Preparing a Comfortable and Stylish Nursery

Preparing your baby’s room is one of the highlights of pregnancy. Every bit of it – from choosing the paint colors to making sure there’s room for those little clothes -- is a chance to think of that little bundle you’ll be bringing home soon. Besides, it’s just fun! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you work:

Make It Comfortable and Safe

You want your baby to feel happy, safe, and secure in her new room. One way to do that is to fill it with comfort items like blankets made of fleece fabric and some friendly stuffed animals (just make sure to follow safety recommendations when it comes to cribs and blankets). You can even work on turning a corner into a comfy reading nook, with some beanbags and pillows, because it’s never too early to start reading to your baby!

But don't forget to make it comfortable for yourself as well. Rocking chairs are a great addition that help moms and dads comfort crying babies, and they help to calm the moms and dads, too. And don’t forget a lamp, to give off soft light for those middle-of-the-night feedings.

Choose Colors That Will Last

Long gone are the days of pink for girls and blue for boys. The choices of paint colors are endless. And, if you go beyond just blue and pink, you can enjoy the décor for years to come instead of both you and your child outgrowing it in a few years. How about a sophisticated grey? Or a calming sage green? The sky's the limit when you are picking a color for the nursery, and nowadays with all of the online shopping options it is easy to buy accessories in just about any color.

Declutter and Get Organized

It may be tempting to make it a nursery/storage room instead of just a nursery. After all, the baby’s not going to care if you put that exercise bike in there, is he? Well, probably not, at least for a few years. But keep in mind that this is a room you may be stumbling around in at 3 in the morning, when it is dark and probably pretty chaotic (let’s face it – when a baby is screaming because of a full diaper or because he is hungry, that gets pretty chaotic). You don’t want to have to step over things that aren’t there for a good reason, but simply for storage.

Besides minimizing clutter, you should also make sure that your baby’s room is neat and organized. Do you really want to have to look in five different spots for a thermometer when you are worried your baby might have a fever? Or run out of diapers at a critical moment because you have a hard time keeping track of your baby supplies? If you’ve never been an organized person, now might be the time to start.

Get Sentimental

Do you still have that teddy bear you used to love as a kid? Passing it on to the new baby is a great way to keep it loved and in the family. Also, if you have some books that you loved as a child, tracking those down might be the perfect way to start your child’s collection of books.

If you’re wondering how you should decorate the nursery walls, how about some family photos? Not just of mom and dad, but of relatives near and far, photos from last Christmas and from last century. Some family pictures are a great way to decorate, and babies love looking at faces. It’s also a great way to encourage a bond between the baby and the family.

Decorating your baby’s room is exciting, and one step closer to the day you bring your baby home! Make the nursery comforting and safe, a place where the new family can get to know each other in comfort and style.