Preparing Your Home for a New Baby

Is your due date creeping up on you? Are you getting into nesting mode? 

Before that new little bundle of joy joins your family, you need to get your house in order. But what exactly do you have to do to get your home ready for a baby? What does preparing for a newborn entail? Let’s take a look.

Organize

You’ve taken the time to turn your house or apartment into your home. Everything is exactly where you want it to be. Well, now it’s time to reimagine your space. It’s time to clear away the clutter and make room for your baby – because babies come with a lot of stuff.

So, how do you prepare for the baby? All of your baby’s stuff likely won’t fit in her nursery. You don’t want to keep everything in one room anyway. You and your baby will be spending time in every room of your home. It’s really convenient to have the items you’ll use every day, like wipes and burp cloths, close by no matter what room you’re in. 

Here’s where you should make space and what baby items could potentially go there:

• Master bedroom: bassinet, diaper changing area
• Family room: diaper changing caddy, toys, play gym, nursing pillow
• Bathroom: baby shampoo and body wash, lotion, washcloths, towels, baby tub
• Kitchen: bottles, bottle rack, breast pump parts, baby-food maker, baby bowls and utensils, sippy cups
• Closet: diaper bag and stroller

If you have appliances on your countertop you don’t use every day, find a place for them in a cabinet. If you have dishes and Tupperware that never get used, get rid of them. Do you plan on continuing to kayak or play racquetball after your baby is born? If not, clear that stuff out of your house and either give it away or put it in storage. Weed out what you don’t need, organize what you want to keep and make room for what’s to come so there’s plenty of space in your home for your growing family.

Clean

After you clear out and organize each room, it’s time to clean. There’s nothing better than coming home to a clean house after having a baby.

And when I say clean, I mean deep clean. That means it’s time to not only clean the bathrooms and vacuum but also wipe down your baseboards, wash the windows and clean the other areas of your home that need a little TLC. Depending on how your pregnancy is going, you might want to leave the deep cleaning to your partner or a cleaning service. But while they’re doing that, you can make sure windows are open to help ventilate and improve the air quality in your home. It’s also a good idea to wash all those adorable baby clothes in preparation for the baby’s arrival.

 

Another thing I’ve found helpful is to keep multi-purpose and disinfecting wipes in different spots around the house. This way, after the baby comes, you can daily clean and sanitize things you touch a lot, such as faucet handles, countertops, and remote controls.

Baby-proof 

You don’t need to worry about this for another 9 months until your baby is crawling, right? Wrong. One day you’re holding a newborn, and the next you’re chasing after a curious crawler. Plus, it’s easier to baby-proof your home now than when you’re a sleep-deprived walking zombie. 

Speaking of crawling, it’s not a bad idea to crawl around on the floor like a baby to see what needs to be done. Actually, have someone else do that since you’re pregnant. Every home and family are different, so different safety precautions need to be taken, but here is a baby proofing checklist for your home:

• Secure furniture that could tip over to the wall 
• Install safety locks on cabinet doors   
• Store medicines and cleaning products out of sight and out of reach of children
• Put covers on electrical outlets
• Get rid of dangling cords
• Double-check that your baby gate works where you want it to

Gather the Essentials

Another way to prepare your home for a baby is making sure it’s stocked with all the must-have new baby items to get you through that first day, week and year as a parent. 

Some essentials to have on hand before the baby arrives include:

• Swaddlers
• Baby sleeping bag
• White noise machine
• Blackout curtains
• Baby carrier
• Nursing pillow
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Diaper cream
• Diaper bag
• Newborn care kit
• A variety of bins, baskets and containers
• Car seat
• Compact stroller\

There are several different types of strollers out there. But compact strollers are lightweight, convenient and compact when in use so you can easily walk up and down aisles and in and out of doorways without any problems. It also folds up nicely, easily fitting into your coat closet and trunk with room to spare. Today’s modern compact strollers are also very functional, comfortable and affordable. With a compact stroller, you’re prepared for morning walks, pediatrician appointments and traveling to visit grandparents.

SHOP ERGOBABY Compact Strollers

When should nursery be ready?

The nursery should ideally be ready well before the expected due date, ideally by the start of the third trimester of pregnancy. This early preparation allows expectant parents sufficient time to address any unexpected challenges and ensures a stress-free environment as the due date approaches. Organizing the nursery involves setting up the crib, arranging essential furniture, decorating the space, and stocking up on baby essentials like diapers, clothing, and feeding supplies. By having the nursery ready in advance, parents can focus on their own well-being in the final weeks of pregnancy and be better prepared for the arrival of their newborn, creating a welcoming and comfortable space for both baby and parents.

With an organized, clean and safe home, you won’t have to worry about laying your baby on the floor to change his diaper or scouring the house for tiny fingernail clippers. You’ll know your house is clean and you’ll know where everything is so you can focus on loving and caring for your baby.