It is a good idea to have your nursery planned out and stocked with all of the essentials prior to going into labor. If you have everything in order, you can concentrate all of your efforts on being a new parent. It will take time to plan and decorate your nursery. However, with the anticipation of your new baby’s arrival, planning a nursery should be an enjoyable task.

Steps to planning your baby nursery:

1. Choose the right room
2. Design your nursery based on a theme
3. Design your nursery based on colors
4. Designing Focus Points to grab your baby’s attention
5. Essential Furniture
6. Furniture Arrangement
7. Window Treatments

Choosing the right room:

If you have a two bedroom house, this decision is easy. However, we do have a few tips for you to choose the right room for a bigger house.

1. Proximity of the Nursery to your master bedroom. Mom will have to feed the baby throughout the night so you may want to choose a room close to the master bedroom. This way, you can also hear if your baby needs you and it may keep your feeling more comfortable with having your baby out of your arms.
2. Consider sunlight – your baby is going to have to take naps during the day. One consideration in picking a room can be the amount of natural sunlight that enters the room. Is the room on the North, South, East or West of the house? The amount of sunlight in the baby's room may affect his/her sleeping habits. If the room faces east, then you may have an early riser due to the morning sun beaming into the room. The North side of your house should get the least amount of sunlight, while the South side of your house should get the most.
3. Consider noise? Will the baby nursery be close to a major road? Outside noise could make your baby have a hard time falling asleep or could wake up your baby in the middle of his or her nap.
4. Do you have different size rooms to choose from? Select the size of the room based on how you plan to use the nursery. Do you plan on using the nursery for both sleeping and for play time? If you are going to have a separate playroom for your baby’s toys, then a smaller nursery may be cozier for the baby.

Choose a nursery theme:

Kids love to play and the be imaginative. Although your newborn won’t fully appreciate a baby nursery theme until they are old enough to enjoy the room, picking a theme can be a great way to decorate a baby nursery. Click here to learn more about popular baby nursery themes

Nursery Color Choice

If a theme isn’t for you, choosing a color scheme is also a popular way of designing a baby nursery. You will have to decide among colorful or neutral colors. Try and focus in on relaxing soothing colors such as soft blues, greens, tans or creams. Many parents decide to purchase their crib bedding first and trying to match the paint colors certain tones of the crib bedding.

Focus Points

Consider patterns and decorations while painting a nursery. Can you sponge paint clouds on the ceiling on top of a blue background. Have you considered painting soft swirls or stripes within the room? You can also purchase decorative wall art for your nursery. These patterns may be more interesting for your baby’s developing eyes.

Essential Furniture:

The basic pieces for a nursery are a crib, nightstand, changing table, dresser and a rocking chair. You can buy matching sets or look for individual pieces. Make sure all of the items are sturdy and safe. Check for any recalls that may have happened if the items are older.

Furniture Arrangement

Consider the following when arranging your furniture:

1. Keep the cribs location away from potentially dangerous situations. Keep the crib clear of any items that the baby can pull on top of them such as lamps, paintings, decorations, etc. Also, never put the crib close to window treatments with dangling cords (choking hazard).
2. Keep baby's crib on an inside wall to keep your bay from overheating from sunlight or keeping them warm in the winter months from any drafts entering the room.
3. Think about the daily traffic flow of the room. Having the dresser far away from the changing table may not make a lot of sense while you are reaching for items.

Utilizing Window Treatments for both color and function

Blocking light in the middle of the day will help your baby get enough nap time. Try to coordinate the shades with the theme or colors of the room.