Addy is our first child so we were starting from scratch when it came to getting her nursery ready. Typically a newborn sleeps in the parents' bedroom for the first few months of their life in a bassinet or bedside sleeper so it's not essential that your nursery be 100% ready when you go into labor. Although it's certainly easier and more fun to have their room all ready for them! Here are some basics that you'll need for when your baby moves into their own room!
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Nursery
Chair (Rocker or Glider): I originally had a lazy-boy recliner in the nursery (and I did love it) but it was huge and didn't leave us enough room for activities.. so I found this glider by Dutalier and although it's on the smaller side, it's SO comfortable. ( I'm 5'9 so I needed something that could comfortably fit me and still be cute). You can definitely get away with nursing on the couch or in bed, but I do really love having the chair as an option.
Dresser/Changing Table: We tested out lots of dressers to find one that was tall enough for us to comfortably change Adalynn's diaper on top (my husband is 6'2 and I'm 5'9. This dresser from IKEA was perfect, plus I was able to organize it with these drawer organizers so it's an incredibly efficient system!
Rug: I wanted the nursery to feel bright and open (even with the lack of sunlight) which is why we opted for white everything... EVEN OUR RUG! This one is from Ruggable and is stain-resistant and can be washed in the washing machine! Use my code FUNJESSICAH10 for 10% off at Ruggable.
Black Out Curtains: I HIGHLY recommend having black-out curtains in your baby's room (and yours if you are room-sharing). I'm all for babies learning to sleep in bright lights as well, and napping in the sunlight during the day. But at night you want baby to sleep in a DARK room without flashing lights from police cars, fireworks, or any other light pollution that most of us experience. *not to mention they may sleep longer if it's dark in there... Addy sleeps in till 8:30 am!
Decor: The nursery is one of my favorite spaces in our home because I was very intentional about the decor. I wanted it to feel bright and open so I opted for white furniture and darker accents. I tried to incorporate the toys into the decor on the shelves and blend in some plants (lack of sunlight meant mostly faux plants). I found a beautiful caddy to keep on top of the dresser to store diapers and wipes. I also tried to make even the ugly things pretty; like our white diaper pail, using a wicker basket as a hamper, and hiding the cord to our baby monitor with these nifty cord hiders from Amazon!
Sound Machine/Nightlight: We used the Hatch which is a combo of both a sound machine and nightlight and our favorite for nighttime sleep. The nightlight is perfect for middle-of-the-night awakenings and the white noise is adjustable so you can make it the perfect volume. It plugs in so no need to worry about it dying and shutting off in the middle of the night like wireless ones do!
Storage for Everyday Items: I'm all about creating successful systems so I invested in baby hangers, size dividers, drawer organizers, stacking drawers, and labels. The system was thought about carefully so that it was established in a way that was easy to modify (like easily switching labels) and also would grow with Adalynn as she gets bigger and her needs change.
Storage for Less Used Items: We have bins established at the top of her closet for items that we don't need easy access to like memorabilia, outgrown toys & clothes, and clothes that don't fit yet. I used these fabric bins from Amazon in Adalynn's room and these in baby boy's room.
Storage might not be a NECESSITY, but I promise you if you establish a successful system your life will be a lot easier.
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Ruggable Rug *code FUNJESSICA10 *
Be sure to read through my blog post Ways to Feel Prepared as a First-time-mom and explore all my favorite products on my Amazon Storefront!
Want a detailed registry checklist along with all my tips and tricks for successfully setting up a nursery so it will last well into toddlerhood? Click here!
Always, Jess
L E T ' S B E F R I E N D S !
