7 Tips for Setting up a Comfortable Nursery

By Guest Blogger, Jassica Mendez

Your baby's nursery is most likely the room in your house you are most enthusiastic about designing and decorating. After all, this is the room where you'll spend most of your time throughout your child's early years of life, and it sets the tone for how they will learn about and see the world. Aside from making your child's nursery unique, special, and full of character, it's also essential to ensure that it's functional. You need to freely move around in it and easily access everything you need. Functionality also implies durability, so the items you choose must withstand daily wear and tear. Most importantly, you must create a safe and comfortable space where you will want to spend your time. So, if you're a first-time parent and find all this a bit overwhelming, read this article to discover the seven tips for setting up a comfortable nursery. 

Think About the Layout 

Before you start remodeling your baby's nursery, you should have a thorough strategy for the room's layout. In addition, when designing a room, consider how you will use each corner. This is where appearance and function need to cooperate. You need to adjust the design to the function and vice versa. For example, go with the furniture that's both long-lasting and contributes to the style you chose for the nursery. 

In addition, make sure that the flow of the room is good. For example, place changing table near the storage space where you'll find diapers, clothes, baby care products, etc. 

We suggest making a layout that can easily be upgraded as your child grows older. This means ensuring a changing table can be replaced with a study desk, a crib with a smaller bed, a cozy rug with a toddler mat for floor play, etc. It means you need to think about the future when setting up a comfortable nursery. 

Pick a Theme

Choosing an overall theme and a color palette is a wonderful place to start after deciding on the nursery's layout. You can find a theme in a rug, a piece of art, a cloth, or a collection of toys/collectibles you want to display and center your theme around. Beginning with something simple, such as a wall color, limits your possibilities for art and fabrics. However, art and accessories may be more challenging to start with. Therefore, we recommend looking for the unique things first, so you don't restrict your possibilities too soon. 

Many parents choose soothing tones, while others prefer bold colors and wallpapers. Some even hire professionals to paint something specific on the accent wall. For example, the jungle has been a popular theme in recent years. Of course, you can go as big or as small on the theme as you want. 

Invest in Convertible & Durable Furniture

Every first-time parent gets tempted to buy fancy, over-the-top furniture for their babies. While we completely understand this urge, we must tell you this - you'll use it for two years max, and you'll regret buying it even faster. Take cribs, for example. There are so many convertible alternatives that transform into a toddler bed, daybed, and, later, a full-size bed that your child can use until they go to college!

A dresser with a detachable changing topper is another form of convertible furniture worth having in your nursery. When your baby is toilet trained, remove the top, and you have a dresser that your child may use for years. 

This way, you won't have to change the layout of the space continuously, and if you do, it won't be too difficult. It's also great for your budget. Maybe you'll spend a bit of money upfront, but you'll save in the future. Therefore, convertible furniture is an excellent investment in the long run. 

Storage Space Is Crucial 

Babies are so little when they first come home from the hospital, yet they grow fast and gather so much stuff - not just clothing but wraps, comforters, sleeping bags, diapers, modern play mats, toys, books, puzzles, souvenirs, and so on. Therefore, adequate and plentiful storage is necessary when setting up a comfortable nursery. 

We suggest purchasing a decent-sized chest of drawers for your little one's clothes. You'll need plenty of space for their jumpsuits, onesies, singlets, shirts, hoodies, socks, etc. Their clothes are so tiny, but they accumulate so fast. So, don't underestimate the storage space you'll need for the clothes. 

Shelves are also excellent for storing the baby's trinkets, such as books, games, puzzles, jewelry and memento boxes, photo frames, and all of the plush animals you'll undoubtedly get. They occupy a LOT of room!

Create a Fun Playing Area 

Playing is an integral part of growing up. Even when they're only able to lay on their backs and look at the surrounding, babies learn about the world and soak up everything around them. That's them playing. Therefore, a fun and interactive playing area in a nursery is a must.

The essential part of every at-home playground is a baby play mat. This is an excellent base for your baby to turn around on, crawl, sit, etc. Depending on the size of your nursery, you can choose a smaller or an extra-large foam play mat for floor play in many styles and colors. For example, a boho play mat is trendy right now. 

Furthermore, a nursery is an area where you want to put some shelves and cubbies for all the toys your baby has and will get in the next couple of years. As we already said, we're talking huge numbers here. 

We suggest making this area as colorful, fun, and playful as possible. This is the first classroom for your baby, so you want to make it effective. And, you want to embrace mess in this area as well! 

Don't Forget About Safety 

When setting up a comfortable nursery after moving into your new home, you must also think about safety. Babies grow into curious toddlers quickly, so it's essential to baby-proof early – before you're too busy chasing a toddler from one activity to the next. We recommend anchoring furniture to the walls, avoiding items kids can easily choke on, and investing in protective window coverings. The bottom line is that you need to make it safe and secure for your baby and think about every corner of the nursery. In addition, you'll need to baby-proof your home and not just the baby's room. So, we recommend doing it all at once. 

Choose the Right Lighting 

Adequate lighting is essential, especially during the first several months of a baby's life. You'll need it for night feedings and diaper changes. Get a dimmer night light so you may wander around the room without disturbing your infant. Furthermore, you can use LED strip lights to add a decorative touch to your lighting. They are incredibly bright and power-efficient. So, make sure not to put them near the crib to avoid disturbing your baby with the brightness. 

Conclusion

Decorating the nursery for your baby is so much fun. However, at times, it can get pretty overwhelming. After all, this is not all fun and games; it's a very responsible task to do. With these seven tips for setting up a comfortable nursery, your baby will be happy and safe. In addition, if you make intelligent investments furniture-wise, you'll save a lot of money in the long run. So, think smart and safe!