The Bare Essentials for Baby's Room

There are only three things on my list of absolutely MUST HAVE for the baby/toddler room!

The first - a crib. There's no denying that even if baby co-slept with you, once he/she starts moving around (rolling over, crawling, etc) in the bed, it's time to move to the crib. Additionally, the crib proves a safe place for the baby to be when you absolutely can not hold it anymore and have to go to the bathroom! (and you don't need to purchase a play pen!) Make sure the crib is sturdy, has an adjustable mattress that you can lower as baby gets bigger, and a drop or fold-down gate (trust me - without the gate, its near impossible to get baby in or out of the crib without waking him/her up!).

The second - foam mat flooring. I think this is one of my best ideas ever. We found 1x1' foam puzzle piece mats at the dollar store (3 to a pack) and carpeted my son's room with them. This created a safe (we have hardwood floors - imagine the head bonks!), colorful, high contrast environment for my son to play on! Great for tummy time, learning to crawl and walk, and for learning colors, the alphabet, and numbers. Plus, it's easy to clean and way cheaper than carpet, rugs, etc.

Finally - plug the plugs! Outlet plugs are must. I don't know what it is, but children of all ages just WANT to stick their fingers and anything else they can get their hands on into those electrified little holes!

So - that's my list; my three MUST HAVES - the CRIB, the FOAM FLOOR, and the OUTLET PLUGS. Other items, such as the dresser and decorations, you can do on your own! Use cardboard boxes, milk crates, or storage bins for baby's clothes. Draw and color high-contrast pictures for wall decorations and put up photos of family and friends. Make mobiles out of whatever is handy (try sealing leaves in clear tape and cutting them out to hang from strings); just remember to always keep the mobile out of baby's reach!

Get the basics and use your imagination for the rest!