Baby Nursery: Practical and Low-Cost Decorating Ideas

Planning for the arrival of a newborn can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a new parents life. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most expensive. Let's face it, there is no discount bargain bin when it comes to the arrival of a new family member. With doctor bills through nine months of pregnancy and hospital bills that will be arriving after the delivery, the last thing you want to think about is the cost of setting up and decorating a newborn's nursery. But there are some ways you can have the baby nursery just the way you want it and save money at the same time.

Before you get started, make sure you have safety in mind as you outfit the room. Older style cribs, toys and sometimes even clothing do not meet today's safety standards and should be avoided. With that in mind, here are some helpful hints that will save money and still get the baby room you desire.

One of the first thoughts you might have when deciding how to decorate the room is the traditional pink for girls and blue for boys paint schemes. While this idea seems to be the norm for new parents, you may want to think a little more long term. Babies grow at a pretty fast pace. It doesn't take long before a newborn becomes a toddler and that paint scheme really doesn't fit the room anymore. You could consider using some soft colors when painting so the baby can grow into the room and decorate with a newborn themed border that can easily be removed as your baby grows. Colorful designs can also be painted on the walls with easy to use stencils to brighten up the room as well.

Next to think about is the furniture you'll need. Once again, because a baby grows so fast, some of these items will only be used for a very short period of time, such as an infant bassinet or cradle. After three months, the baby will be sleeping in a crib and won't need these anymore. A suggestion here is to borrow these items from a friend or family member whose infant has already outgrown them. For that matter, if you have a friend or family member whose child has outgrown a crib or changing table, you could see if they would let you use those items as well. Many times they are being stored in the attic or garage and they'd certainly appreciate you for storing those items for awhile until you're child outgrows them and they can be returned. If nothing else, perhaps they would give you a good deal on them to purchase and you'd save some money.

If that isn't an option for you, the next stop could be to a consignment shop, flea market or yard sale. Any one of these would offer great deals on slightly used items for your nursery at an affordable price. Look through your local newspaper classified ads and your certain to find a yard sale nearby that is selling children's goods. Consignment stores are outstanding outlets for purchasing the needs for your nursery at well below the retail price. And, depending on the size, a flea market will offer a wide variety of items you might need with negotiable prices. Flea market vendors don't want to take anything back home with them and the later in the day it is, the more likely they are to bargain with you.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is to form a budget for your nursery and stick to it. New parents to be will have the tendency to shop impulsively instead of following the plans they have laid out for their new nursery and keeping to the budget they can afford. If you can be patient enough to wait nine months for the babies arrival, you can use some restraint and shop around to find the best and most economical items you'll need for your nursery.

The covers of celebrity magazines are always adorned with pictures of their new child's baby room costing astronomical prices to design. For those that don't make a million dollars for smiling at the camera, a new nursery can be outfitted on a budget and still look just as nice using your own creativity. Just keep in mind, babies grow into toddlers pretty quick so think ahead a bit while planning the room and you'll save even more money down the line.