Around the House | August 16, 2016
Welcoming a new baby into your life is one of those amazing experiences that completely changes the way you live. As soon as you know your family is expecting a new member, it’s time to start making some home organization plans to make sure everything is ready for his or her arrival into the world. Whether this means preparing the nursery by de-cluttering or figuring where you’ll put all of baby’s “stuff”, the sooner you start planning, the better.
Although babies themselves don’t take up a lot of room, all of their belongings and supplies certainly do! You may be somewhat limited on nursery storage space, so getting creative will be an essential part of your planning. After you’ve chosen what room will be the nursery, whether that room is currently serving as a guest room or your walk-in closet, packing up the items and removing them is the first step you need to take. You should consider renting a self-storage unit to store these excess belongings until you have more time to make decisions about where they’ll now go in your home.
Here are a few easy nursery storage solutions to keep in mind as you’re preparing for your new little one:
Less is more
It might be tempting to purchase all the latest and greatest baby-related items all at once, but remember, in the beginning all you’ll really need is a crib, dresser and a rocking chair. Try to avoid cluttering up the room with excess furniture before you even bring the baby home. Or, at the very least, find furniture that can grow with the baby; options like cribs that convert into toddler or twin-size beds can help save on space- and on money.
Use the space available
Even if your nursery is on the smaller side, you can make good use of the space you do have. Purchase under bed storage drawers or under bed storage boxes that can fit under the crib and hold clothing, supplies, or toys. Install extra bars in the closet for hanging clothes or purchase baskets to store items on the top shelf.
Go vertical
Another creative nursery storage solution is to utilize vertical space. In other words, hanging shelving on the walls to hold books and toys is not only practical, but it looks nice, too!
Look for storage furniture
Under bed storage drawers or boxes are one great option, but you can also look for furniture that doubles as storage. For example, using a lower dresser as a changing table, an ottoman in front of the rocking chair that can hold extra blankets or supplies, or bookcases can all provide extra nursery storage.
Stay organized within the nursery
Designate stations around the nursery to help you stay organized. For example, you can have an area specifically for nursing or feeding, one for changing, one for sleeping, etc. Keep everything you need for a late night feeding or changing in one select spot.
Personalize the space
Finally, it’s important that the nursery is not only practical and organized, but also that it has some personalized touches. Consider framing your sonogram photos or copies of the baby’s hand and footprints after he or she is born and hang them on the wall or on a shelf. Use warm, neutral colors with pops of bright shades throughout to make the room inviting.
Keep in mind, with all of the suggestions mentioned above, safety comes first! Make sure all furnishings are safe and secure and you have identified all potential safety issues such as dressers or bookshelves which may tip or fall. If you have any doubt, just keep it simple, safe and secure!
As mentioned above, renting a self-storage unit is a great nursery storage solution for homeowners. Not only will it help immediately create more storage space in your home, but you can also utilize it to store items you’ll need for the baby in the future. Maybe you have clothing hand-me-downs from friends or family members that won’t fit for several months, for example. Or, perhaps you hit some great sales and purchased toys or furniture you’ll need as the baby gets older. All these items can be stored in your self storage unit until you need to access them.
ezStorage offers a variety of storage unit sizes for any of your residential storage needs. Stop by any of our storage locations throughout Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. to learn more today.
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