When Should I Start Decorating the Nursery?
Decorating the nursery can be one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy, but it can also be extremely overwhelming to think about all the possibilities available to you. Will your nursery have a theme? Will you buy furniture or make it yourself? Where will you store all those baby clothes? Don’t worry, here are some tips on how to decorate your nursery.
Is the sooner the better?
Some may want to start adding decorations as soon as they learn their baby’s sex, but others will wait until they are closer to their due date. Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong time to get started decorating your nursery. However, those who begin earlier have more time to gather supplies and shop around for discounts. The earlier you start decorating, the easier it will be on your budget—but if you’re unsure of when you’ll need certain items like furniture or a crib, then waiting may be a better option. As with most things in life, balance is key and will help create a space that works well for both mom and baby!
How to decorate your nursery when you don’t have a lot of time
If you’re expecting, chances are you’re a bit stressed out. That’s normal! You’re getting ready to welcome a new family member into your life, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking. If there was ever a time to consider hiring help with home improvement projects, it would be now. Hiring an interior designer for your nursery is almost as much about feeling good about what you’re creating as it is about time management — that way, when you think of all that needs to get done before your baby arrives (and after), having someone else deal with some of that can help alleviate any pressure or anxieties about parenthood.
The things you should do right away
Ideally, you should start thinking about nursery décor early in your pregnancy, around 20 weeks. That gives you enough time to plan and save for furniture and accessories, says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D.
Before deciding on a theme or color scheme, think about what style works best for your household. Do you like bright and cheery, or do you like things to be more neutral?
When putting together your nursery, think about nursery ceiling hangings, artwork, mementos and heirlooms, and other small details that you would like to add to help you decide the nursery theme. You can get some creative ideas and decor from stores like Crane Baby.
Once that is out of the way, you’ll need to decide if your baby will be sleeping with you or in his room so that you can get the first thing that should be at the top of your list — a crib.
When your child arrives, what will he sleep on?
You’ll likely have to decide between co-sleeping, using a bassinet, or crib. When it comes to deciding which is best for your family, safety should be at or near the top of your list. It’s important to take steps like setting up babyproofing and planning accordingly so that you can keep him safe as he learns how to move around and explore his surroundings.
You’ll also want to think about what kind of space you want him to sleep in — some parents prefer their children sleep in a separate room so they aren’t disturbed by them during nighttime feedings.
Where should we keep everything else while we are waiting?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of your baby gear. How will you keep track of everything, keep it clean and organized, and get it all put away in one place again when you don’t need it anymore? If you are lucky enough to have a spare room for your nursery-to-be, then using that space as an overflow area is a great idea.
But even if you don’t have that luxury, there are many ways to create order from chaos without turning your home into a daycare facility. There are plenty of creative solutions for getting control over your stuff (you just have to think them through such as turning the nursery closet into shelves and cubbies).
If you would like to browse through a few more nursery ideas, here’s a quick read on how to decorate a nursery.
