Decorating the Nursery

Decorating the nursery for an expected arrival can be thrilling, but also overwhelming. Making plans and choosing the perfect patterns can be even more exhausting than simply trying to survive the third trimester of pregnancy, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple points to consider when making a selection that can ease the process considerably.

The minute you find out you’re expecting a little bundle of joy, your thoughts almost immediately turn to the nursery. Next to adorable little clothes and baby booties, the nursery is by far the best part of preparing for baby. The nursery represents not only your style and attention to detail, but the amount of preparation you have completed for your new angel.

When to Decorate

The first big question facing most newly expecting mothers is when to prepare the nursery. In some cultures and households there is a great deal of superstition surrounding preparing for a baby before he arrives safely home from the hospital. This, of course, is perfectly understandable, but those on the other end of the spectrum are anxious to begin preparing the nursery for a variety of reason.

One reason to prepare the nursery early is to spread the cost over many months rather than spend the large sums of money required within a single week or two. Another reason for decorating the nursery early in the pregnancy is simply the mother-to-be’s energy level. Early in pregnancy, moms have considerably greater flexibility and balance than in the final trimester when the large belly prevents some of even the most common movements. It is far easier to put up a wallpaper border when you can bend down to reach the glue or climb the necessary ladder.

How to Decorate

Regardless of when you plan to begin decorating the nursery, there are still many questions to be answered about styles and patterns. Crib bedding sets and coordinated accessories come in a multitude of colors, prints, and patterns. Making the right selection can be difficult – especially when one looks past the first year. Plush toys and teddy bears can add the jovial element to a room, while wooden toys and unique collectables offer a taste of the care and devotion which parents invested in the decorating process,

Nurseries generally are beautiful as well as functional, and the characteristic pink or blue is often the underlying decorating theme. Using traditional decorating colors for crib bedding sets or wall paper works well if you’ve waited until the second trimester to begin decorating, but you simply may not know the gender of your baby if you decorate any earlier.

Gender neutral patterns are an excellent way to plan for baby before he or she is willing to share his or her anatomy on ultrasound. Preparing the nursery in gender neutral shades of green, yellow, or even red also offers the opportunity to use the same room or crib bedding sets for another baby down the line- regardless of that baby’s gender. With a gender neutral background, specific gender is easy to identify through unique collectibles or toys. Websites such as offer many deluxe nursery bedding sets to help narrow down options the perfect choice.

Also, don’t be afraid to include items which demonstrate your own personality or which simply appeal to you. Unique nightlights, such as the Twilight Turtle Constellation Nightlight can be a unique, but highly functional part of any nursery. The Twilight Turtle actually displays constellations on the walls and ceiling of the nursery creating a soothing effect for baby.

A final consideration for preparing the nursery is somewhat bittersweet. Your adorable infant will only stay a little for a very short time. After the first year, your baby will be well on her way to toddler, and the adorable ducks and lambs may no longer suit your little darling who is now fascinated with giant purple dinosaurs and ponies. Of course, toddlers don’t have much say in decorating, but by planning ahead with a color or pattern in nursery bedding that is toddler friendly, as well as suitable for your newborn, you will be able to stretch your decorating time, dollar, and energy.

Spiffybaby.com is dedicated to providing unique and upscale nursery items as well as many other fine baby items. For additional articles and information relating to making decorating decisions and finding the perfect accessories, visit