Organize your home for a new baby with these tips and tricks listed below. Whether your due date is approaching fast or you are wanting to get ahead of the tasks at hand. I have a list of effective ways to get your home organized for your home.
So let me share some easy and quick ways you can get your home ready to bring home your bundle of joy. These will be a great way to help mark things off your to-do list.
Organize Your Home For Baby
1. Sort Through Clothes
If you have a handful of baby clothes already on hand, you are able to get things prepped and organized. Go through your clothes and begin to sort them by each size. Then for larger sizes you know your little one needs to grow into place in a plastic container with dividers. Make sure to label it so that you now for later what size is what.
After doing this it will help you to know what you might need to buy for later on.
2. Pre-Wash Clothes
In that make sure your laundry is up to do, and things are where they need to go. If you wash all those newborn clothes ahead of time, you will be fully ready when your little one comes home. While doing this make sure to check over the hampers to ensure you have space for your baby’s items once they arrive.
MOM TIP: You don’t need a special laundry detergent for your baby’s clothes (contrary to what manufacturers would have you believe!) Just use an eco-friendly unscented laundry detergent–Charlie’s Laundry Detergent is my favorite!
3. DeClutter
Slowly work through each room of your home. Go through closets, and get rid of any clutter. Think of items that you are not using, stuff you no longer feel you need and so on. Create a box to donate, a bag for trash and work through the entire home. This will help you to feel a lot more organized as you clean through each room.
You will be bringing in a lot of gear with the baby (bouncy chairs, swings, breastfeeding pillows, playmats, baby toys) so going through and paring down ahead of your baby’s arrival will have your home prepared!
4. Garage Sale or Donate
When you toss out items you no longer need, donate or opt for a garage sale. This is a fantastic way to earn money to turn over to buy items you need still for your baby on the way. Plus, there’s nothing better than the feeling of giving something away!
5. Clean and Stock Your Pantry
Go into your pantry and get rid of items and organize. Then make a list of items that you are running low on, and start shopping and get that pantry full of essentials before your baby arrives. The same thing goes to the freezer. Get rid of expired items and make a list of what you need to stock.
When you are nursing, you can burn as many as 500 calories a day, so make sure you have some protein-rich snacks!
7. Childproof Your Bathroom
Go through cupboards and such and get rid of items you no longer use. Make sure to remove any medications or items that are not safe for little ones. Ensure they are out of reach, and ready for when your baby turns into a toddler.
8. Purchase a Fireproof Box
Consider buying a fireproof box and placing important documents inside and keep them tucked away in a safe place. This is also great to put your child’s SSN, Birth Certificate and such once it comes in from the mail. Or if you have a gun safe that is fireproof you could place them in there as well.
9. Do a Deep Clean
Deep clean as you go. When you are organizing a room then make sure to work around the room and clean spots you might not think about. Baseboards, dusting, cleaning light fixtures, ceiling fans, etc. This is going to help you when you are in full nest mode. Plus you can see the full potential of a deep-cleaned room that has been decluttered.
10. Storage Unit
If you can’t fully part with some items but don’t have space in your home (especially if you live in a condo or apartment.) Consider buying a storage unit to store items you want to keep for the future. They are generally a monthly fee and you get a key to your unit. If you have the funds this can be a really helpful option for it.
10. Stock up on Newborn Necessities
You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of newborn must-haves like diapers, ointments (for diaper rash,) pacifiers, burp cloths, and swaddles.
11. Stockpile Non-Baby Household Necessities
You’ll be having lots of visitors when the baby comes, so stockpile things you might run out of and things you will use more of than usual. This includes toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, and hand sanitizer (for visitors.)
12. Set-up a Diaper Changing Station and a Mobile Station
Newborns go through a lot of diapers (as many as 16 a day in my experience!) If you live in a two-level house, you’ll want to set up two diaper changing stations to avoid running up and down the stairs 24/7. Set one up in the nursery, and one downstairs either in your family room or playroom. A diaper caddy comes in handy for this second mobile diaper changing station.
13. Assemble a Breastfeeding Station
If you are looking to breastfeed your baby, you’ll want to set yourself up for success. Invest in a comfortable rocking chair or glider, and have a small stool you can rest your feet on. Have a basket for breastfeeding supplies nearby (this might include burp cloths, nipple cream, a breastfeeding support pillow, and a nightlight.) After nursing all four of my children for 14 months, I can tell you have a breastfeeding station makes it so much easier!
If money is a concern, don’t worry about buying a fancy glider! We refinished a hand-me-down rocker and added a seat cushion and it served me well!
14. Safety Check
Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. They might need new batteries, or be outdated. Take this important life event to check in on all the nagging things you’ve been forgetting to do so you bring your baby home to the safest home!
15. Organize and Stock Your Linen Closet
If you plan on having parents or family stay with you, make sure you have an extra set of sheets and towels ahead of time. Also, be prepared to wash more sheets than usual (not just for your guests!) Some new moms experience breastmilk leaking in the newborn phase (not to say anything of the postpartum period!) I find having some inexpensive towels to throw down on my bed is useful postpartum so I don’t worry.
16. Organize Your Address Book
Chances are you’ll want to send out newborn announcements. Get ahead of the game before your baby arrives and make sure you have updated addresses for family members and friends. This will make sending out birth announcements a breeze! Bonus points if you pre-buy stamps!
Prepping for A New Baby? Check out these other posts.
Having a baby is a life-changer, but a good one. It takes some time to prepare, finances to supply all there needs. But in the end, it will be one magical new chapter to the story you call life!
What do you recommend for preparing for a new baby?