Safety Tips and Ideas for Creating a Gender Neutral Nursery

When to start preparing the nursery?

This is probably a question that’s been going through your mind. Well I am going to break the nursery timeline down for you, you don’t necessarily have to follow it accurately, but this is just to keep things in mind.

- Week 20-23 you should start deciding on the theme and start ordering/customizing the furniture (considering order, shipping and assembly time), and since you’re considering a neutral baby room decor, the gender reveal won’t stand in your way.

- Week 23-25 start painting the room to give time for the paint smell to air out before your baby comes.

- Week 25-36 this is all the time you’ll have to decorate the rest of the room from the layout of the furniture you ordered, lightning and pictures on the wall, the most important thing is to get everything done by week 36 before you start getting too uncomfortable.

In case you're thinking of adding a girly touch check these 23 baby girl nursery ideas.

Tips for preparing a safe and cozy nursery

Most of the safety tips will usually revolve around the crib, the rest are tips to make it more practical and comfortable for you, so in the following lines I’ll be guiding you on what to look for in a crib, and what other furniture should be included when creating the nursery.

5 crib safety standards to keep in mind

1. The space between the bars of the crib should not be more than 6 cm.

2. Place the crib away from widows to avoid heat, sunlight and curtain strings or shutters.

3. Make sure that the mattress fits the crib perfectly and that there’s no space between the crib and mattress. Also, ensure that the mattress is firm, your baby should not sleep on any soft surfaces.

4. Choose a crib with different mattress levels to adjust when your baby gets taller, also choosing a crib with a toddler rail would be smart for when your kid starts walking, to avoid climbing a dangerously high crib rail.

5. Check if the crib is painted with non toxic paint as some babies chew on it.

Nursery furniture: The essentials

1. A nursery chair

This may be the most important piece in the nursery, this is your nursing station and your lullaby stage.

Choose a comfortable armchair when decorating your nursery, consider a glider with an ottoman to lift your feet up and feel cozy. Fabrics that are easy to clean are highly recommended.

Here are 11 tips to help you survive sleep deprivation with a newborn.

2. A changing table

You can either buy a changing table or place a changing pad on top of the dresser, whichever suits you best. Just make sure you have everything  within arm's reach.

3. A storage unit

You are surely going to need a storage unit, either the dresser you placed the changing pad on or a free standing unit. In both cases, use bins, drawers and shelf dividers in order to have everything organized and into place when needed.

4. A crib

You can choose any crib you want, metal, rounded, bamboo... just make sure it's safe and according to the 5 standards mentioned earlier.

5. Nursery accessories and baby room decor

Image credits: Pinterest

- A lamp close to your armchair.

- A rug with a material of plush wool or shag to cushion the baby when learning to sit, crawl and walk.

- For curtains: use a blackout or a curtain with a built in blackout to make sure your baby’s day naps are undisturbed.

- Bedding: always go for 100% cotton.

- Pictures and wall decoration: make sure they’re hanged firmly and with no threat of falling.

Regarding the taste and color of the nursery, a neutral baby room is both away from pink/blue gender stereotyping and also a good investment for baby number 2. You can go for light shades of grey, beige, yellow or green instead. If there’s one last tip to give you, it would be to enjoy every part of decorating your nursery, make sure it has your spirit and touch because soon enough your little angel is going to be there to feel it.

If you already decided on a boy room, here are 35 magical baby boy nursery ideas that can help.

Check the gallery below for different neutral nursery ideas to suit every taste.

Main Image Credits: Pinterest