Nursery Necessities

When I was pregnant with Sailor, one of my favorite things to do to mentally prepare for this massive life change was work on getting her nursery ready. I spent a lot of time browsing different baby websites, adding things to my registry, planning which items I wanted out of all the options out there, and getting things in place for her arrival. As I was trying to wrap my head around this new being that was coming soon, it was therapeutic to me to have some element of control in the whole endeavor. Did anyone else feel that way about organizing your baby's nursery? I'm sure I'm not alone in this. After she came along and the first year passed, I have been able to streamline her nursery and figure out which items are my MUST HAVES, and how to configure them for maximum function. So I figured I would share all that with you today!

My changing table pick was an easy one. This dresser from IKEA is affordable, sleek, holds a ton, and is easy to customize with your own knobs (just be sure to mount it to the wall to prevent tipping, as with any heavy dresser kids will be around). I love the smaller drawers on the top for the things you need quick access to, and the larger drawers below for clothes, extra diapers, and misc baby items that you will inevitably collect.

DIAPERS. I keep diapers and a backup pack of wipes (which I'll add to the dispenser on the top of the dresser when they run out) in the top left drawer. It's the easiest way to access them when she's wiggling on the changing pad. The rest of the diapers from my monthly Honest bundle I keep in the bottom left drawer. I'm a fan of the Honest diapers because they're non toxic and, let's face it - I love choosing the patterns every month. They always have new cute ones and it's a fun way to stay interested in spending $80 per month. Ha! But seriously, diapers are expensive no matter what. I also love their wipes, and I use a lot of other Honest products so the bundles are a no brainer. However, I do prefer the soft feel of Parasol's diapers. I just wish they switched up their patterns more or had more choices, and I'm not as much a fan of the cucumber smell of their wipes. But the first few months we used Pampers for that indicator line - totally necessary for Sailor who was horribly offended by a wet diaper. So those are my thoughts on diaper brands.

Sailor's changing pad is the Keekaroo Peanut. It's wonderful - comes in lots of colors, and is SO easy to clean. I honestly can't imagine using one with a cloth cover.

I kept bibs and burp cloths in the second left drawer for the first year, pants in the next, and bloomers, socks, and bonnets in the far right. As they get older, it's easy to modify according to your needs. Burp cloths can be switched out for extra toys to entertain them while they get easily bored during changes.

On the top of her dresser, there are a few things I keep easily accessible on a little tray: hand sanitizer, Honest healing balm, Babytime Nurturing Balm (the best diaper rash cream in my opinion), Honest body oil (which we use on her whole body after every bath since the beginning), and some Q-Tips which have come in handy for random little clean-ups. I really wanted a lamp for her changing table that had a dimmer so I didn't have to be blasted with light in the middle of the night. I love the glam touch this one brings to the room.

In the bigger drawers are things like pajamas, shirts, and pants (and onesies the first year before we graduated from those to more conventional shirt/pant or bloomer combos). I fan out the piles so I can see everything in there and easily find what I'm looking for. ALSO, I love keeping  a super soft rug or mat right at the spot where I stand to change her. Such a nice treat to step on with bare feet in the middle of the night those first few months! I got my gray sheepskin from Amazon.

Over in Sailor's closet, I keep anything that's more well suited for hangers - things that wrinkle easily. Her shoes line up nicely on the shelves below, and stuffed toys (like Chester, Flavia Flamingo, and Ugly Dolls on the top shelf. Now, she loves pointing at things she wants to wear (usually anything plush or shaggy).

I hope you guys found this interesting/helpful if you're preparing a nursery of your own! And if you've already done it, I'd love to hear about your favorite nursery organization tricks too!

Photography by Heather Kincaid