If you’re about to welcome a little one into the world – whether it’s your first or another addition to your wonderful family – then you’ll know the importance of giving them somewhere nice to sleep. That’s where a nursery can come in; if you’ve got a spare room in your house, a nursery can provide a quiet yet stimulating environment where your child can grow up. Embarking on the mission of building your nursery can be a little intimidating, though, especially if you’ve never done so before. What materials do you need? Should you get someone else to do it? How much will it cost? Never fear – we’re here to help you. Here’s how you can build your very own nursery from scratch!
Create a detailed plan first.
Your first step is to create a detailed plan of what you want your nursery to look like. Map out the room where the nursery will go; take precise measurements and dimensions to know exactly how much space you have to work with.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to start thinking about what kind of furniture and other accouterments you want in the nursery. Try to be as comprehensive as possible when doing this; think carefully about everything you’re going to enjoy, as if something isn’t accounted for, it might mess up your plans.
Start gathering the cash
Sadly, a nursery isn’t free; you’ll have to get some cash. You’ll need to pay for the materials and any paints or wallpaper you plan to add (and any renovations you might have to perform to get the nursery room up to the standard you want it at).
Of course, there’s no reason to break the bank when planning for your nursery. Even taking out a $2500 loan, which isn’t a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, could help pay for a basic nursery. It’s worth spending the money to ensure the nursery is exactly what you want it to be!
Consider enlisting the help of a professional
If you don’t feel comfortable building your nursery yourself, then there’s absolutely no shame in seeking out the help of a professional. Some people can help you put furniture together, paint your walls, or add wallpaper to a space, and they’re often very competitively priced.
If you are going to do everything yourself, it’s still a good idea to talk to professionals so you can get an idea of how to go about it, especially if this is your first DIY project. Building a nursery is no small feat, so it’s essential to have realistic expectations regarding how successful it will be if you do it all yourself!
Go gender-neutral
Trust us when we say that a gender-neutral nursery is a better option for you and your child. You might be tempted to build a nursery decked out in pink or blue, depending on whether your child will be a girl or a boy, but doing so would be a mistake you might regret later on.
Given the conversation around gender identities right now, it might not be suitable for your child later in life, and you don’t want to reinforce gender stereotypes from such an early age. In addition, a gender-neutral space looks nicer; you can choose different color schemes, toys, and accessories, and outmoded gender ideas do not constrain you.
Make an inventory of materials
Assuming you’re going to go it alone (or with your partner, of course), the first thing you need to do when building your nursery is to create an inventory of everything you need. This should include all the building materials you’ll be using to make furniture or anything else you’re adding to your nursery.
It’s not just all about the materials; you should also include paints, wallpapers, toys, and anything else you’re adding to your inventory. This way, you’ll make sure that you don’t miss anything critical later down the line and make shopping for everything a lot easier on yourself as well.
Emphasize safety
Many people forget to do this when building a nursery, but one of the most important things to do is to ensure the space is safe for your child. You should feel comfortable leaving your child in the nursery overnight, so there shouldn’t be anything with which they could hurt themselves or escape their crib, for example.
Here are a few tips. Don’t put cribs next to windows (for, we hope, obvious reasons). Make sure to cover power sockets and obscure the ones you can’t cover well enough that your child won’t find them. Please don’t leave any cords or wires dangling, as they’re a potential hazard for a child.
Don’t overreach yourself.
When you’re beginning the nursery planning process, the temptation is to give in to your ambition and try to build something grand and impressive. However, this will more likely than not lead to you giving up, so try to keep your expectations and your nursery-building project as realistic as you can. There are many benefits to having a separate nursery per Kidskintha.
This should be the design philosophy when creating a plan for your nursery. Think carefully, not only about what you want but also about what is within your reach to create. The last thing you and your partner want to do is give yourselves a reason to be cranky or to argue with each other.