It takes time and energy to set up your baby’s nursery. That being said - give yourself at least 2 – 3 months to do research, purchase, and all the work.
The Best Time to Do It
Concerning the timing, the first trimester is probably not the best time to start since your body is in the state of adjusting to the hormones and all sorts of changes. Of course, there is no rule about when you should start. But most people agree on beginning of the second trimester. At this time, you want to let your friends and co-workers know that you are carrying a little one; and you are getting ready to begin planning for your baby’s arrival.
The second trimester is the best time to start working on your baby’s nursery. At this stage in your pregnancy, you should be over the morning sickness and fatigue (hopefully) and still be light enough to move around. You can also begin planning a baby shower. Using a registry that allows for group gifting is an excellent way to mark off some of the big ticket items, for instance a dresser, for your nursery room, since multiple people can contribute to the total purchase.
Buying a nursery set is another great way to save money and time. You can shop our top popular collections and find the crib, dresser, and glider with your favorite color and style.
Items Should Be Included in Your Baby’s Nursery
We composed this great piece of content - parenting experts share ideas on 12 items that are must have for new parents. There are some easy-to-be-ignored items that can really ease your parenthood.
- A Crib. If you only buy one item for your nursery, that would be a crib (with a good mattress). A crib is where your baby spends most of his/her time during the first few years of life. You should ensure it’s safe, comfortable, and sturdy. A crib with GreenGuard Gold Certification is highly recommended.
- A Changing table. It’s nice to have a standalone changing table for diapering. But for the sake of space saving, you can opt for a dresser with a matching changing topper. It’s also more cost-effective since you can remove the changing topper as your child grows up and still use the dresser in the bedroom.
- Storage Options. A chifforobe will provide ample space for your baby’s stuff. It usually comes with storage drawers and shelves. Some of the Oxford Baby chifforobes we carry also include hanging bar and adjustable shelves.
- A glider or a Rocker. is crucial for late night feeding and smoothie your little one to sleep. In this blog, we discussed all the benefits of having a nursery chair for breastfeeding moms. A comfortable nursery glider also helps relieve back pain.
- A Nightstand for your baby’s stuff like a bottle, or toys; yours like a phone or a nighttime story book while snuggling your baby in the glider. It’s also a good spot to put a dimmable lamp for soft light. Most of our nightstands come with at least one storage drawer, which can be additional storage for your baby’s essentials.
- Multi-Functional with extra storage. You might be surprised how much storage your little one needs. But if you need more storage, you can always get a chest, which comes with more drawers. Or a dual purpose storage item like a storage ottoman.
Are there more items that should be considered? Absolutely!
- A bassinet can help with transition in the first few months before moving your baby to a crib. It’s easier to take care of your newborn when it’s next to your bed.
- Conversion kits. As your child turns 18 months, you can use a toddler guard rail to transform your convertible crib into a toddler bed. And later you can convert the toddler bed into a full-size bed with a full bed conversion kit.
Steps of Setting Up Your Nursery
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Set a budget
First things first – You should decide how much you would like to spend on your baby’s nursery. The average you can expect to spend on a nursery is around $3, 500. You can check this post by Boo & Rook on a cost breakdown based on the $3, 500 budget. I found it very insightful.
These 3 popular and affordable nursery sets are handpicked for you.
- Pick a Theme
There are tons of nursery themes out there you can choose. If you’d like to go with a gender-neutral theme, pick a theme related to animal, boho, rainbow, or nature.
- Draw a Blueprint for the nursery
Get a pen and paper and draw out the blueprint of your nursery. A visual demonstration will really help with planning and design. Where will you put the crib? Make sure it is in a safe and comfortable space away from any accident item dropping or direct sunlight. And where other pieces of furniture will go? You can find your answer when you draw.
- Wall & Floor
Before putting any furniture and wall décor, make sure to clean up the floor and walls. And of course, paint the color and pattern at least a couple months before the baby arrives so the paint fumes can dissipate.
- Set up Furniture
Now it’s time to settle the big pieces. You surely know where each of them should be since you have your blueprint.
- Safety Check
The final step is to make sure every corner of the nursery is safe for your baby. The big furniture needs to be secured to the wall. Cover the outlet so there is no electric accident. Make sure to choose the nursery furniture that meets the safety standards.
Sum Up
Start to set up your nursery at the right time will ease your anxiety. And you will have a beautiful and functional nursery before your little one arrives if follow our step-by-step guide. Hope you have fun!
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