Budgeting for your baby's nursery

Budgeting for Your Baby’s Nursery

Have you been browsing through the baby catalogues for things to buy for your baby’s nursery? Or are you eagerly picking up each new edition of the baby magazines and going straight to the nursery furniture sections? It is easy to get carried away when your first baby is on its way and plan out a deluxe themed nursery, but most of us need to be a little more practical. Despite what the catalogues seem to say, it is possible to create a beautiful nursery for your little one on a budget. In this article we look at what you need, and ways to buy without breaking the bank

First, make a list of essentials:

Basically, your baby needs somewhere safe to sleep. Try to borrow a Moses basket for the first few months: your baby will grow out of this very quickly. Do invest in a new mattress. If you are short on tiny sheets for the basket, you will find that a pillow case fits just fine.

You might also like somewhere to store his or her clothes, nappies and spare sheets, towels and muslins. You could move a set of drawers from another room, or look for a second hand bargain to refurbish.

You will find it helpful to have a comfortable chair to feed your baby in. Is there one in another part of the house you could ask someone to move to the bedroom for you? You will really appreciate this at 3in the morning.

Find something to change your baby on. An old towel on the floor is safe and comfortable for baby, as well as being easy to wash. A plastic covered baby change mat only costs a few pounds and is easy to wipe clean. You can simply put your change mat on top of a chest of drawers at the right height to save you from bending too much.

Finally, you will need somewhere to put dirty nappies. A bucket with a lid works just as well as more expensive nappy bins: the key thing to whatever you choose is to empty it regularly!

Once you have your list of essentials, your next stage is to shop around. There are lots of bargains to be had, especially if you plan ahead. If you are superstitious about having items for your baby in the house ask a friend or relative to store them … or even keep them in the garage. Sign up for the BabeeCard discount club: for just £9.95 you can get access to savings, special offers and discounts of 5-20% from big name brands including JoJoMamanBébé, Truly Madly Baby, Mothercare, Babyworld.com, The Baby Catalogue and more.