Most parents-to-be, perhaps even more so the expecting mother, want to create the perfect nursery space for their soon to arrive bundle of joy.  They enjoy the process of setting up and decorating their new baby’s nursery. The pregnancy months, hopefully if there isn’t too much nausea around, are a great time to spend dreaming and planning about the space that you and your baby are likely to spend a significant amount of time particularly in those early weeks.

Nursery feeding cornerNurseries need to be completely practical and functional but that doesn’t stop us having a bit of fun with how the space looks and feels.  Inspirational places like Pinterest are rich with ideas of how to make absolutely stunning nurseries, and Amazon is a great go-to place to make your purchases.  Having items delivered to your door is pretty attractive to me, and is especially handy if you have one or two other little ones in tow.

If you’re creatively inclined, it is always special to lovingly hand make a couple of special items.  If you enjoy finding or making the perfect bedding with curtains to match, by all means go for it. The decorating part can be a lot of fun.  When I was 4 months along I had my sister visiting so we took the opportunity to plan, collect and create a few special things for my nursery.  We certainly didn’t go overboard and it was far from picture perfect, but it was a special time and we created a special place and I loved it!

However, if decorating isn’t your thing and it isn’t important to you it totally doesn’t have to happen.  You need to make your space how you want it without pressure from others.  Your newborn isn’t going to be any less loved because he doesn’t have a special theme nursery.  It’s always handy to have the basics though, which we’ll go through now.

Furniture for Baby’s Room

An important consideration and often the most costly is the furniture. Choosing the right pieces takes research.  You could go the second hand route, borrow or buy from friends, or start fresh with new furniture which is perfect for your taste and your space. We particularly like this crib and this glider with ottoman.  You always need somewhere for baby to sleep and somewhere for you to sit to feed.  Those early weeks can be torture as far as sleep deprivation goes so every comfort makes a difference.

Storage is important.  You need somewhere to stash the nappies, wipes, clothes, blankets and toys.  You could go with shelves & baskets like I did, or a proper dresser like this.  If you have built in wardrobes, customizing them for baby is fun!

Somewhere to change baby is necessary!  You could just use a rug on the floor with a change mat for cleanliness, but depending on how you are recovering from birth, a change table puts everything at the right height.  This could be a change mat on your dresser, or a special purpose changing table.

Don’t forget to make sure you’ve got spaces to stash nappies, wipes, creams, and changes of clothes so when you’re changing nappies you’ve got everything handy.  Baskets are perfect for this, and can be placed in strategic places around your nursery and home.

Decorating for Baby

While budget and safety are both important factors in any baby room, it is also important to incorporate items and designs that will stimulate your baby’s development.  There are so many ideas out there that this part can be confusing.  By having a solid plan, you will ease the stresses and save time when setting up your baby’s space.  There are lots of products out there to choose from, including designs for the wall, baby crib bedding in all kinds of colors, prints, and materials, and even baby mobiles to keep your little one entertained.

Other Handy Items for Bub’s Room

Although not usually essential, other handy things to have are night lights, white noise sound machines, and baby monitors.  You can find a good selection here.







Look out for my other posts about nursery decorating with specific genres and themes!

Wishing you the BerryBest!

Heather & the BerryBest Baby™ team

Basic Nursery Setup