When baby comes along, so does the clutter. The nursery can quickly become a mess. Besides being unsightly, messes in the nursery can also be a hazard to you and your child. The last thing you want is for the baby to get hold of a choking hazard, or for someone to trip while carrying the baby. Furthermore, you do not want to have to wake the baby rummaging through piles of junk when you need something like diaper rash cream or thermometer covers. Meet your nursery’s storage requirements, stay safe, and keep things organized with these simple tips.

1. Safety is first and foremost. There are certain things that need to be kept out of reach or even locked up. New parents may not be aware of some of the hidden dangers in a nursery. For example, baby oil can be deadly if it is inhaled. Diaper wipes and lotions contain chemicals that can be toxic if ingested. These items are normally kept within baby’s reach on a changing table, on the floor or even in the baby’s crib for easy night time diaper changes. Make sure that you designate a specific place for these things to be kept, out of baby’s reach.

2. Convenience is of utmost importance. When you become a parent, you will most likely stay very busy and very tired. You do not need to be rummaging through giant toy boxes or deep drawers looking for what you need while the baby and your headache screams. Keep it simple. Small containers, divided containers and bins with labels make keeping organized a breeze.

3. Clothing packed into drawers gets unfolded and things get buried rather quickly. When you have a baby, you will find yourself needing to change the baby’s clothes all of the time. If the baby spits up, is eating baby food or has a diaper accident, you will be changing their clothes. You will also be changing them whenever the temperature changes, when you’re going outside, and when it’s time for bed or an outing.

All of these things can make the laundry quickly get out of control. Keep the baby’s clothes divided up. Warm pajamas, cool pajamas, onesies, rompers, shorts, skirts, pants, t-shirts, play dresses and dress clothes should all have special places. You will also need bins for burp cloths, bibs, socks and hats.

4. Organization in the nursery is not only about safety concerns or convenience, but it is also about style. Decorating the nursery can be one of those precious moments of pregnancy that you will remember forever. Luckily there are many organizational products, such as bins, baskets and canvas bags that not only help you organize, but also help you decorate. Things like wooden baby hangers or special infant hangers not only keep clothing organized, but help protect precious outfits from being stretched, snagged or crumpled. Get your nursery safely organized and decorated and you’ll be ready for the arrival of your baby.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of baby hangers. The right infant hangers keep baby clothers organized and wooden baby hangers are great for retail stores. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.

You know what furniture you want. You have even selected colors and a theme. But, you are looking for some unique ideas to spruce up your nursery. Use these tips to make things more convenient, organized, unique and stylish.

Recessed shelving adds a special flare to any room, but it is especially useful in a nursery. Recessed shelves are not very deep and are just right for all of those tiny baby items. It’s fairly easy to add recessed shelves. Use a stud finder to determine where the shelves will fit. Mark off the area that you would like to turn into shelves. Cut out the sheetrock with a steak knife. Fill in the gaps with plywood and 1×6 boards. Add the shelves and paint. This is a fairly simple project that is easy to do with two people.

Install a chair rail to really frame out the room. Chair rails should be one third of the height of the ceiling. Measure from floor to ceiling and divide by three. Use a level to mark a line all the way around the room. Start somewhere easy, like against a door frame or window frame. This first piece will be cut at a ninety degree angle. Adjoining pieces should fit together with forty five degree cuts. Go in one direction around the room. Use a miter saw to cut the corners and joints at forty five degrees. This will give you a professional finish. Recess the nails, fill the holes and sand the surface. Use paintable caulk to seal the chair rail to the wall. Most walls are not totally flat, so don’t be surprised if you have a gap to fill. Let it dry and you’re ready to paint.

A long storage bench is another great addition to the nursery. You may decide to use an entire wall for this, or build a bench between two bookshelves around a window for a beautiful window seat. Measure and build a basic box to fit the area. Cut the front piece a little lower than the rest to allow for closure without smashing little fingers. You may decide to make multiple lids for a really long seat. Secure box to studs with screws. Install lids with torsion hinges made for toy boxes. This will allow the tops to stay in the position that they are put in and easily close without slamming shut. Use decorative pillows, paint or stencils to personalize the space.

Whether you are adding storage or decoration, your nursery will look great. Don’t neglect the closet when you are adding storage. Use baby hangers to keep clothes from getting misshapen or torn. Infant hangers not only look great, but maximize the storage capacity of a closet. Have fun with your nursery and be proud of the style that you created yourself.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of baby hangers. The right infant hangers keep baby clothers organized and wooden baby hangers are great for retail stores. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.