Nursery Basics

While it can be exciting to decorate a baby’s nursery with beautiful furniture and wall decor, it’s easy to spend upwards of a thousand dollars doing so. But you can still have a beautiful nursery even if you’re on a bare-bones budget. Here are the basics that you’ll need:

– A crib that meets current safety standards. It may be possible to find one that converts to a toddler bed as well, which will save you additional money in the long run. Ask around, and you may be able to find or borrow one of these for free from a friend or relative. Second-hand stores for children and garage sales are also great sources of nice-looking cribs. (Babies can’t do much damage to cribs, so they are usually in excellent condition.)

– A changing pad. You don’t need a changing table, just the pad. You can place it on the floor to change your baby there, which has the additional benefit of eliminating worries about your baby rolling over one day and falling off the table or dresser.

– A diaper pail with a good seal. This is one thing not to skimp on. Be sure that the diaper pail has a solid seal to eliminate odors.

– A mobile. While not essential, I’d still recommended it because it will stimulate your baby’s senses. It can be a very simple one though (no fancy electronics needed).

That’s the bare minimum. Remember, your baby will not be deprived if he or she doesn’t have a full suite of furniture that includes a crib, toddler bed, dresser, changing table, rocking chair, and chest. They won’t miss custom-made murals on the wall, dozens of stuffed animals, fancy shelving, and growth charts. It’s much more important to your baby’s future to be able to provide healthy food, love, time, and energy.