Getting Ready For Baby: My Formula For A Fantastic, Well-Organized Nursery

Babies come in small packages, but they sure do come with a lot of stuff! Every new parent realizes this fact as soon as they go to a store to register for their baby shower.

It can seem impossible to keep a nursery organized, but it's essential that you start out with a good plan. After the baby arrives, you won't have a whole lot of time to clean up and it's easy to get overwhelmed in a short amount of time.

You'll need to start by organizing your essentials that you'll use every day, especially diapers and wipes. A new baby goes through ten to twelve diapers each day so it's important to have an organized system for dealing with diaper changes right from the start. Invest in a changing table with a number of shelves or drawers. You can also make a changing table out of a dresser as long as it has drawers that are easy to open.

On the changing table, you'll certainly need extra diapers and wipes, and, as the baby grows, you may need other diaper changing accessories, such as diaper rash cream. You don't want to have to reach too far for these supplies, especially when you have the baby down on the changing table. Along with these essentials, you can store washcloths and a few extra sets of clothes in the changing table. The changing table is also a good place to store extra baby proofing items.

Babies do more than just create dirty diapers. Another large part of your newborn's life will be spent sleeping. Your child's crib will be an important piece of furniture, and you can use the area underneath the crib as a storage space, as well. Consider purchasing plastic drawers that will fit snugly underneath the crib to store extra crib sheets, blankets and other bedding. As your child grows, this will be a perfect spot to store toys.

A standard closet can be converted into a highly efficient storage area. Since children's clothes are short, you can fit an extra dresser or another set of shelves in the bottom portion of the closet. This will allow you to store clothes that can't be hung up, as well as books, shoes and other important items. Try to find a good mix of drawers, shelves and wire racks that will be allow you for some flexibility as your child grows.

At first, your baby won't need many playthings but, as he or she grows, toys may start to overwhelm the room. Start on the right foot by getting a toy box and a small bookshelf to help you stay organized. As your collection of these items grows, you can add larger storage items and continue to grow your organizational system.

The final touch to getting your baby's room organized is to add a series of hooks on the back of the door. These hooks are perfect places to hang slings, diaper bags and jackets while saving on closet space. The hooks make it easy to grab things easily while heading out the door.

With these simple organization tips, you'll be able to keep your baby's room functional and neat without sacrificing any of the important items that you need.