We previously interviewed a DIY mom who saves by making her son's own toys, and now we've met a mom who found a way to save even more!
Carren Castillo, a Davao-based mom to a 20-month old baby boy, managed to create a DIY playpen for only P1,000, saving over P2,000, as playpens typically cost at least P3,000.
And best of all, the play space she managed to create is large enough to fit her and her husband.
We caught up with the resourceful mom, who shared how she came up with the awesome idea.
"I always complain of how hard it is for a breastfeeding momma like me to feed my child in a small crib. So I decide to search online for some inspiration," she recalls, adding how she didn't find any tutorials on Youtube or Pinterest, so she decided to just go ahead and create her own play pen when her son was only 6 months old.
She happily shared that the DIY playpen is where her now 20-month old son learned to walk!
"He learned to walk inside the playpen because it's so spacious and instead of foam, we placed play mats inside to make it easier for him to walk around," shared Carren. "We also placed all of his favorite toys inside!"
The crafty mom shared the entire process in a facebook post, which went viral, earning nearly 30,000 shares in just two months.
"Here are the things that you'll need for this," she wrote in her post.
- 2 to 10 PVC pipes
- cable ties
- net/tool
- foam/mat
"For only P1,000.00 naka-gawa na kami ng ganito. Affordable siya compared sa playpen sa mall na 3k to 8k. And super big siya kaya kasya buong pamilya. O diba? Try na!" she encouraged fellow parents, before sharing step-by-step instructions.
1. Cut PVC pipes based on your desired measurements.
2. Attach pipes to connectors, use PVC glue for extra strength!
3. Net/tool.
"Ang ginawa ko, tinahi ko muna yung edges para di madaling matas-tas/mabinat," she continued.
4. Ikabit ang net/tool sa pvc pipe using cable ties.
5. Lagyan ng foam/rubber mat ang loob and ipasok si baby!
Since her post inspired many parents to get crafty, Carren put up her own FB page to share more of her creations in the future!
You can follow her DIY journey on her Facebook page, here.
Have you made your own DIY projects, moms and dads? Share them with us in the comments below!
READ: Meet the DIY diva mom who makes her 3-year-old son’s toys from scratch