Getting ready for parenthood can be one of the most exciting experiences, but at the same time, it can also be stressful especially if it’s your first baby, so you don’t know where to start. There are too many things to care about: doctor’s checkups, buying all the baby clothes, the crib and making sure that everything goes according to the plan. If you’re looking to redecorate and baby proof your apartment before your little one arrives, here are the most important things you need to know:
1. Make sure there’s enough space
Even if you live in a small apartment, it’s still necessary to ensure that there will be enough space for a crib and a changing table. If you don’t have a room for the baby, you can make enough space in your bedroom or even a living room. So the first thing you need to do is to get rid of all the unnecessary items that are making your home feel and look cramped. Of course, it would be best if you could buy a house that will be big enough for all of you, but even if you cannot afford it, a small apartment will do. Therefore, it’s important to be creative and use every bit of space in your home – you can find plenty of ideas and pregnancy guides on Baby Wonderland.
2. Don’t focus on toys
Every child needs and loves toys, but babies will hardly need stuffed animals and an ice cream play cart, so if your friends and relatives buy some of those, kindly ask them to get you something more useful instead. And if you get those types of presents, try to store them somewhere and give them to your kid once it’s big enough to play with them. Toys take up too much area that you can use in a much better way. If you really want to have some toys at home, get a shelf that won’t take up too much space. Babies need to bond with parents and feel loved, there will be time for playing with the toys. For the first few months, your primary goal should be making your home functional and baby-friendly as much as possible.
3. If you don’t need it, sell it
Having a lot of stuff lying around can make you feel a bit stressed out, especially if you have a newborn constantly demanding your attention. In case you have a lot of clothes and other various things that you don’t use anymore, you should sell them online as soon as your child grows out of something. If you don’t like selling stuff, you can always give them to your friends and family members who have similarly aged kids, or even better, donate them to those who need it more than you. There are many charity organization that can accept and distribute those things, while your only job is to pack them and bring them the bags or boxes.
4. Prepare the nursery
Although many parents love to have their baby near them, a nursery is vital if you still want your baby to have her own space. Setting up a nursery should always be done at least one month before the baby arrives, so you won’t feel overwhelmed with too many obligations. There are many available options, and your choice is largely dependent on the nursery size and how much are you ready to spend on decorating. You can choose safe options like blue room for boys and pink for girls, but if you want to be more imaginative, you can pick other, more gender-neutral colours, such as yellow, green and maybe even grey. Also, you can decide to go with a specific theme, since that can help you be more focused when it comes to picking and adding certain elements for the baby’s room.
In conclusion, these tips will help you get ready for the arrival of your little munchkin. There are various things you can add to your apartment, such as a baby monitor or baby proofing the home. However, even if there are certain rules that parents are supposed to follow, remember that you can do things your own way, as long as the baby is safe and well-cared for.
