Buying For Baby
Where Should You Start?
Where to start, where to start?
Shopping for your new baby can be overwhelming! Your parents, friends, neighbors, sisters, sisters in law, aunts, uncles, brother's sister's cousin, the checkout lady at the supermarket, teller at the bank - everyone you meet has endless advice to share.
Slow down, find a comfortable place to sit, grab a cup of tea, decaf of course, a pad of paper and pen, and do a little planning and a little dreaming. Soon you will be on your way to creating a nursery that's warm, inviting, functional and, most importantly, safe.
Create a realistic budget for furniture, linens and decor. Also consider that household expenses will increase with baby's arrival and income may decrease if one or both parents change work schedules.
Don't wait until the last minute; major items usually need to be ordered and could take up to 12 weeks. You will also need time to thoroughly clean, paint and arrange all your purchases and gifts. It's frustrating to be tripping over shower gifts that can't be cleaned and put away because your furniture hasn't arrived yet. With everything done in advance, you can relax and enjoy your baby's homecoming.
Envision your nursery's color scheme and how the furniture, linens and wall color will work together. Think long-term; while wall colors and linens change as your child grows, most furniture grows with your child. Cribs convert to toddler beds and later full size beds so you should try to purchase the best quality furniture your budget will allow, Initially, you'll need a crib and a good quality, firm mattress, a changing table or dresser, and a glider with a footstool. For feeding time, a small table next to your glider is a great spot to set burp cloths or bottles.
Closet organizers are also a good idea. In the middle of the night it's helpful to have spare sheets, blankets, waterproof pads and other essentials close as opposed to a linen closet down the hall.
Lighting is also very important. Room darkening shades will help control the bright sun during naptime and nightlights help so you don't bump into things in the middle of the night.
Most importantly of all, slow down and enjoy infusing your and your partner's personality and tastes into your baby's own special space.
