Congratulations on the new addition to your family! It’s always so exciting when a new baby joins the family, and though you may have many sleepless nights ahead of you, remember that it will all be worth it in the end.
Once you are able to contain your excitement, then you will know that you have a lot of preparation to do before the baby comes home. Of course, it all doesn’t have to be done in a single day, but if you start early, then you will find yourself less stressed when the time comes to being your newborn home.
A word to the wise: As you prepare your home, think about how to make your home as accommodating as possible to your most exhausted self. When you have a newborn, you’re not going to care if your home is perfectly organized, and your home will probably be a little messy for a while. That’s all completely okay. As you get ready, think about how you can make things easier on yourself later. Your future self will appreciate it.
This can all seem like one big chore, but it can be fun if your get your partner or your family involved. Here’s how to prepare your home for a new baby — and how pressure washing services can help get every part of your home clean.
The master bedroom
Everyone usually believes that having the nursery ready is by far the most important part of the home to prepare for a newborn, and that’s not quite untrue. You do need to have the nursery set up, ideally before you bring the new baby home. However, for the first few months, you will likely keep your newborn next to your bedroom in a bassinet next to your bed. In this way, you’ll hear the baby when it starts crying at night, and you won’t have to get up and go far to feed or change it.
Even if your nursery is right next to your bedroom, it might as well be on the other side of town when you’re sleep deprived in the middle of the night. So the first thing to do is to clear the space around your bed. You’ll need to be able to get in and out easily to get to your baby. If you have clutter around that area, now if the time to sort through it and get rid of it.
You can use:
- Storage bins for under the bed: These slim, sleek plastic bins will hold everything and keep it all out of sight under the bed. These bins can be especially great for seasonal clothes and jackets.
- Shoe racks and over-the-door storage: If you keep your shoes in boxes, now may be the time to order shoe racks that hang on your door. You’ll find it easier to put away your shoes when you don’t have to find the right box.
- Plastic storage and cub organizers for the closet: If you have a lot of loose items around your bedroom — purses, clutches, makeup bags and spare clothing that just never found a home — a few extra plastic bins here and there will make it easier on you to put stuff away. Bins with sliding drawers will become your new best friend.
At this stage, you don’t have to worry too much about baby proofing your bedroom for safety just yet. It’s never a bad idea to start early, but your baby won’t be able to move much around your room at first and probably won’t be anywhere but the bassinet. Still, you can still put safety locks on your cabinets, drawers and closet as protect all electrical outlets if you have the time.
At this stage, you should also think about lighting options for your bedroom. If the only source of light is the fixture above your bed, then it may be time to think about investing in a lamp or two. You should have one next to your bed, preferably will different levels of light. That way, when you turn it on, you won’t completely shock your partner. Sleep will be a luxury for both of you, so if you can help your partner get a little more sleep, he or she will repay you when it’s your turn to get some sleep.
When looking for a good bedside lamp, keep these tips in mind:
- Find one that turns on or off when you touch it: You don’t want to fumble around in the dark for a switch. A lamp that can be turned on with a tap will be much more useful.
- Look for USB ports: A number of small table lamps have USB ports nowadays, so you can plug in your home or other electronics easily. If you need to grab it at some point during the night, you won’t have to reach far for it.
- Check for dimming or brightness options: Some table lamps can be set on dimmers in your bedroom, but many have two or three levels of brightness built in. Each time you tap the lamp, the light gets a bit brighter.
With plenty of light and storage, your bedroom will be ready for any and all late-night feedings.
The nursery
Many new parents plan to go all out with their nurseries — painting the walls with murals, hanging curtains and planning a theme such as superheroes or circus animals. If you’re up to all of that, go for it, but remember, that wall color won’t help you soothe a screaming baby, so focus on what’s really important with a nursery and don’t stress yourself out over having the perfect space.
As far as furniture goes, you will need:
- Crib: The baby will likely start sleeping there between three and six months after birth, but by then, you will be tired, so build it before the baby comes. There are millions of guides on which crib to buy, but remember, you don’t have to buy the most expensive one. Go for a mix of quality and price.
- Changing station/dresser: Opt for a changing station that has drawers built into it. Thankfully, baby clothes are small, so five or six drawers will likely cover you. Again, go for a mix of quality and price (no need to buy a $5,000 changing station), but above all, make sure the changing station has anchors to keep it from tipping over. This will become extremely important when your baby become mobile and wants to grab everything.
- Big, comfy chair: Be it a recliner or a rocking chair, you’re going to want a comfy place to sit and rest in the nursery. Find a chair that suits your needs and if the arms are skinny, add an end table to hold a glass of water or a snack.
- Closet storage bins: Be they plastic or cubes, these bins will hold all of your extra clothes, toys, books and blankets when they’re not in use
Don’t bother trying to hang clothes up at this point — or really ever with a baby. It’ll be a miracle if you manage to get the laundry done and back into the nursery, so don’t add the extra step of hanging it all up. The drawers on your changing station should be enough for you.
Of course, you can always add decor, but again, don’t let it stress you out or stretch your budget. Your newborn won’t care how decorated the room is, so focus on what’s important and leave the rest if you just don’t feel up to it.
The living room
During the day, you will probably spend most of your time feeding your child on your couch or favorite chair in your living room. You may want to think of it as sort of a daytime feeding station (your nursery will probably be your nighttime feeding station) — both for you and your baby.
Whether you’re feeding your baby with formula or breast milk, it still requires you to sit still for an extended amount of time. Not all babies eat quickly. Sometimes they’re fussy, and sometimes they fall asleep mid-meal. If you’re home alone, you may not be able to ask someone to bring you water or a snack, so having it all nearby can make these moments more bearable.
In your living room, decide on where you plan to sit and feed your baby and create your own feeding station around it. Add a large enough side table with drawers to hold food, water, remotes, electronics and charging cords. Put a few extra towels or baby blankets in the end table drawers in case you ever sit down without grabbing one. You won’t have to get back up again.
To complete your feeding station, gather:
- A small storage basket for snack bars and goodies: Babies always eat first, but don’t let yourself go hungry. Plan for those moments by leaving a few granola bars or any other snack in there. Make the snacks are individually wrapped — you don’t want to attract pests or even a hungry pet.
- The largest water bottle you can find: Prep your water bottle when you get up in the morning, and chances are, you won’t need to refill it until the next morning. It’s important for you to stay hydrated, so always have water nearby
- Extra charging cords: Leave them there so you don’t have to go searching through your house with a crying baby.
There should be space on your end table for TV remotes, your electronics, books, pacifiers or any other items you’d like to have nearby.
A word about baby proofing
Parents will always tell you that babies will be mobile before you know it, and while that time can go by quickly, you don’t necessarily have to baby proof your home right away. If you feel up to it and have the time before the baby comes, great. If not, that’s okay. You can work up to it based on your child’s growth.
The goal is to not overwhelm yourself. Take baby proofing just one day at a time.
How pressure washing services work from the outside to the inside
As you know, having a baby at home will likely distract you for a while, and that’s okay. But that means that you should try to knock out some of those big chores before the baby comes, such as hiring an expert in pressure washing services to clean the outside of your home as well as the deck, fence and driveway.
Pressure washing services can get your home looking clean and fresh, but they can also help prevent mold and mildew from growing on your home. Pressure washing services blast away that mold, which can eat away at the wood framing of your home if it’s not taken care of quickly. If you hire an expert in pressure washing services before the baby arrives, then you won’t have to worry about it for another six months to a year — when you’ve had the chance to relax and get into a schedule with your baby.
Experts in pressure washing services will also take a look at your home while they’re completing their work and look out for any problems. Some experts in pressure washing services find cracked siding, which can let in water and mold. Others find animal burrows under decks or near the foundation of homes. They’ll let you know if they find issues with your home, and that will help you head off any problems before the baby arrives.
At the very least, pressure washing services will give you peace of mind as you get ready to welcome home your newborn.
Tell us: How will you prepare for bringing home a newborn? If you’re a parent already, what tips would you give to new parents? Share with us in the comments and let us know how our pressure washing services can help you get your home ready for your new family member.
