Getting your home ready for baby is a large accomplishment, what happens when you want to start sharing master bedroom with baby.
Or you have a small bedroom which you want to have baby in.
Whatever the reason that you are sharing your bedroom with your new bundle of joy, one thing remains certain: saving space and being comfortable with all the baby things you’re about to have is a must.
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How To Make A Nursery In Your Bedroom
Before we jump into the article: I want to highlight my Beyond Pregnancy Workbook – made for first time moms who are ready to start preparing for baby RIGHT now while pregnant!
Keep Your Shared Nursery Minimal
By keeping the clutter and all the baby things down you will have more space to maximize what you really need!
If you already had your baby shower try to organize those things into sections:
- Baby’s first 3 months
- Months 4-8
- Months 8-12+.
By doing it this way you can put away the items that you know a newborn will not be using.
Examples of things you won’t be using right away:
- Highchair
- Baby Plates / Utensils
- Puzzles (advanced baby toys)
- Bigger Size Diapers
- Changing Table
By putting these things away (in storage, at your moms house, in your car, returning items to the store and getting the cash) you will give yourself more space.
Related: How To Organize Your Pregnancy The Marie Kondo Method
Give Baby A Designated Space
Even if your little family will all be in the same room, designing an area that is just for baby’s things is a great way to also keep your privacy and your space to yourself.
You can do this by putting them in a corner, having a section for them, or using furniture to separate your bed and baby’s crib.
You can even use a curtain to separate space if you cannot fit or move around furniture.
Use Existing Furniture For The Nursery
You don’t exactly need a specific dresser to change your baby’s diapers. You can use what you already have to change them.
Personally I changed my son on the bed or on his tummy time rug. Saving us lots of walk-able space without having the changing table.
You can also turn your existing furniture into much needed closet space. In the same space make sure you are removing miscellaneous items from the tops of counters to give you the needed space for baby items.
Use Rugs In Your Shared Bedroom
Using a rug can make the difference between slipping out of the room quietly during naps and having a baby wake up crying.
Rugs absorb sound – so it makes so much sense to have one in the space you will be sharing with baby.
Different Use for Things
Use items differently for example:
Use this shoe holder that goes on the door to hold things like lotions, burp clothes, nail clippers, shirts, diapers. It take up almost no space and it is on the door!
You can also grab these closet hangers and use them to hang baby blankets if you don’t have drawer space for them.
You can also convert a bookshelf into a closet (this is my favorite image of converting a bookshelf into a closet)
Closet Nook for Nursery Crib
If you have a closet in the room you’ll be sharing with baby a good idea is to put baby’s crib in the closet. You can remove everything and place the crib inside. You can also use the top of the closet to store smaller items
If you don’t like the idea of having your sleeping baby in the closet you can grab these closet organizers and just set things up differently to give you more space.
Related: 9 Nursery Design Ideas That Will Spark Inspiration
Tips For Sharing Small Bedroom With Newborn
If you are really short on space (like I was with my first baby) these tips are going to be perfect for you and your home.
Avoid Having a Crib
If you really want to save space consider something less bulky like a co-sleeper bed. Once your baby is bigger you can do co-sleeping if you are into that and avoid getting them a bed until you have the space or until you are ready to stop co-sleeping.
You can also get a foldable pack n play and only bring it out when it is time for naps and sleeping. Allowing you to fold it away during the day.
Use External Areas In Your Home
You may not need to have everything a nursery HAS to have (because who says it does) you can easily use other areas of your home to house baby items.
In the living room you can have a rocking chair and a breastfeeding station. Check out how to make your own breastfeeding station from my friends over at Swaddles N Bottles.
In your linen closet or extra storage areas you can have diapers, toys, or extra items you received from your baby shower.
Avoid The Baby Bath Tub
It is such a waste of space and you can easily shower with your newborn and avoid that added expense and save that space.
While they are really in the newborn stage you can also just use wash cloths they don’t need a full bath / shower until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off completely.
Ideas For Sharing Master Bedroom With Baby
Use stackable storage bins. These are perfect because you can move them around where you see fit.
Add shelves to your room if you don’t have any for added storage. You can place totes and storage bins on the shelves. Just make sure you don’t have the shelves above babies sleeping area.
*Add a shelf above your door. That is space that is never used where you can put books or other items.
Now that you have all these space saving ideas, start implementing and moving things around before baby arrives. To recap what the post went over – you can save space and have a shared nursery by:
- Keeping things minimal
- Giving baby a designated area
- Using the furniture and items you already have
- Adding a rug
- Avoid bulky items
- Using storage boxes and totes
- Creating safe but effective storage solutions!