10 Tips For Designing the Perfect Nursery

What does your dream nursery look like? 

As brand-new parents-to-be, we fantasize about that perfect nursery, and each parent's dream is a little different. 

My baby's perfect nursery included a monkey mobile and a race car crib.  Maybe your ideal room is full of plush toys and large furniture kept neat and tidy.

We dream of roomy gliders for those long, sleepless nights. We envision spacious closets full of neatly stacked baby gear. We can almost see our bundles of joy blissfully snoozing in a fancy crib.

Those dreams fall flat when reality hits, though. Take it from me: Half of the things you imagine you need for your  nursery will rarely be used. You'll rely on a few  staples that will be worn down to their core by the time your baby outgrows the room. 

With that said, here are some time-saving, budget-friendly nursery hacks I've come up with. Feel free to use them as a guideline to design your perfect nursery. 

Clear The Clutter.

How much furniture do you really need in your baby's room?

I know that a mother's instinct is to fill every corner of that beloved nursery. At least that's how I felt during my nesting phase. 

However, recent studies show that a cluttered room poses a risk to baby. So Declutter that room with the following genius Hacks. 

1. A Multipurpose Changing Table

If you invest in a functional changing table, you won't even miss that separate dresser you thought you wanted. 

My baby's changing  table had a roomy chest of drawers upon which sat a changing surface. This way, I was able to store his clothes in the drawers, and keep other essentials off to the side of the changing surface.

If you have an entire wall to dedicate to furniture, invest in a large changing station. You won't regret that bountiful storage.

Bonus Hack:

Don't forget a changing pad for your diaper station. 

These pads are portable, flexible, and waterproof. buy an extra one to throw in the trunk of your car for emergency diaper changes. 

2. An Organized Closet

Nothing says baby like piles of clothes. You'll acquire quite the collection, I promise.

From the baby shower to visits from relatives, you'll have more clothes and toys for your little one than you'll know what to do with. Here's how you can keep it all organized:

Group your baby's clothes by size.

Then, split them into outfits and sleeper suits.

Keep your clothes organized in the nursery closet with these handy closet dividers These dividers fit on most closet rods. 

They're also compact yet big enough for substantial stacks of clothes. This way, you'll have your baby's outfits ordered by size and available at a glance. 

Bonus Hack:

Between the clothes you buy and the ones you're given, you'll have more than enough for your baby's first year.

Give all these clothes an honest once-over. Do you really need all of them?

If not, donate or sell what your baby won't need. You'll help out another family and free up some space. Win-win!

Think Multipurpose Beds

Baby's grow so quickly! In fact, did you know that babies enter a new developmental phase every month?

I don't know about you, but I wasn't prepared for the fact that my baby would grow and change so quickly, despite seasoned parents always telling me so. 

With this said, think about it: Do you really need a traditional crib?

You might find that an unconventional baby bed is both more practical and versatile. 

   3. Get a toy hammock for stuffed animals.

You are going to end up with tons of stuffed animals for your baby. It is inevitable. Everyone loves to give a new baby a plush and soft new toy they can cuddle with. As you find your stuffed animal collection increasing, get a hammock.

This hammock can hang in the corner of the room and you can easily place all the stuffed animals in it. The best part about having a hammock for stuffed animals is that they are off the floor and it can be used well into your baby’s kid years for that growing collection.

   4.  Hang a clothes hamper.

Yes, instead of getting one that sits right on the floor and takes up space, get a hamper for your baby’s clothes that can hang on the back of the door using a hook.

Your baby’s clothes aren’t heavy and by using a laundry bag rather than a bin, you can easily place the clothes in it and carry it to the laundry room when it comes time to wash. You will save on both space and effort when it comes to doing laundry for your baby.

    5. Use a swivel chair rather than a rocker in the nursery.

Stay with me here. Rocking chairs take a lot of space and are starting to fade in popularity. Through the use of a swivel chair rather than a rocker, you have seating and access to all points in the room with just a swivel.

You may be imagining:

A swivel chair? Like the one I use at the office?

Nope, not like that one. Get a cozy, chic chair that you can repurpose for your babies’ room. 

Make sure this chair is easy to swivel around in and allows you to reach other items in the room.

When you are holding your baby in your arms and need a cloth, you can easily swivel around to the change table and grab that cloth without disturbing your baby.

    6. Use a plastic shoe hanger for nursery storage

Hang a plastic shoe hanger on the back of the closet door or the nursery door for storage. You can easily stuff small books, small toys or any number of other items into it to help keep things organized.

    7. Chalkboard or Whiteboard

You want to leave messages of love or put up your baby’s name in the room. A great way to accomplish this and transition as they get older is through a whiteboard or a chalkboard with non-toxic chalk.

These boards are the perfect way to display messages of love and your baby’s name in the room without making it a permanent fixture in the room. For that reason, it is easy to change  later as your baby grows.

Bonus:

It’s a great place to remind yourself of essentials when planning a day out or a trip also.

   8. Floating shelves.

You can get these cute floating shelves that look like clouds or look like spice racks. There are so many options when it comes to using a floating shelf in your baby’s room. They are great ways to add design as well as serve additional purposes.

You may ask:

What other purposes?

These shelves can add design with functional items like books or toys. Additionally, you can use these shelves to hold other items that you need on a regular basis like little blankets and clothes.

By using floating shelves, you can display everyday items and make them look as though they are apart of the room’s décor.

     9. Blackout Window covers.

Every nursery needs to have black out curtains to keep the sun out during nap times and early bedtimes. You want your baby to associate dark with sleep. A great way to accomplish this is through the purchase of blackout curtains for the windows.

Having little night lights or other forms of unnatural light in the room is good. When it comes time to teach your baby about natural sleep times, you want them to associate dark with sleep and light with wake up.

Conclusion:

There are so many wonderful and creative things you can do to make your nursery functional and adorable for your baby. Ultimately, you want to make sure it is going to be a comforting place for your little one.

These nursery hacks are a great way to achieve that functionality and comfort your desire.

The best part:

Your baby can grow with these hacks and that will save you both time and money when it comes to making the room work for your older baby, toddler and beyond.

Do you have some nursery hack ideas that weren’t listed here? Please tell us about them. We love to hear from you.