The average cost to raise a child is thought to be around $250,000, but you’ll be relieved to hear you don’t need to spend all of that on the nursery. In fact, you can create a stylish nursery without blowing your budget. That’ll leave you plenty of money for the shiny red bicycles, family holidays and college tuition of the future. You may have had the nursery finished since before you even gave birth, but if you decided to wait until your baby was ready for his own room, these handy hints might come in useful. Here are five tips to help you create the nursery of your dreams without breaking the bank:
- Go timeless
The key to good decorating is longevity. If you choose a style that is timeless, you’ll get to enjoy it for longer and won’t be in any hurry to redecorate. In a nursery, this means choosing a design that will grow with your child. You might be surprised at just how quickly your child can outgrow cartoon animal decorations. One way round this is to use temporary decorations such as wall stickers which can be easily updated as and when you want a new look. Use wall stickers, decorative knobs and wall prints to add the details to your baby’s bedroom. These can be easily updated when necessary and you won’t have to strip wallpaper or repaint for a fresh look.
- Value practicality
There is an overwhelming urge to create the most beautiful nursery the world has ever seen, but you need to make sure it’s practical as well. While your Pinterest board may be filled with breath-taking nurseries, the rooms themselves may not really be the easiest to live in. During the design process, it’s important to imagine how the room will be used. If you’re planning to have your diaper station in there, you’ll need wipes, diapers and a diaper bin all within easy reach. If you’re planning to breastfeed in there, you’ll need a comfy chair and some form of entertainment at hand to keep you awake during those 3am feeds.
- Wait and see
With six months of parenting under your belt, you’re probably well acquainted with the fact that you don’t need to own every baby product on the market. In fact, you probably already have a cupboard full of seemingly pointless baby products you never quite got round to using. To avoid spending more money on pointless junk, take a wait and see approach to the nursery. Don’t buy the things you think you should buy, instead buy the things you actually need. Wait and see whether you really do need something before forking out your hard earned money on it.
- Shop second hand
Buying second hand items for the nursery can save you a small fortune. Many baby products are only used for a short time and so can be picked up second hand in really good condition. You can buy pretty much anything second hand, though there are certain baby products (such as car seats and cot mattresses) that need to be brand new for safety reasons. Look on local selling sites, in thrift stores and at car boot sales to see how much you could save. To save even more, try borrowing items from friends and family members. This way, you won’t have to spend any money and will be able to return the items when you’re done, saving you plenty of space in the loft!
- It’s all about organization
As you may be aware, kid’s bedrooms can get messy real quickly. While you may look at your adorable six month old baby and think that’s unlikely, it won’t be long until the baby grows into a toddler. And toddlers, you may have heard, are pretty good at wreaking havoc. They’re good at emptying drawers, tipping up toy baskets and throwing soft toys around the room. The key to preventing a disaster zone is organization. Make sure everything has a place and that everything is easy to tidy away. Toy baskets and storage buckets are good ideas for the nursery and will allow your child to find what she wants to play with.
Is your nursery primed and ready to go or are you still putting together the finishing touches?
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
