Nine months waiting a baby means there are so many things to consider to buy and preparation and do before the child even arrives home. Chief among the preparations is setting up a room for baby. Many superstitions surround the project of making a room for the new baby before its born, but a certain amount of preparation must be done and can't be left for the last minute. You simply won't have the time or the energy to paint or wallpaper or put together furniture.
The best places to look for budget-conscious baby furniture are at swap meets, yard sales, or thrift stores. Second hand can be just as good as buying new, in most cases. One thing most people don't consider when buying items is the amount of use the furniture will receive as the child grows. Will you be able to use the crib as a toddler bed later on when your child is ready for a "real" bed? How well will the furniture you're getting now transition into something a small child could use? The more mileage you can get out of a piece of furniture, the more you'll get back from your investment.
The first thing to keep in mind when designing your baby's room is safety. If you're inheriting baby furniture from a friend or family member, or re-using furniture you've had from previous children, check to make sure that everything is in perfect condition. Is the piece of furniture solid? Are there any loose screws or nails poking out? Is the finish smooth and splinter free? If the piece needs some work, are you capable of doing the fixing yourself? It may be more practical to buy something else to replace a worn item.
As we've mentioned before, if you are handy in the workshop or with a sewing machine, there is no reason why you can't make some furnishings yourself. Give old furniture a new coat of paint or strip off the old paint and stain the wood. Making curtains is easy work too, and you'll probably end up with something better than what you could buy already-made. If you know how to knit, crochet, or quilt, use the quiet months before the baby arrives to make blankets and pillows.
Keep color schemes simple. Primary colors of blue, yellow, and red are good throughout the child's early life. Pink and blue might be nice choices in the beginning, but not as practical later on as your child grows older.
Painting a room is much easier than wallpapering, but if you want to add a little zip to solid-colored walls, consider putting up a pre-printed border or vinyl wall decorations that are easily removed later on. If you're the artistic type, paint a mural on your child's walls.
Decorating your baby's room on a budget can be fun and easy with some creativity. In no time, you can have a nice-looking, functional room. And remember, safety before aesthetics!
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