Nursery Must-Haves

Setting up the nursery for your new baby is one of the best parts of pregnancy. But it is also so stressful figuring out what all you need, how to organize everything, and just getting everything out together! After my two kids, I’ve prepared a list of nursery must-haves to help narrow down what is truly needed in the nursery!

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Safe Sleep Space

I know that there are some families that find co-sleeping from the beginning to work for them. If this is your family, please make sure to follow the Safe Sleep Seven! Personally, I find co-sleeping better when my littles are older! So I recommend having a safe sleep space set up for baby to, well, sleep.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many parents may have a safe sleep space set up in their rooms. This is how our family works, as my kids usually sleep in our room for the first year or so – especially since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room sharing for the first six months. 

Crib, bassinet, pack n play

I have always started off with a bassinet in the newborn stage and let my babies grow out of them before transitioning to a crib or pack n play. 

Honestly, my daughter hated sleeping in a crib, no matter which one we tried – mini, regular size, just didn’t do it for her. Once I was going back to work (about 8 months after she was born), I decided that we would transition to co-sleeping so that I would get more sleep.

My son is currently in a pack n play in our room, that also has a bassinet and changing table attachment to make those several newborn wakes just a little bit more manageable. Once he grows out of the maximum weight, which won’t be long now, we’re moving to a bigger bassinet!

Sound machine

Sound machines mimic the noise that babies heard while in the womb, so they sleep better since it’s a familiar comfort! My son sleeps great when I’m vacuuming the house ha!

I love our Hatch sound machines, but this is a cheaper version!

Monitor

Having a way to hear baby at night is a nursery must-have! Or a video monitor is phenomenal too! There’s so many options, make sure to do your research and find the one that works for your family and sleeping arrangement. 

If you are stressed out about newborn sleep, check out my post with seven sleep resources that can help you come up with a plan that works for you!

Changing Station

Next area you should prep within the nursery is a changing station – whether you’re doing cloth or disposable, having a dedicated spot for changing is a nursery must-have!

Changing pad

First and foremost is a changing pad to lay baby on. I would look for one that is easy to clean with wipes or have several covers. Those first few months, I felt like I was constantly cleaning up after changes – especially after I had my son ha!

Wipes container

Of course, having something that holds your word is nice and I find that that having the sturdy container helps the wipes stay wet and fresh rather than drying out – which of why it’s on this list of nursery must-haves!

Diaper caddy

I absolutely love our Diaper Genie. Some people may say that they aren’t a must-have in the nursery, but having ours helps with the stink of diapers so much!

Night light

A night light is 1000% needed for late night changes and feeds. I love this dimmable, touch light. I have them in both of my kids’ rooms to make sure it’s not too bright as we get ready for bed. 

Rocking chair

The rocking chair I got with my daughter was my go-to nursing spot – day and night! I love this chair and it’s lasted for over 3 years now. And lots of use! Now I’m using it in my son’s room for his feedings. 

Clothes Storage

Finding a storage method that works for you is what’s most important! Especially if you get a lot of hand-me-downs!

Hangers and size organizers

I love hanging up my kids clothes to be able to see all that they have to wear. And with the baby sizes, I made sure to have size signs in the rod, so I knew what went where!

Next size storage

For chores that are next size up, you could hang them or store them with their current clothes. But that’s bound to get confusing. I have a 3 drawer storage organizer that holds the clothes that are too big. That way I know that the farther down I go, the bigger the sizes.

Dresser

Another clothing storage method is a dresser in the room. Often times, people put the changing station on top of the dresser – so both areas and needs are met with one piece of furniture!

Book Storage

Maybe it’s because my husband and I are both English teachers, but our kids have TONS of books. So it’s always smart to figure out how you want to store them. Plus providing easy access to them for both yourself and the kids makes it easy to incorporate reading into bedtime or playtime – which research shows reading 15 minutes increases critical thinking, empathy, and increased language ability!

Bookshelf

The first and most basic book storage would be a bookshelf. I feel this is a nursery must-have as reading is such an easy activity to do with your baby, so having the books available is important!

Floating book shelves

If you have the wall space, some floating shelves that make books more accessible for baby is a great way to encourage reading too!

Toy Chest

There is going to be tons of toys for baby, so a toy chest is a must-have in the nursery! I love a storage ottoman, as it can also become a seat for parents and eventual toddlers!

Decorate 

Once you get your nursery must-haves set up, now it’s the fun part – decorating!

My friend from Debbie from Basic Home DIY has several posts about different nursery themes. My personal favorite is the sloth theme, but she also has a list of 30 other nursery ideas!

Parents, do you have anything you’d add as a nursery must-have? Expecting parents, anything surprise you on the list? Comment below!