soooo many snacks), wet one wipes (cause daycare germs) and If I am planning on being out in a restaurant, we will always pack a few activity books, crayons and stickers to keep them occupied.
Book Club
What is your favourite children’s book?
Any and all of the little people big dreams books! I love that they celebrate the important life stories of wonderful women of the world. Plus they always look adorable styled on a bookcase, so they tend to be a go-to for me! I also love all of the Oliver Jeffers books, they are such imaginative books and the illustrations are incredible.
Which book could you recite from memory (aka. your child’s fave)?
I love you through and through (but en Français)! We speak French to our kids at home and they go to a French school.
Mini Style
What are your favourite places to shop for your babe?
I’ve been so lucky to get incredible hand me downs from friends! When I do purchase my own, I typically rely on online orders from Zara. Such cute pieces at great prices! I do also love supporting local brands and have a soft spot for mini mioche and os + oakes!
Mom Talk
What advice would you tell your pregnant self?
This too shall pass! The first two years are constantly evolving and it can sometimes be difficult to remember that your 6 month old won’t always have reflux and protest naps. I wish I could have seen the bigger picture in those stressful moments and just enjoy the chaotic mess a bit more!
What was one thing you thought about motherhood that proved to be untrue?
It’ll be too much to handle! I mean in a sense it is too much to handle, but we are such supermoms and it still boggles my mind that we somehow can juggle all that we do.
As a working mom, how do you find balance between work and motherhood?
I don’t! I mean I certainly try, but I think this is something that realistically will just never be ‘balanced’. When you focus so much on your work you feel guilty for not spending enough time with the kids, and when they are home with you because daycare is closed for a few weeks at the end of the summer, all you want is a little freedom to hit up a cafe and work. I think setting boundaries helps a ton to ensure you’re dedicating yourselves to all aspects of your life. Same goes for your relationship with your partner; my husband and I still make a point to go on monthly date nights to be able to really converse, connect and be present with one another. Because your relationship with your partner is just as important in this ‘balance equation’.
Who is your momspiration?
My mom is certainly my biggest inspiration… I now realize just how much work mom life really is! She’s my hero. My rockstar girlfriends are also such an incredible source of inspiration, I couldn’t live without them. I also think the wonderful community of women we get to meet and chat with these days is so inspiring. We live in a time where mom groups are abundant and the the hardships of motherhood are openly discussed without shame or fear of judgement. We should all be inspired by one other, because we all kick some serious booty!
Decor
What are some of your favourite brands or children’s decor shops?
Ooooh, there are so many. Here in Toronto I love West Coast Kids as a one-stop-shop approach for all things decor. They carry stunning brands! For smaller decor pieces and beautiful toys you’re OK to leave out, check out Kol Kid, MacPherson Toy House, Hey Kiddo and Early Bird and Worm. When it comes to large big box stores, you can’t go wrong with Pottery Barn Kids and Crate & Kids. I love what H&M home has been doing, and they carry some really great priced bedding and storage pieces that are oh so cute. Lastly, if you’re into a more modern and Scandi aesthetic, you must check out Smallable! There is no shortage of incredibly beautiful brands on this site.
What are some must-have functional tips for a nursery?
The success of a functional nursery is all about looking at the space in 3 key zones; sleeping, feeding and storing. That means you’ll have your crib, your glider with a side table for feeding & reading, and a dresser for clothes storage and diaper changing. Tip: purchase a dresser with a large enough top that can accommodate a change pad. This way you can use the dresser to change your babe for the first 2 years and then ditch the change pad and use it for additional storage like bins, books, etc… Once you’ve checked these main areas off your list, you can have fun in adding in a few secondary nooks that will grow with your child over the years. Like a little play area for a dollhouse, a bean bag with some book ledges, a play table for puzzles & drawing. The key with these additional areas is that they can easily evolve as your child’s interests change without having to redo the entire room.
What are your go-to tips for keeping a playroom organized?
First things first, you need some sort of a cabinet, wardrobe or dresser with drawers or doors. Because out of sight, out of mind… right? This will also help your child understand that things need to be put away, just like you would store your food in a pantry or towels in a linen closet. If you have a designated playroom in a basement, you may have the space to install a few large wardrobes. I love using the PAX units from IKEA that can be outfitted with shelves, rods for costumes, pull-out drawers, etc… If your play area is in your living room or kitchen area and you’re short on space, just look for a credenza or TV unit that is multi-purpose. My favourite for this is the BESTA cabinet from IKEA. You can configure it with different doors, legs and add how ever many shelves you’d like. They are quite deep and can hold LOTS of stuff!
You’ll also want to consider baskets and bins of all sizes! These make it super easy for kids to access their smaller toys and move them around while they are playing. I like to use bins for books, blocks, cars and dolls. If you’re able to, try finding storage bins that have lids so that those pesky toys can be nicely hidden when not in use.
My biggest tip of advice for maintaining an organized playroom is to actually limit the amount of toys altogether. Kids play with more purpose when they are presented with fewer toys, so try switching them out a few times a year or have your child select a few toys they no longer play with to donate to a local shelter or school. De-cluttering a play space can really bring so much calm to an otherwise chaotic play space!