It's no secret I'm not the neatest person in the world. That said, I do love being organized and if my surroundings become a bit too chaotic, I go into a cleaning and organizing rampage. I love labelling, storing, and donating old and unneeded items. It's refreshing to have a clean slate, especially at the start of a new season.
This weekend, we did a little bit of spring cleaning, both in my room and in Isabelle's. We put aside shoes and clothing that were too small, sealed them up into a bin and sent them to storage until baby #2 comes along. When you're pregnant, people call this sort of behaviour nesting.
See, before Isabelle was born I didn't have time to nest. She came early and we weren't ready. The nursery wasn't painted, the furniture hadn't arrived and I hadn't washed all her clothes. I didn't even have a hospital bag ready. This time, I'll be ready, and I'll make sure to have it done SUPER EARLY. So we're already starting the newborn nesting stage.
In order to prepare the nursery for baby #2, we also have to prepare Isabelle's big girl room, which I haven't wrapped my head around just yet. But if you're a first-time mom, I encourage you to do your research early and purchase your nursery furniture at least 12 weeks before you're due. In our case, Isabelle didn't need to use her nursery until she came home, so I did still have time to get it ready and make it all pretty for when she needed it. That was important to me.
If you're doing some nesting right now, you're in luck! Sears is holding their Newborn Nesting event and it runs now through May 1. Customers can earn a cash card when you spend various increments in the Baby's Room:
And believe me, any cash back will be put to good use!
So, what should you spend your money on? Here are my must-have nursery items:
Crib:
I think nursery furniture is very important, but I'm sure others will disagree. I think it's a good idea to invest in a good quality crib that will eventually turn into a convertible bed. Don't forget to purchase the conversion kit/bed rails.
I personally love white furniture in a nursery for boys and girls.
Glider or Chair:
When you're up at all hours of the night to feed, it's IMPERATIVE to have an amazing glider or rocking chair. I can't tell you the number of hours I have spent in mine.
I chose to purchase one that was upholstered, like the photo, and I also splurged on an ottoman. It's wonderful to be able to put your feet up.
My husband and I both tested the chair out before we purchased it to ensure it was comfortable for us both.
While this is another investment item, we will use it for all our children and can even use it in a spare bedroom in the future.
Change-Table:
Instead of the traditional change-table, we went with a dresser and outfitted it with a change-pad. This way, the furniture can grow with our family.
Other Items:
There are plenty of other ways to spend money in a nursery; a bookshelf, black-out curtains, a cosy rug. If it's your first time, I suggest starting with the basics and building from there. If you don't know the gender of your bump yet, you can personalize the room with some colour once baby makes his/her appearance.
Now it's time to start thinking of my big girl's room. Sigh.
What are your nursery must-haves?
“Disclosure: I am part of the Sears Mom Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”
This weekend, we did a little bit of spring cleaning, both in my room and in Isabelle's. We put aside shoes and clothing that were too small, sealed them up into a bin and sent them to storage until baby #2 comes along. When you're pregnant, people call this sort of behaviour nesting.
See, before Isabelle was born I didn't have time to nest. She came early and we weren't ready. The nursery wasn't painted, the furniture hadn't arrived and I hadn't washed all her clothes. I didn't even have a hospital bag ready. This time, I'll be ready, and I'll make sure to have it done SUPER EARLY. So we're already starting the newborn nesting stage.
In order to prepare the nursery for baby #2, we also have to prepare Isabelle's big girl room, which I haven't wrapped my head around just yet. But if you're a first-time mom, I encourage you to do your research early and purchase your nursery furniture at least 12 weeks before you're due. In our case, Isabelle didn't need to use her nursery until she came home, so I did still have time to get it ready and make it all pretty for when she needed it. That was important to me.
If you're doing some nesting right now, you're in luck! Sears is holding their Newborn Nesting event and it runs now through May 1. Customers can earn a cash card when you spend various increments in the Baby's Room:
- Spend $200-$299.99 on nursery furniture, baby gear, & infant fashions and get a $25 cash card
- Spend $300-$399.99 on nursery furniture, baby gear, & infant fashions and get a $50 cash card
- Spend $400 or more on nursery furniture, baby gear & infant fashions and get a $100 cash card
And believe me, any cash back will be put to good use!
So, what should you spend your money on? Here are my must-have nursery items:
I think nursery furniture is very important, but I'm sure others will disagree. I think it's a good idea to invest in a good quality crib that will eventually turn into a convertible bed. Don't forget to purchase the conversion kit/bed rails.
I personally love white furniture in a nursery for boys and girls.
When you're up at all hours of the night to feed, it's IMPERATIVE to have an amazing glider or rocking chair. I can't tell you the number of hours I have spent in mine.
I chose to purchase one that was upholstered, like the photo, and I also splurged on an ottoman. It's wonderful to be able to put your feet up.
My husband and I both tested the chair out before we purchased it to ensure it was comfortable for us both.
While this is another investment item, we will use it for all our children and can even use it in a spare bedroom in the future.
Instead of the traditional change-table, we went with a dresser and outfitted it with a change-pad. This way, the furniture can grow with our family.
Other Items:
There are plenty of other ways to spend money in a nursery; a bookshelf, black-out curtains, a cosy rug. If it's your first time, I suggest starting with the basics and building from there. If you don't know the gender of your bump yet, you can personalize the room with some colour once baby makes his/her appearance.
In terms of nursery decor and trinkets, while I do this these things are important and fun, they are not essentials. You can find great nursery items on clearance or can recycle and re-use items from around your house (ie. I use a purple basket someone gave me as the diaper caddy on our dresser).
All of the furniture in the photos above are available at Sears, and if this sale is getting you in the nesting mood, you can purchase online at www.sears.ca or in store -- whichever is more convenient. Cash cards are redeemable from May 2-21, 2014. (That's a great time to purchase the decor items!)
Now it's time to start thinking of my big girl's room. Sigh.
What are your nursery must-haves?
“Disclosure: I am part of the Sears Mom Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”
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