I’ve not yet begun to decorate my Daughters nursery but have been looking around for ideas. As our previous home was rented and we planned to buy a house shortly after the birth, we never actually did the “decorating the nursery” bit before she was born. But as we’d have gone down a very neutral route anyway, having not known whether she was in fact a she, I’m sort of grateful we didn’t waste our money.
Most of the furniture we acquired pre-birth was done on less than a shoestring budget. I was really overwhelmed during my pregnancy as to how much money you apparently need to fork out on a baby. Cot, car seat, pram, clothes, bedding etc is all uber expensive. And when you haven’t a clue as to what a baby actually needs, it can be really overwhelming as to what you should or shouldn’t buy. So we were really thrifty and spent less that £200 getting ready – including all the big purchases. I’m really proud of that. If any of you are expecting, here is my take on nursery equipment: what’s worth spending your money on and what really can be ignored.
MUST HAVE BUYS:
· A Cot Bed – Ours cost £40 second hand and it’s a good, sturdy make. And its suitable from birth up to about 4 years of age so you really get your money’s worth.
· Cot Mattress – if you go with a cot bed, it’s worth bearing in mind that your child will be using the same mattress for up to 4 years, so it needs to be durable and provide them with good support. It can be tempting to opt for a foam mattress if your budget is really tight (as they retail at about £40 on the highstreet) but don’t be hasty. We shopped around and bought a sprung mattress off an Ebay shop for just £34. Its brilliant quality and would cost upwards of £90 for one from mothercare and over £120 from Mamas & Papas.
· Changing Mat – Nothing prepares you for how many nappies you’ll be changing in the first few weeks after childbirth. And how messy the whole process is. Though we had a girl, we still had many an “accident” during nappy change – the fresh air on a naked bottom causes all kinds of mishaps! So a mat is essential. I never bought the small towels which lie on top of the mat as I found an old towel was more than adequate.
· Wardrobe – We’ve only just bought a wardrobe and we really struggled up until now in terms of storage. So many people buy your child clothes after they’re born, you’ll be amazed at how many styles are available. And you end up having a whole load of clothes which don’t yet fit but still need storing. We opted for a robe with 3 drawers along the bottom too as that gave a storage solution for the bedding and blankets too.
· Small Basket – I found that babies need a lot of toiletries – it’s almost unbelievable. It’s really helpful to have somewhere to store all the bits together, if only to keep the room in some sort of order. So I recommend getting a little basket to keep all toiletries in for nappy changes and bathtime, meaning everything is easy to find and nearby.
· Fitted Sheets, Sleeping bag & Swaddle blanket – all essential bedding. Don’t underestimate how good swaddle blankets are for helping get your baby off to sleep in the first few weeks! And the sleeping bags remove any worry about them getting tangles up in blankets when they start moving about the cot.
OPTIONALS:
· Moses Basket or crib– our daughter is quite small and got good use out of her moses basket, but some babies are literally only in them for the first month. Considering that moses baskets cost upwards of £50, its not absolutely essential. But if you do get one, you’ll need a stand too, and they often cost about £30.
· Nappy Stacker – for aesthetics, its much nicer to have your nappies stored away rather than just piled on the side or in the wrapper but again, you could live without it.
· Cot Top Changer – we used the cot & mat for changes and never bought a changer at all, but I did want one of these and would have used it. But as we proved, you can get by without.
CAN DO WITHOUT:
· Cot Bumpers – these are a complete waste of time. They look good but can only be used when your baby is not moving about or pulling themselves up. Our daughter is already standing and the bumper has been taken down as it’s now dangerous. But now is the actual time she needs it as often bumps her head toppling over or crawling in her sleep. For at least £50, it’s a complete waste of cash. Some bedding bales again cost in excess of £100 and I think realistically all you need are fitted sheets. Babies don’t need lots of layers as can overheat very easily when asleep – a sleeping bag of the appropriate tog is much better.
· Changing Unit – again, these are more of an aesthetic unit really. And they can be dangerous if your child likes to roll over a lot. Most parents I know who had one used it for the first few weeks, then took to changing on the floor with a mat instead.
I hope this helps if you are looking for advice on nursery essentials. Of course, these are just my opinions and will mostly help if your budget is very tight, like ours was. You’re not a bad parent if you don’t spend a fortune on your baby’s nursery and it’s important to remember that. In terms of design, there are lots of ways to be creative. There is a fantastic blog, Chic & Cheap, which showcases some brilliant nurseries which have been done on minimal budgets and they’re really inspiring.
How have you decided to decorate your little one’s nursery? I’d love to hear from you if you think your nursery is worth sharing!
Mx
