A new arrival is on the way and there is so much to do – decorating the nursery, choosing baby blankets and bedding along with a baby changing table, glider rocker and more. No matter how much you do before the bundle of joy arrives there’s inevitably something you will overlook, especially if this is your first child.

New parents may not realize how much the home décor will need to change throughout the entire house. The glass top coffee table that was once so stylish now represents a potential safety hazard while the sleek bathroom knobs and hardware that was so easy to use now poses a safety problem.

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Each room of your home will need to be childproofed and the bathroom is a good place to start. Any cabinets including the medicine chest should be secured with a childproof lock. The wastebasket should have a lid; a foot operated model is a good idea as kids will have a difficult time opening it. The toilet seat should be secured with a lid lock and all electrical outlets should be secured with protectors.

The bathtub should be made as child-friendly as possible – look for a bathtub faucet guard to protect baby’s head and be sure to invest in a bathtub temperature gauge to reduce the chance of scalding baby. A shampoo rinse cup will help to stop the tears when shampooing children’s hair.

If you do not already have a handheld showerhead you will find this to be one of the most useful modifications you can make in a bathroom. With a handheld shower head it’s easy to bathe children, shampoo hair and direct the water spray exactly where you want it; it also makes cleaning the tub and shower much easier.

Everyone has had that thought after a long, hard day at work or a late night out with your friends where you can’t wait to get into your bed. Whether it is the idea of lying down on a clean, fresh sheet or snuggling up to your duvet, there is not a soul out there who doesn’t relish the thought of returning to the comfort of their bed after a long day.

Getting your bedroom up to scratch is something which requires plenty of thought, but does it have to mean the destruction of your wallet?

It’s not just for comfort that we purchase bedding, though it is a big factor. Homeowners look for a duvet cover that will match the theme or colour of its environment and pay close attention to aesthetics while doing so. One question to continually ask yourself when on the hunt for top bedroom accessories is whether or not you can afford them and our top tips to finding discounted bedroom accessories is sure to give you plenty of food for thought.

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Let the bedroom grow with your child

Children grow up fast so their Disney themed duvet cover may no longer seem as ‘cool’ as it did when they were infants. For this reason you should update bedding and furnishings regularly whilst keeping everything within the confines of your budget.

If you’re worried about spending too much then only include characters or themes on bedding with lampshades or other accessories kept plain for a classic, timeless look. An extreme bedding makeover may seem like something which will impact your wallet heavily but there are plenty of affordable bed sets that consist of all the bedding essentials you need.

Use what you have

For those who really want to watch their pennies, the best advice is to avoid buying new. When it comes to giving accessories such as lights or even bedroom furniture a makeover, sometimes you can get away with using what you’ve already got. A fresh coat of paint, a new lampshade or even new handles on your chest of drawers can make all the difference so why not try and renovate existing features before splashing the cash on something brand new.

Go online

When searching for affordable bedding or bedroom accessories, high street stores can prove a handy resource but online services are even more beneficial. Head online to check out the latest sales and offers from both independent retailers and larger brands.

Most people think that getting their house ready for kids is as simple as creating a nursery. While it’s true that you will need to take some time to get your baby’s new room all ready, there are also a few other aspects of your home that you will need to sort out. All of this preparation is key in turning your house into a comfortable family home. Not sure how to get your house ready for kids? Here are some things that you will need to do before your first little bundle of joy arrives!

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Don’t Forget The Changing Station

Okay, so you new baby’s nursery is all ready! It’s got a crib, cute decor, and a good selection of toys. But have you also remembered to add a changing station in there? This small area is a dedicated place where you can change the baby’s nappies. Most parents forget about adding one to their nursery, which is unfortunate as it can quickly become the most important part of the entire room. To prepare your changing station, you can add either a changing table or mat. Make sure you have opened nappies and wipes close by at all times as well. When you are changing your baby, there will be a lot of mess and having all your cleaning materials opened and ready to go will be a godsend! So make sure you aren’t completely focused on your baby’s sleeping arrangements; you also need to change them too, remember!

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Pack The Freezer

This point is most important for the first few months of your baby, but if you remember to keep your freezer well stocked while you have children, it can really help you out when you have little time to prepare meals! Be sure to pack your freezer with lots of portions of meals such as lasagnes and stews. That way, you can simply take out as many portions as you need for dinner, defrost them, and reheat. You will have little time to prepare freshly home-cooked meals once the baby arrives, but stocking your freezer can help you stick to a healthy diet and not have to rely on ready meals all the time!

Create A Child-Friendly Garden

When you are trying to make your house into a family friendly home, it is also important to head out into the garden and make sure that it is safe for children. One of the main things to do is to make sure there are no poisonous plants out there. Young children will be exploring every inch of the garden once they are able to walk. To make sure they don’t put anything poisonous in their mouth while your back is turned, de-weed your garden and only add safe plants. If there are any water features or ponds in your garden, you should cover these with a net so that your kids won’t fall into them. It is also a good idea to dig up any hard flooring, such as stone patios or wooden decking. These could be dangerous if your kids are running around on them, so it’s worth replacing them with soft lawn. If your kids fall over on a lawn, they won’t hurt themselves quite so much!

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Safeguard Your Kitchen

Imagine momentarily leaving your toddler in the kitchen for a brief minute and returning to find they’ve emptied out all the lower-level cupboards and spread cereal all over the floor. This may sound like a complete nightmare, but it very often turns into reality. I’m sure that most parents have had to clean up after their kids have made a major mess in their kitchen! Thankfully, there is one way you can prevent this from happening. You just need to make sure your kitchen is fully childproof. And one of the best ways of doing so is equipping all the cupboards and drawers that are within reach with childproof locks. You can find these in most baby stores as well as online.

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Rid Your Home Of Pests

All parents want their home to be as clean as possible. A clean house is one that is free from any germs and bad bacteria that can cause various infections and illnesses. There is one main sign that your house may not be quite as clean as you want it to be. And that is if there are signs of pests or vermin living on the property. For example, if you find some rat or mouse droppings somewhere in your house, you might have a vermin problem that you need to deal with. Similarly, you could find signs in your kitchen of an ant infestation. Don’t panic if you think you do have some unwelcome housemates living with you; you can always call in a pest exterminator. You can find the contact details of your nearest exterminator online on their website.

Find More Storage Space

Think you and your partner already have a lot of things? Well, you can expect that to almost double once the baby arrives! Even though your baby will be tiny, they will need a lot of things! Most parents buy lots of clothes in various sizes. This is because babies grow so quickly, so it is very useful having plenty of spare clothes ready for them to wear once they grow. Because of this, you will need to have a lot of storage in your house for your kids. You can, of course, add lots of cupboards and chests of drawers to the nursery. But it is also a good idea adding some storage elsewhere. For instance, you could invest in beds that have drawers in the base. If you need to buy some more furniture for storage, you can always find it fairly cheaply on sites such as eBay and Craigslist.

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Add Some Color

These days, most of the big interior styles and trends are all about very chic decor choices. For instance, the most popular color shades at the minute are cool silvers and bright creams. These sure do look great, but they aren’t exactly the most child-friendly colors. Once you have kids in your house, you will want it to be as bright as possible for them, and the best way of doing that is adding some color to your decor. You can still do this with a stylish interior design that is based on silvers and creams, though. You just need to add colorful pieces of furniture and artwork. These great injections of color will really help to make your house feel like a cozy family home!

Smooth Your Edges

One of the main causes of accidents around the home for children is sharp edges and corners. You will find that toddlers will walk around without really looking where they are going, and could end up knocking into the edges of tables and shelves. If these edges are particularly straight, they could end up feeling very sharp. To make sure your kids don’t hurt themselves too much, it could be worth smoothing the edges slightly with some sandpaper. Alternatively, you could always treat yourself to some new, round-edged furniture!

As you can see, getting your house ready for the arrival of children requires quite a bit of work on your part. But it will all be very worth it in the end! It will help your home feel a lot more comfortable than it once was, and you and your family will be very happy indeed! So what are you waiting for?

When creating the perfect room for your new baby, the two most essential elements are baby crib bedding and headboards. Between the hardware of the bed and the “software” of the linens, you can decorate your baby’s room with common sense and vibrant style. With the right choices, your baby is sure to enjoy a safe, comfortable and restful room in the few moments of peace that he or she allows you.

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Baby crib sheets are the first element you might think of when creating your perfect baby room. Colorful sheets, comfortable textiles and hypoallergenic fabrics are all high on your list of home goods, but remember to include both baby crib bedding if the articles are for a gift. Some babies have only the crib to worry about, while others prefer the bassinet. On a few occasions, you may find that baby gets to enjoy both. However, whatever the furniture arrangement or the type of bedding, you should consider the possibility of brass headboards as a great choice for your baby’s room. Brass sparkles and shines in a way that simple wood does not, creating a unique option for the adventurous decorator.

Creating your baby’s perfect room is a simple matter of patience and persistent exploration. With so many options for decor, you and your baby may enjoy the decorating process as a fun and lengthy bonding experience.

Planning for the new arrival is a big part of preparing for a new addition to your family and you want everything to be just right. Shopping for the perfect nursery bedding and décor can be a challenge because there are so many adorable choices it can be hard to settle on just one. The good news is that you really don’t have to get locked in to just one look for baby’s room, especially when you use home textiles to create the decor theme.

It can be tempting to get very specific in terms of wall treatments but painting the room a bright color or wallpapering it with a juvenile print can be very limiting. Babies grow quickly and their tastes and needs evolve; the darling baby print or patterned wallpaper that seemed just right will soon become dated. A better choice is to paint the walls a neutral tone such as buff, eggshell or cream because this way you can easily repurpose the room by simply changing furnishings and décor. If you really want to personalize the nursery there are many modern removable wall borders and wall art designed specifically for temporary use; these are especially helpful if you live in an apartment or are renting a home and need to leave the walls in pristine condition.

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Decorating with home textiles opens up a range of possibilities – use area rugs, window treatments, pillows, throws, slipcovers and bed clothes to add colors and prints to your heart’s content. As your child grows and tastes change it is easy to revise the décor by switching out individual items or starting out fresh with all new home textiles.

Perhaps you simply can’t decide on a particular crib ensemble – there’s really no need to settle on just one because changing the look requires little more effort than making the bed. Generally a crib ensemble includes a crib skirt (which is like a bed skirt), a fitted crib sheet (starting from $— at www.bedbathandbeyond.com) and one or more crib bumpers.  Experts recommend three sets of sheets for any bed with one on the bed, one in the laundry and one set at the ready; when it comes to crib sheets savvy parents know that four or five sets will ensure you are never caught short because laundry chores can get backed up.

It can also be tempting to go over the top and invest in luxury bedding for your little prince or princess; while this looks great in the fancy home décor magazines, it often simply is not practical. Look for baby bedding that is machine washable because sending it out to the dry cleaners is costly and time consuming.

[ Tagged In ] Beddings, Bedroom, Cheap Beddings, Nursery Room

Raising children calls for lots of planning and preparation and even when you think you have everything covered something will probably go wrong. That’s why it’s best to learn how to roll with the punches and not take anything too seriously. One thing you should take seriously is crib and baby bedding because safety is of paramount importance. Experts recommend a fitted crib sheet as the only bedding; blankets can pose a safety hazard. It’s a good idea to have four or five fitted crib sheets along with a few mattress protectors so you are always prepared.

Having fun while decorating the nursery

Despite the bedding limitations, decorating the nursery can be lots of fun and a great opportunity to express your hopes and dreams for the new arrival. It’s generally a good idea to stick with neutral paint or wallpaper colors on the walls and ceiling and limit your décor choices to home textiles such as area rugs, window treatments, decorative pillows and the like. This way it is easy to change the look of the room as your child grows up; should another sibling come along or you simply need to repurpose the room it can be done with minimal effort and hassle.

Convertible bedding is another good idea – there are baby cribs designed to convert into loft beds and toddler beds which can be changed into reading chairs; this sort of versatility gives you plenty of flexibility as your family changes. Should you have limited space you may wish to consider loft or bunk beds; these are also great if you have frequent overnight guests.

Image source:

Lars Plougmann from London, United Kingdom – http://www.flickr.com/photos/75062596@N00/686159174/