Babies come with a huge amount of clutter and you’ll need to find somewhere to store it all. When selecting nursery furniture, bear this in mind as choosing good storage spaces is just as important as getting the right colour of soft furnishings. As your baby grows the number of toys, books, hobbies and the practical necessities will grow.

With a baby you need to make sure you have storage space for changing items, nappies, clothes and blankets. As they grow the clothes will get bigger, the numbers of toys increases and books come into the equation also. By making wise storage choices you’ll make your life easier and more orderly.

There are many things that can go on shelves and book shelves. You can hang toys on hooks and rest things on cabinet tops. For smaller items get some coordinated baskets or boxes.

For things that would look messy if they were left out in the open, arrange then in boxes that can be shut away in cabinets or wardrobes. You can get storage boxes and drawers that roll under the cot or bed and will store larger items such as games.

Organise the wardrobe carefully, making sure clothes can be accessed easily. Put seldom used items at the back of the wardrobe and consider storing away seasonal items when not needed.

Toys

Many mums-to-be will be concerned about losing the weight that they will have built up within the pregnancy months. It is no secret that many women find it terribly difficult to lose the extra pounds and many accept that their weight will increase once they start having children. However there is no need for this to be the case.

There has been recent evidence released to show that by taking some simple steps you can prevent more weight gain after birth and can slowly and sensibly start to slim back to your pre-pregnancy figure. There are three simple steps to follow:

1 – Walk every day
If you can incorporate thirty minutes a day into your routine you will combat the weight gained throughout pregnancy and avoid putting on any extra. There’s no excuse either. Take your pushchair out and walk to the park – its good for you and the baby.

2 – Cut down on watching TV
Replacing TV viewing with activity will dramatically help in controlling your weight. It may be tempting when you have a spare moment to plonk yourself in front of the TV but try to do something active instead.

3 – Cut out trans fats
Trans fats are those bad fats that can be found in processed foods and sweet items such as cakes and biscuits. Munch on healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts instead.

Pushchairs

When choosing nursery furniture and other furniture items the choice can be mind blowing. It pays to protect your bank balance by only choosing those that are essential. Here are three more essential furniture items:

Changing table

You just can’t do without the space and room to store all that baby changing paraphernalia. There are nappies, clothes, wipes and creams to name just some of the items you’ll need. A sturdy changing table is a great investment and provides you with the space to store many items away. It also prevents you from hurting your back as it provides a waist high space to change the baby. Look out for designs that have a mixture of open shelves and drawers for storage.

High chair

Once your baby starts to be able to move and sit up, feeding time can become extremely messy. So that your baby is seated in a secure place whilst eating, you need to invest in a good high chair. One with a strong base and that is easy to clean is ideal. If dining room space is an issue then get one that folds down.

Toy box

You need to teach your baby to keep the room tidy from an early age, plus you will soon become inundated with toys and knick knacks that will soon start to litter all corners of the house. A toy box is a great thing to have in the nursery. Make sure the lid isn’t too heavy or get one without a lid.

Furniture

Kitting out a nursery can be an expensive business so you need to make a choice about what items really are essential for your baby and yourself.

The cot

It goes without saying that the cot is one of the most essential items. Even if you intend to have the baby in your own room initially, buying the cot before the baby’s arrival is a wise choice. You need to look for a safe and sturdy cot as this is the one place you can afford to leave your baby unattended over a short space of time.

With new safety standards imposed by the government you can be sure that all reputable retailers are supplying safe cots. However you should still make doubly sure that the cot meets with regulations and keep an eye out for product recalls.

Portable playpen or crib

A practical addition to your nursery furniture inventory is a portable crib or playpen. In the early months you’ll feel better if you can have the baby near you when in another room other than the nursery and a crib or playpen enables you to put the baby down to sleep while you carry on with day-to-day life. They are also useful if you like to go visiting. Again these playpens and cribs are regulated from a safety point of view.

Furniture

When designing your nursery, the centrepiece of all the nursery furniture will be the cot. You need to create a space where your little one will enjoy sleeping and playing. It should be a place they feel safe and secure and relaxed. The cot should be positioned away from strong sunlight and any radiators to prevent the baby from overheating.

Think about the décor surrounding the cot. It’s an idea to place some pictures or canvases on the wall next to the cot. You can also get stencils which are nursery rhyme themed to decorate the area and give the baby something to look at. Mobiles for the crib are also a good idea to keep the baby occupied if they wake up and to soothe them back to sleep again.

As the baby gets older you can give yourself a bit more time in the morning if you leave interesting toys attached to the cot once the baby is at the stage that they are starting to play alone. Alternatively place some toys on a chair next to the cot. Swap things around regularly to keep the baby stimulated. If the baby is losing interest in certain toys hide them away for a few weeks before you reintroduce them. They’ll soon appear to be exciting to the baby once more.

Furniture