If you’re expecting a new addition to your family, it’s a good idea to start shopping for and setting up your baby furniture as soon as possible. The first step is deciding what furniture you want, then researching the features that fit your lifetsyle best.
Then, after you decide which items you want most you can add them to your baby shower registry so that your friends and family can help with the costs.
Not sure where to start planning your nursery? Here are some tips to help you choose baby furniture you and your child will love.
Start With Essential Furniture, Then Build Out the Rest of Your Nursery
Nurseries often have many types of furniture, including:
- Cribs
- Changing tables
- Chairs
- Couches
- Nightstands
- Dressers
- Chests
- Armoires
It can be a long list, but there are a few key pieces of nursery furniture to start with. Of course, the piece that probably comes to everyone’s mind is the crib. The crib is often the centerpiece of the room and it’s easiest for most people to choose the crib first and then select matching furniture.
But besides a crib, you should make sure you have at least one or two places to sit as well as enough storage space for:
- Clothing
- Diapers
- Bottles
- Wipes
- Toys
- Other supplies
Think About Baby Furniture Safety
Growing babies and toddlers are often active and curious. Choosing baby furniture with safety features such as child locks and nontoxic paints and finishes can help prevent accidents.
Here are a few safety checks to make as you set up your nursery:
- Place protective pads underneath furniture legs to safeguard your flooring and make it less likely that your baby furniture will slide around when you don’t want it to
- Secure baby furniture to the wall to prevent it from falling over and harming babies who climb and also to keep it in position during an earthquake or other natural disaster
- Look for baby furniture with nontoxic paint or a nontoxic finish like products with Greenguard certification, a meticulous chemical emissions standard
- Cribs should have narrow spaces between bars so a baby’s head can’t get trapped
- Cribs and other baby furniture should also have no loose screws or nails
One crib that checks all the security boxes is the Green Cradle Gratitude Panel Crib. This crib has a solid, sanded wood finished with organic linseed oil. Along with a nontoxic finish, it has two mattress positions for newborns and toddlers and narrow slats to prevent injuries. The robust build quality also makes it easier to secure this crib to the wall. Just be aware that because of its extensive safety features and high quality, it costs more than most cribs.
Look for Furniture Styles That Can Grow With Your Child
You can minimize your expenses and impact on the environment by choosing baby furniture and décor that’s stylish for any age. Otherwise, your kid may not like their room when they get older and then you’ll need to replace some of their furniture with items that look more grown-up.
To avoid this scenario, choose main pieces in neutral colors and reserve bold color for accessories or pieces that are easy to swap out as you child gets older.
Another strategy is to choose items that you can use later in other rooms if your child doesn’t want to keep them. It’s a good idea to consider:
A Convertible Crib That Can Change With Your Child
With a convertible crib, you can avoid buying a new toddler or full-size bed as your baby grows. The Graco Benton 4-in-1 Convertible Crib has thick pine slats and a curved top on one side that can become a headboard later. This item works as a:
- Crib
- Toddler bed
- Daybed
- Full-size bed
It comes in White or Pebble Gray, and it matches many types of décor. The simple design also makes painting this crib another color easy.
A Dresser That Can Work in Several Rooms
With a dresser in a neutral color that looks good with a variety of décor, you can easily move it to another room or let your child keep using it as they grow up.
The South Shore Cotton Candy Dresser has three drawers and two storage baskets that can hold diapers, baby blankets, and similar items. You can move the baskets from room to room easily, and the alcoves for them can double as shelves.
The top of this dresser is also big enough to work as a changing table so you can buy a changing pad and attach it with removable adhesive strips.
Consider Features Carefully When Choosing Baby Furniture
With the right baby furniture, your nursery can look great and become a comfortable, convenient space where you spend time with your little one.
Don’t forget to choose items with the latest safety features and if you shop carefully, you can keep using your nursery furniture in other rooms for years.
