How to set up the perfect nursery?

Decorating the nursery has to be one of the most exciting jobs before your baby arrives. Nine months is a long time to wait to meet your baby and decorating the nursery can give you something productive to focus on during this time. 

The nursery is somewhere your baby (and you!) will spend a lot of time, so you’ll want it to be perfect. A nursery needs to be practical and functional as well as stylish, so it’s worth speaking to your parent friends to find out if they have any top tips for things to include in your nursery. If you’re lucky, they may even have things they want to hand down to your baby which could save you some money.

Things to consider when designing the perfect nursery

Functionality

You will be changing diapers, willing sleep and looking for cute outfits in the nursery. It’s a room that needs to work well to allow parenting to run smooth. You want your diaper change accessories to be accessible at all times and for your baby’s clothes to be well organised and easy to find.

Cost effectiveness

The nursery you lovingly plan for your newborn baby must also work for a toddler and beyond. It’s important to consider how long each item will be useful for and how much use you will get out of it. For example, some parents choose to purchase a convertible crib that transforms from a crib to a toddler bed and beyond. Some diaper pails can be transformed into general waste bins once you are past the diaper stage.

Budget

It is all too easy to spend a fortune when designing your baby’s nursery. There are so many products claiming to be must-have items deserving of your hard-earned cash. It’s really important to stick to budget and avoid going into debt for your baby’s nursery. Work out a realistic budget and stick to it. Make a list of the items you need and try to buy them when they’re discounted in the shops.

Style

There are so many ways to make your baby’s nursery stand out. You can choose a theme or opt for a colour scheme to bring the room together. You can add touches of personality and colour by displaying toys and books throughout the room. Try to imagine how you will use the room in the months to come and imagine the things you will need close to hand. 

An important thing to remember when decorating a nursery is that it needs to suit your baby for years to come. For this reason, many parents opt for neutral colours as a base for their nursery design. Neutral furniture is perfect for a calming nursery, too. You can add colour pops in the form of toys, rugs and wall art. The great thing about this is they can be easily (and inexpensively) changed as your baby grows, too.

Safety

It’s important to consider safety when designing the nursery. Look out for potential dangers such as blind cords, unsecured furniture and climb hazards. Look for ways to maximise your baby’s safety. For example, a good quality baby monitor will allow you to keep a close eye on your baby even while they are sleeping.

Top tips for the perfect nursery

The following tips will help you to design a beautiful and functional nursery that both you and your baby will love spending time in:

Plan for sleep

The nursery should be a calm and relaxing environment perfect for sleep. One must-have nursery item is blackout blinds. These ingenious blinds will keep the glaring sun out of your nursery and ensure your baby can enjoy a peaceful sleep. Other sleep-inducing accessories include night lights, lullabies and a safe sleep environment.

Make it comfy

The nursery needs to be comfortable for both you and your baby. While your baby find comfort in their snuggly crib, you will find it in a comfy armchair. You will need a place to nurse your baby to sleep and it’s worth investing in somewhere comfy as you’ll be spending a lot of time there. The armchair you choose will be a cosy place to snuggle up for bedtime stories, too.

You can never have enough storage

You might be surprised at how much stuff a baby needs. From muslin clothes to blankets, nappy creams to sun hats, your baby will have a room full of belongings before they’re even born. There’s no such thing as too much storage.

Your baby will need a wardrobe or chest of drawers for their clothes but they will need other storage too. When choosing furniture, always look for options with additional storage. For example, cribs with storage drawers underneath or changing tables featuring shelving. You’ll need bookshelves for your bedtime stories and storage for your baby’s toys.

Keep it clean

Life with a new baby can be hectic so it’s important to have a nursery which is easy to keep clean. A decent diaper pail will help to keep your changing station under control. Diaper pails lock away bad smells and ensure the nursery stays more like a bedroom than a toilet. 

Good storage means everything has a place so you won’t have a pile of toys with nowhere to go. Spare bedding, folded laundry and other items should immediately be tidied away. The more storage you have in the room, the easier this will be.

Decorating a nursery on a tight budget

If you’re on a tight budget, the following tips may help you:

• Shop the sale: Most baby product stores have sales throughout the year. Be sure to shop around to ensure you get the best deal on any big ticket items.

• Shop secondhand: You can get some amazing quality baby items secondhand. Sometimes, people end up with duplicate items or simply find they don’t use something as often as they thought. Secondhand doesn’t mean second best. Look on local selling sites and in thrift stores to see if you can find the items you need at a bargain price. 

• Accept hand-me-downs: Friends and family will likely offer you plenty in the way of secondhand items. From hand-me-down clothes to secondhand buggies and cribs, you can save yourself a lot of money by accepting donated items from your loved ones. 

• Put it on your registry: If there are some items you want for your baby’s nursery, add them to your gift registry. Friends and family may appreciate knowing exactly what you have left to buy for your baby.

Happy decorating!