Is your newest addition due to arrive soon? Here are a few tips to make sure your nursery is ready for baby’s arrival.
If you’re still wondering how to design baby’s room, don’t worry! We’re here to help you prepare the nursery for your little one. Despite all the baby products on the market, you don’t need to own everything at your local baby store before you welcome baby home. Designing a nursery that brings you joy and lets your baby (and you!) sleep as restfully as possible is the name of the game here. If you’re struggling with how to design your little one’s nursery, you’re in luck. We’ve got some great tips that will take you from empty room to cozy haven in no time.
7 Steps to Get Your Nursery Ready for Baby’s Arrival
Pick a nursery theme that brings you joy.
Do you love airplanes? Or maybe all things nautical? Maybe there is a certain character from a kid’s book that you’ve loved for ages. Or maybe you’re really into a certain color right now. Pick something that brings you joy and build your nursery around it. Having a common element, whether that’s a motif, character or color, will make it easier to shop and add items from different retailers and at different times. Some parents prefer decorating in themes that are more gender-specific, such as blue for boys or pink for girls, but there is also something elegantly wonderful about a gender-neutral nursery, especially if you plan to have more children down the line who may be a different gender than the bundle you are expecting soon.
Figure out the big furniture pieces first.
Because furniture can fill a room quickly, decide on those pieces first. Many people go for a crib, a rocking chair or glider and a dresser/changing table combo, although you certainly aren’t limited to those pieces (nor are you required to have those pieces if they don’t work for you). When you pick a crib, be sure to find one that fits current government safety standards. Picking one that can convert to a toddler bed may be a better long-term investment than ones that don’t. Then pick a comfy glider you can relax in to rock your little one. You may decide to forgo a large dresser/changing table combo if you are short on space, but if you need more storage, it’s a great option!
Consider your nursery’s safety features.
While designing your dream nursery, consider the safety elements of the room so you won’t need to worry about them later. Make sure the room has a working smoke detector as well as a carbon monoxide detector. You may go ahead and place plastic covers in electrical outlets now, so you don’t need to worry about it later. And make sure that your little one’s crib doesn’t contain anything except a mattress with a snugly-fitted sheet. Some parents also like to include devices that change color to indicate if the room is too hot or too cold for ideal sleeping conditions for their little ones. A nightlight might also be beneficial as a safety measure for you so you can see where you’re going in the dark of night.
Set up a baby changing station with all the necessities.
Changing a diaper in the middle of the night can be challenging when you’re sleep deprived and groggy. So set up a changing station that has everything you need to make the process as easy as possible. Your changing station should include diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, clean one-piece outfits or pajamas, and a changing pad. These items will make changing diapers day or night a breeze. Other items you might want to include but certainly don’t need to: a toy that dangles from the wall and entrances your baby while you change them, a wipes warmer, changing pad covers that match your nursery décor and a diaper pail for easy diaper disposal.
Organize NOW so you’re stress-free later.
Figure out what makes sense for you in terms of organizing your nursery: where you’ll keep extra diapers, how you’ll organize baby clothes, where you’ll store books and blankets, or bigger items. If it’s an item that your baby won’t need for a while, consider storing it in the attic or garage and keep a note on your phone with the location so you remember where you put it (this goes for walkers, larger car seats, things babies won’t need for multiple months after birth). Make sure you set up your nursery in a way that makes sense to you and also brings you a sense of calm in those wonderful by tiresome months after you bring home your baby.
Add all the extras, like artwork and décor.
As you’re finishing up preparing your nursery for baby, add the finishing touches as you go. This will include artwork for the walls, trinkets for tabletops, blankets for the rocking chair, and so on. You may want to leave space to include a canvas from your baby’s newborn photo shoot if you choose to do one. You may also designate a spot on the wall that you can mark as your baby grows or buy a wooden sign with inch marks so you can celebrate the milestones of childhood.
Commemorate the pregnancy journey and beyond with a custom memory book from BabyPage.
Snap photos of the nursery before your little one arrives as well as your pregnancy journey and turn them into a beautiful BabyPage album. Do the same for your baby’s delivery and arrival home from the hospital. Snap photos of the first month of your little one’s life so you’ll remember the days of little ones. BabyPage has so many customizable choices that you’re sure to find one that matches your nursery décor, compliments your pregnancy journey, grows with your child, and so on. Store them on the nursery bookshelf as elegant décor or keep them on your coffee table to share with friends and family who come to visit your newest arrival.
Congrats, parent-to-be! You’re nearing the end of your wait for your little one’s arrival and it will be more wonderful than in your wildest dreams.
