From the moment you learn you’re pregnant, you may find yourself engrossed by a desire to get the house in order before your due date. While there are likely countless preparations your family hopes to make over the course of nine months, readying the baby’s space should be near the top of your list. A thoughtful focus on putting together the nursery can ease your mind – just knowing your baby has a safe and happy home to return to will soothe any worries and make the transition all the more joyful!
Don’t Rush
Marie regards the general process of preparing to welcome a new family member as extra joyful – not extra stressful. There’s no need to rush into things. Marie likes to address the nursery about a month before the baby is expected to arrive because of space constraints – storing baby gear can be an unexpected challenge! For homes where space is less of a concern, families may wish to begin the nursery decoration process a few months before in case of an early delivery. This timeline still leaves plenty of room to shop for decorative items, toys and other goodies or budget for pricier items like cribs and changing tables.
Picture Your New Lifestyle
When tackling the nursery, parents-to-be must think carefully and realistically about how they – and the baby – will live within the space. The nursery is for parents just as much as it is for newborns! Use its setup as an opportunity to realize the vision of what your new ideal lifestyle will look like.
Organize your items deliberately and add joyful decorative touches to create a nursery that feels calming and welcoming – for both you and baby. With disrupted sleep schedules and a taxing physical recovery on the horizon, you’ll want to feel comfortable and at ease when feeding, rocking or changing your baby.
Shift Your Mindset
Marie believes there is little that doesn’t spark joy when it comes to a baby’s nursery – even purely functional items ultimately contribute to a baby’s wellbeing, making them positive additions to your space.
Celebrating items for their helpfulness rather than focusing on their appearance is key. If you’ve stocked up on bulk goods – like formula or diapers – consider creative storage solutions. Some essential baby gear just isn’t pleasing to the eye, but chic containers can corral these necessities with style.
Do a Safety Check
When it comes to baby-proofing, start with the nursery and work your way out, eventually tackling all the rooms in your home before your little one makes their debut. Cover electrical sockets, keep breakables hidden away in out-of-reach cabinets and ensure heavy furniture pieces – bookshelves and cabinets included – are firmly secured to the wall.
As your baby gets older and becomes more mobile, they will be able to reach higher. Be sure to baby-proof taller storage spots, too! Marie suggests using traditional latches or stoppers to keep cabinets closed. As an extra safety step, place kid-safe items in lower drawers, shelves or cabinets and stow away fragile items in a spot only adults can reach. That way, should a latch fail, your little one is still protected!
Having a baby means that you’ll be welcoming many new material possessions into your home, but doing a bit of prep work in advance will help you feel more in control. Even if your bundle of joy can’t come soon enough, decorating a nursery should be a joyful and exciting act of preparation to tide you over while you await their arrival.
