For Parents! Organize the nursery
in advance of new baby
New parents might consider organizing the nursery in the advance of baby (or babies!) arrival to minimize stress and create a serene environment. The “stuff” baby needs takes up a lot of space so assigning all items to where they will always live means you can find what you need, whenever you need it — and it might be in the middle of the night!
Decide on a room layout using zones such as diaper changing area, dressing area, feeding area, play area. This structure will create a nice flow and you’ll have a clear idea about what needs to go where. Keep the floor clear at all times so you don’t trip in the middle of the night — therefore, soft lighting and reading lamps are essential.
This article’s expert says shelves tend to be more practical to store baby items versus all hanging rods. Consider cubby organizers for toys, diapers, seasonal clothing with some rod space for baby clothing that do need to be hung up.
Definitely create a designated changing area and store necessary items like diapers, creams, wipes in open containers so you can grab with one hand. And have your diaper disposal system within easy reach. When you’re not in the baby’s bedroom, invest in a portable lightweight caddy stocked with essential supplies.
Your most-needed/used items should be close at hand. Use a top drawer or easiest to get to shelf for your most frequently used items like burp cloths, creams, pacifiers, hats, socks, thermometer, etc. Middle drawers for clothing and bottom drawers for extra sleep sacks, sheets, blankets. And within the drawers, use bins to separate like items and/or drawer dividers.
The room layout and furniture should allow for the room to change as your child grows up. Cribs can have removable sides and you can buy changing tables that double as a chest of drawers.
This article’s author is a fan of shelves with cubbies in the nursery (and for playrooms) so categories of items can be neatly stored and seen and then adapted as your child’s needs changes. The overflow blankets and diapers in the early days will then get shifted to storing toys, craft supplies and sports equipment.
Save room in the nursery for clothes and toys (gifts) for your child to grow into. This could be on a top shelf in the closet or under the bed.
For safety to keep items off the floor and to maximize what might be a small room in the nursery, use vertical space by installing shelving on the walls to hold books, pretty baskets with your baby creams, toys. And don’t forget over the door organizers.
Keep age-appropriate toys in open baskets on the floor so your baby can explore and learn independence and creative play. Rotate them in and out so not everything is out at all once which is too overwhelming and also takes up too much space in what might be a small room.
Plan to regularly go through your baby’s outgrown clothes. Create a plan to save clothes for future children or given away to friends/family. Or sell them at children’s consignment stores or online.
The author summarizes the article by suggesting the most important factor is to avoid clutter for a space that is safe, serene, and easy to access everything you need. Create clear zones so that everything has its place so keep it neat and organized. If the nursery is very small, create portable stations for feeding, diaper changing, playtime by containing like-items in containers, bins, baskets so they can be moved around. Furniture should be functional so the changing table should have shelves or drawers. Use the space under the crib for under bed bins or vacuum bags for seasonal and/or future clothing or to store outgrown clothing for another child if no other space in your home exists.
And the author’s last tip is a good one for you parents out there! Your baby grows quickly so organize clothes by size and stack them in open boxes. When your baby moves to the next size, simply swap in the new boxes you’ve stored somewhere else in your home and remove the outgrown clothing. It sounds simple but it’s a great space saving hack!
Reprinted with permission from
https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/bedrooms/organizing-a-nursery
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