by THAT Painter Lady on Friday, January 16, 2009
When new parents think of buying items for their baby’s nursery, some panic because new furniture (as we all know) can be quite expensive. Visions of future credit card debt can make any new mom or dad break into a sweat.
However, there are always ways to cut corners, and make furnishing the baby’s room less expensive. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking frugally before rushing out to purchase brand new furniture for your child’s room.
The crib
New parents may think they need both a bassinet and a crib. The frugal shopper will choose to skip the bassinet, which is typically viewed as a luxury. The crib is a necessity, but the bassinet is only used for a just few months (4 months at the most). Then it is stored away in an attic or garage somewhere until the next baby comes or it is passed down to another family member.
When shopping for a crib, keep your eyes open for a bargain on a convertible style crib. A convertible crib is great because down the road when your child gets older it can transform from a crib, to a toddler bed, and then a full size bed. If you can invest in a convertible crib, it would alleviate the cost of a buying separate furniture pieces in the future.
The Dresser
A great place to find furniture is at a flea market or garage sale. Thrifty shoppers know that purchasing a full-sized dresser is more economical than buying a small dresser, because you can continue to use it in any bedroom for any child. Remember that you will eventually have to turn the baby’s room into a child’s bedroom, and a smart investment now can grow with your child through the years. Dont be afraid to buy an older dresser. An older dresser can be as good as new with just a coat of paint, assuming all hardware is working well. If not, you can replace the knobs with new ones that you can purchase at any local hardware or home store.
Changing Table
The changing table is a luxury for the frugal shopper. Check places like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and of course yard sales. These tables are often discarded when the baby outgrows them. Another great option for a frugal changing table is to convert a full-size dresser into a changing table. If you search online, you can find instructions to easily turn your dresser into a safe place to change your baby. The changing table is an item some moms choose to do without, and instead, set a blanket or pad on the bed or even the floor to change their babies on.
I am sure in a perfect world, we would all appreciate the luxury of going out and buying everything new at a baby boutique. However, the reality is that a baby does not need the most expensive furniture. Really, your baby only needs one thing, and that is YOU.
photo credit: pandemia
by THAT Painter Lady on Monday, December 22, 2008
Now you know a bouncing baby boy is on the way. Now you need to decorate the nursery where he can grow and have his adventures.
Lambs and Ivy Super Sports 4-pc. Bedding Set
You may want to stimulate his very active imagination along with his very active play. However, sometimes i wise to create a cozier, less stimulating room, so your baby boy is easier to put to sleep at night.
You can adapt any of the
nursery theme ideas below to be
perfect for your baby boy.
Cars: Cars are a tried and true theme for a boys room. You can find pages of wallpaper borders with cars in every color scheme. There are car shaped beds and other accessories that will fit into the theme as they grow older. An area rug with streets printed on it is a perfect addition. It is sure to become a favorite as your son gets older.
Trains: Little boys seem to love trains. Decorating the room with toy trains is a perfect fit. Some people have even built a suspended track around the room for a decorative and fun accent. Thomas the Tank is a very popular and natural way to add to your train themed room.
Boats: Boats are another good theme for a boys room. You can find inspiration for your room by examining the simple designs of signal flags to life preservers. Pirates would also be a great addition to a boat themed room as pirates are very popular with little boys.
Sports: A sports-themed room is very easy to set up for a babys nursery. Combine items from football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey “ which are all easy to find. From preprinted wallpaper and borders to stencils and even actual balls and other equipment, decorating the room is a snap. If mom or dad has some trophies from their glory days, these would make wonderful accents. Of course, you can always find banners and posters from your favorite teams to add even more visual appeal to your babys room.
Characters: Popular shows such as Bob the Builder, Blues Clues and Sesame Street offer bedding sets and accessories that will make decorating very easy for the babys room.
Here are a couple great crib bedding sets to go with the above themes:
Baby Buoy 6 Piece Crib Bedding Set by Glenna Jean
Disney’s Cars 4-pc. Toddler Bedding Set
Choo Choo 4 Piece Crib Set
CoCaLo Sports Fan 6-pc. Crib Set
by THAT Painter Lady on Thursday, December 18, 2008
When new parents think of purchasing items for the nursery, the thought of buying baby furniture typically causes a new parent to panic. Visions of future credit card debt can make any new mom or dad break into a sweat.
However, there are ways to cut corners, and make furnishing the baby’s room less expensive. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking frugally before rushing out to purchase furniture for your babys room.
The Crib
New parents may think they need both a bassinet and a crib. The frugal shopper will choose to skip the bassinet, which is typically viewed as a luxury. The crib is a necessity, but the bassinet is only used for a few months, and is then stored in the garage.
When shopping for a crib, keep your eyes open for a bargain on a Convertable Style Crib, which can transform from a crib, to a toddler bed, and then a full size bed. If you can invest in a convertible crib, it would alleviate the cost of a bed in the future.
Of course, co-sleeping is even more affordable than buying a crib or a bassinet. The decision to co-sleep can eliminate the expense of a crib all-together or delay the expense until you have time to shop around and find a bargain.
The Dresser
Babys dresser is an item that can oftentimes be picked up at a yard sale. Thrifty shoppers know that purchasing a full-sized dresser is more economical than buying a small dresser.
Remember that you will eventually have to turn the baby room into a child’s bedroom, and a smart investment now can grow with your child through the years.
Dont be afraid to buy an older dresser. An older dresser can be as good as new with just a coat of paint, assuming all hardware is working well.
Changing Table
The changing table is a luxury for the frugal shopper. Check places like the Salvation Army and Goodwill as well as yard sales.
These tables are often discarded when the baby outgrows them. Another option for a frugal changing table is to convert a full-size dresser into a changing table.
If you search online, you can find instructions to easily turn your dresser into a safe place to change your baby.
The changing table is an item some moms choose to do without, and, instead, set a blanket on the floor to change their babies on.
I am sure in a perfect world, we would all appreciate the luxury of going out and buying everything we need at a baby boutique. However, the reality is that baby does not need the most expensive furniture. Your baby needs only one thing, and that is you.
The Smart Approach to Baby Rooms (Smart Approach)
