How To Prepare Your Home For A New Baby

For some moms, pregnancy may feel like an intense period. Especially considering all the changes that you’re going through physically, mentally, and emotionally. And with all the appointments and lifestyle changes happening, you may begin to feel overwhelmed.

Welcoming your new family member into your home also comes with challenges.

Having a baby is a great feeling but it is also a huge responsibility for you as a new parent. There are many things that you need to figure out before the kiddo comes to his or her new home.

Besides, making a birth plan, selecting the best health care providers, managing routines during and after pregnancy, mind-setting the siblings, hiring the right babysitter, there is a lot more that you need to manage before baby’s arrival.

In this article, we help you prepare your home for your baby’s arrival.

By following these tips you will also organize your home and make it ready to welcome your newborn.

Pregnancy Nesting

In the last three or four months of your pregnancy, you begin to feel the urge to clean your home thoroughly. This is called Nesting, or Pregnancy Nesting. It is the period when a mother feels the need to make the home ready for the baby. It can involve vacuuming, sweeping and mopping of floors, washing curtains, and even steam cleaning the carpets to get rid of any germs.

During this time, you also begin rearranging your space in preparation for your new arrival.

It is not an easy task and will take weeks to complete. If you can, ask your friends and family for help. Otherwise, contact a professional organizer who can help you work through it all.

So how do you prepare for your new baby?

Let’s begin.

Organizing and Decluttering your Home

In general, your home should be well organized, clean, and comfy before your baby arrives.

Here are some areas that you’d want to prepare as you plan for your newborn’s arrival.

The Nursery

Let’s start with the fun part - preparing for the new arrival 🙂. Preparing your nursery can be broken down into a few steps:

Design consideration for your nursery

First of all, select the space that you’ll use for the nursery.

Whether it’s a space in a particular room or a room on its own, it should be airy, cozy, and comfortable. Ideally, the nursery would be near your bedroom so that you can easily reach your baby in those first few weeks.

Take time to select the design for the nursery. Ask your partner or friends for help if you need to. Are you going to paint the walls (be careful of those fumes!) or use cute and colorful decals? Floral wallpaper? The options can seem endless...

Get only the necessary furniture and other accessories you'll need in the short term. - three to six months at most. Don’t get carried away with all the cute and adorable things you see. Most of the time, you’re not going to need or use them. And they only reduce your available space.

Setting up the nursery

Now that the hard decisions are over, let’s set up your nursery. You’ll need to complete the space by setting up your crib, diaper changing table, and a nursing chair.

Create as many storage areas as possible in the nursery – babies come with a lot of stuff 😂. Clothes baskets and shelf baskets are great at helping you organize many of his or her things. You can also consider installing a hanging organizer on the nursery door or your baby’s crib. A hanging diaper caddy organizer may be a great option for quick changes in limited or small spaces.

Looking for some ideas? Check out these cool furniture pieces with maximum storage for your baby’s nursery.

Organizing the Baby’s Closet

A baby closet should be organized so that you can find everything easily and quickly. It doesn't need to be filled with a lot of clothes as your baby will be growing quickly these first few months. So only what you need for the first 3 to 6 months.

And you want to be able to find what you need very quickly.

To keep the baby’s closet organized:

• Use storage baskets or bags to keep everything separate.
• You can use a closet shelf organizer or fabric dresser drawer/closet organizers to make more space.

Older Kid’s Bedroom and Guest Room

You need a lot of space with a newborn. And you also need to pay attention to your older kid(s). De-clutter their room too to make space.

You can donate toys, books, and other accessories that your older kid(s) do not use anymore. Or you can use large storage bags (or bins) to store less-used items.

You should also go through your guest room, if you have one, to make the best use of the available space. Use the areas under the bed and above the cupboards to store things that you don’t use very often.

Organizing the Master Bedroom and Closet

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a newborn stay in the parent’s room for a few months after birth. This way, you can keep an eye on the baby and you don’t have to go too far for those midnight feedings. It’s also a great option for women who have had cesarian section deliveries.

So, you’ll need an area in your room for a baby bassinet.

A bedside bassinet is a great idea! Look for one that comes with a diaper changer, storage area, wheels, and even hanging toys. You can use it for multiple purposes and move it anywhere you want.

You may also need to rearrange the master closet to make room for your postpartum essentials and nursing clothes.

Preparing the Kitchen for a New Baby

Organizing Your Kitchen and Pantry

First, you’ll need to clean your cabinets and floor thoroughly. Go through your cabinets, drawers, pantry, fridge, and freezer. Get rid of all the expired food items and things that you don't need. Wipe down countertops and mop the floor, so that you have a clean space to start.

Now, you should have some space to set up your newborn’s feeding accessories. You can add a drying station near the sink to keep these accessories. You can also install plastic pantry racks in the cabinets or the freezer to keep things organized.

Stock Up on Groceries and Other Household Items

You’ll need to make a list of household items that you'll need for the first few months after the baby comes home. This includes grocery items, especially non-perishables, canned food, and frozen items, and all the things that you can store for a longer time. Start stockpiling them - it will make life much easier not having to do grocery shopping with a new baby.

Also, make a list of other items that you will need in the coming months. Having a good stock of daily essentials so you don’t have to rush to the store relieves a lot of anxiety.

Frozen Ready-to-Eat Meals

Newborns depend on their mom for everything. So, it's hard for new mothers to manage the house and kitchen or cook meals with a newborn.

To make it easier, you need to restock and have ready-to-eat meals that you can store in the freezer and use when needed or in an emergency.

Make a list and go grocery shopping. Frozen food items, healthy snacks, and canned foods are highly recommended. Or, if you have the time, prepare some home-cooked meals and put them in the freezer for later.

Cleaning and Organizing the Bathroom

Clean out the drawers, cabinets, windows and mirror, tub, toilet, and sink in the bathroom. You need to take care of yourself and your baby after delivery. A clean and organized bathroom goes a long way to achieving this goal.

Organize your toiletries in storage baskets or bags, and keep a large laundry basket in your bathroom to make things easier.

Organizing the Living Room

Make space in the living room. You can invest in a multi-functional bassinet to keep your baby close. As your baby grows you will need a rocking or bouncing chair, swing, and/or some play toys. So clear and store anything in your living room that is not essential.

Preparing the Baby Essentials

Necessary Stations

Four stations that you should have ready in your home before the baby arrives are areas for :

• diaper changing
• pumping milk
• breastfeeding, and
• postpartum essentials.

All four stations should be ready to use with all the accessories and items needed. It will make life with your newborn easier and also saves you time and energy.

Preparing The Hospital Bags

There are three important things you need to organize before going to the hospital.

• Your hospital bag,
• The baby’s clothing and diaper bags, and
• A bag for your partner.

All the bags should be packed and ready for the hospital at least two to four weeks in advance of your due date.

Install the car seat

Get your car ready for the newborn in the last month of your pregnancy. Your baby can arrive sooner than expected, so you want to be prepared. Do not leave this for the last minute - trust us! Invest in a quality, certified car seat so you can drive your baby home safely and without any problem.

Hire a Professional Organizer

So if everything we’ve discussed so far feels like way too much work or just the thought of it is making your brain hurt, you can always hire a professional organizer.

A professional organizer will systematically go through each room of your home and help you sort through and prepare your home for your baby’s arrival.

Our go-to professional organizer ‘extraordinaire’ is Adeilah over at Jigsaw Organizing Solutions. No matter your space or organizing challenges, Adeilah can help! Services include upcycling, virtual organizing, and even document digitization.

Your home will be perfectly organized, relieving you of that stress and anxiety, so you can focus all your energy on the arrival of your new bundle of joy.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve gone through everything we’ve discussed here, your home is now clean, tidy, and ready for your baby’s arrival. In the midst of everything, remember to take care of yourself. Get help whenever possible.