So you’re expecting a baby! Congratulations! There will be so much you now have to think about, and we’re not just talking about potential names! One of these things is preparing your home. But how to do this, and what is it exactly you need to be doing? Here are five important ways that you should prepare your house for your new bundle of joy!
Create Your Nursery
First, the Nursery. If you’re lucky, you’ll already have lots of space in the home, or a room set aside for this exact purpose.
If you don’t have the room, think of ways you can make it. Could you transform your en suite into a nursery? This would be very handy as it would mean the nursery was right by your bedroom. If you have an office upstairs, could you move this to the shed in the garden? Wherever you do decide to make the babies nursery, don’t forget to think about sound. You don’t want them being woken up when they finally drop off to sleep! Avoid bedrooms at the front of the house, if possible. The sound of people arriving at your home – guests or the postman, might travel up to their room, or road noise too.
Once you have a spare room, it’s time to get to work. Thanks to the internet there are loads of resources out there to help you design and develop your dream nursery. This article on the topic from Baby Centre has a great piece of advice for decorating; “Think child-like, not childish.”
Then there is the nursery furniture. You’ll need to decide on what sort of bed you want, be it a crib or a Moses basket, or something else. You’ll also need a wardrobe, and if you can, a bookshelf is nice for storing gifts, keepsakes and mementoes on. You can also pop your baby monitor here. Also, keep your digital camera here to capture any special, impromptu moments!
Free Up Some Space
We all save and store away items in our homes that we don’t really need. If space is an issue in your home, move your lesser used items into external storage. Space Maker Self Storage is one such company you may want to consider. You could store away the things you only use once or twice a year; like your Christmas tree and decorations, for example. Self storage is ideal because it allows you to come and go whenever you like, and extend your rental time if you need to.
Make Your Furnishings Safe
So, thinking about when your little baby is a bit older, you might not realise how many things in our home can be dangerous to babies and young children. We all know to cover sharp corners, but what about everything else? Take dishwashers, for example. They seem pretty innocent, right? Wrong! Once your baby starts crawling, if they get inside they will have access to knives, forks and dangerous chemicals. Parents.com has an entire section on babyproofing. Have a browse and you’ll find some handy hints and tips.
Also, think carefully about rooms that you can get distracted easily in. The kitchen is a prime example of this. Make sure that if you turn your back for a second, your baby will keep safe.
Be aware that as the baby grows, you will need to constantly re-evaluate different dangers.
Do A Deep Clean
A couple of months before baby is due, think about doing a thorough deep clean of your home. Get the help of friends and family if you need to! Babies are far more prone to infections that we adults are, as their immune systems are so much more delicate. You can relax after baby arrives knowing everywhere is super clean and bacteria free!
Think about Future Jobs
While you might be exhausted through pregnancy, you will be once you give birth too. Think about big jobs in the house that will need to be done within the first year of your baby being born. If possible, do them now. So, if you need to replace your roof or refit your kitchen, for example, stop putting if off. While it will be tough to manage whilst you are pregnant, you’ll be so glad you’ve done it! This also means that you’ll have more invaluable time with your baby when he or she arrives.
If you manage this little lot, you will be super ready for your little bubba when they arrive. Have you any tips to add for preparing your home for a new baby?

April 2, 2016 at 10:24 am
There are some great tips here, there is so much to do and sort out before a baby is born, I did go on a massive clean up though before my Daughter was born, must have been my nesting instincts x
StressedMum recently posted…Amazing Day
April 2, 2016 at 10:28 am
This sounds like a lot. So glad I won’t be having children any time soon! I’m definitely a bit young i think 🙂
April 2, 2016 at 8:08 pm
Doing a deep clean was something I think I did about four times during my pregnancy as I wanted to make sure the house was a clean as it could possibly be. Shame I haven’t kept it up!!
April 2, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Getting the home ready for a new baby is so exciting. I love all the preparation getting ready for the new arrival. These are fab tips
April 2, 2016 at 9:38 pm
aw what a great post and fills me with so many happy memories
Emma White recently posted…The Travelin Chick – Blogger In The Spotlight
April 3, 2016 at 9:59 am
Great tips. I wish I read this 2 years ago.
Fashion and Style Police recently posted…Karlie Kloss Covers Glamour Magazine May 2016
April 3, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Aww I love this post and it makes me think back to mine – love it when the nesting phase hits!!
April 3, 2016 at 4:49 pm
this is very insightful! it makes me aware of what needs to be done when i plan on getting pregnant in the future
April 3, 2016 at 4:52 pm
This is a good refresher for me as we wait for our second! There’s so much you forget about. I might have to get a cleaner in for the deep clean … Not sure I’ll manage it with a toddler to look after too (any excuse!).
Alana x
Alana recently posted…Pregnancy update: My 30 week bump and the “final countdown”
April 4, 2016 at 2:53 pm
It must be so hard to prepare for a child, especially your first. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would feel if that was me x
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April 6, 2016 at 2:44 pm
Whilst preparing for a baby must be a lot of hard work, I think picking out all the furniture etc. that’s going to go in the nursery could be really fun! Doing a deep clean is a good idea, God knows what bacteria accumulate over time!
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April 17, 2016 at 11:03 am
I cant even begin to think what a topsy turvy life the first few months are x
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June 5, 2016 at 6:45 pm
Great . Thanks for sharing
November 17, 2016 at 8:13 am
Hey, this is a great list and very detailed too.
Melanie recently posted…101 Baby-proofing Tips — The Ultimate Guide for a Safe Home