Gender Neutral Nursery
We finally did it! Putting together a gender neutral nursery was, in my mind, going to be a breeze. With no obligatory pinks or pale blues to incorporate and no princess or car themes to work around. I thought we would essentially throw some neutral pieces into the nursery and be done! But, I soon found out, that was not quite the case…
There were two things I learned over the few months I spent planning out the nursery decor.
First, MOST pieces need to be functional and then fashionable (not the other way around). I know it sounds silly, but there I was choosing a gorgeous dresser to use as a changing table, only to realize (just before I clicked ‘purchase’) that it was barely waist height. Meaning, I couldn’t possibly change a diaper using that low of a dresser top. And so back to the drawing board I went.
Second, just as the pieces need to be functional, the layout of the room needs to be efficient for all of the baby-related tasks that will take place there. For instance, in my original layout I had the only lamp in the room positioned right next to the crib, I had the diaper pail situated across the room from the changing table, and the swaddles were folded up neatly in the closet. After some more thought (and a little advice from my mom) I re-positioned the lamp next to the nursing chair (so I can easily turn it on and off without disrupting the sleeping baby). The diaper pail found a spot next to the changing table/dresser. And the swaddles came out of the closet and are now in a little basket between the rocker and the crib (so I can grab them as needed).
Of course, it all makes perfect sense now, but I had NO CLUE what I was getting into when I first sat down to lay out our nursery space.
My advice? Read. Talk to friends. Ask for help. There are a ton of articles out there from fellow moms who have already learned the tricks to the perfect nursery layout - you don’t have to reinvent the wheel! I talked to all of my mom friends about what worked for them. What pieces did they love, which pieces could they do without. You learn that some things change depending on the preferences of baby, but you’ll at least have a starting point. Lastly, I enlisted the help of my own mom a few weekends ago and it was the best thing! Moms really do know best - she knew what to put where, what made sense, and already had an idea of my own personal style. Plus, it was a super fun project for us to do together.
Now we can say, the nursery is done!
I’ve linked the items below. Most are available on Amazon and a few things I am linking look-a-likes.
Happy decorating!
Also check out What I Packed In The Hospital Bag and Pregnancy Must-Haves.
Diaper pail now happily lives next to the changing table/dresser :)
Laundry hamper on the other side of the dresser, to quickly throw dirty onesies into…
The dresser is the Tanner by Million Dollar Baby.
A basket of swaddles and a basket of stuffed animals located between the chair and the crib seems like the perfect spot to grab & go.
The crib is the Hudson Convertible 3-in-1 Crib.
I call this “crib styling” since we know that babies have to sleep in a crib with NO pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals. Just a crib sheet and you are good-to-go. However, until the baby is out of the bassinet, this crib will be styled :)
We are using the Owlet camera for our baby monitor system. We will probably get something else for travel (a simple battery operated monitor), but this seems to work great and was covered using my HSA account!
Pouf for putting our feet up. Curtains to block light during nap time. And the lamp located next to the chair, so we can turn it on and off without disrupting baby.
Curtains are RITVA from IKEA in white. Our ceilings are 9 feet tall, so finding tall enough curtains was a slight challenge. These are 57” x 98” long.
Side table to stash baby books and set down a bottle. Hooks for swaddles, baby robe, diaper bags, you name it!
We added this bench as a spot for Dad to hang out while I am nursing or rocking the baby. He specifically asked “where will I sit while you guys are in here?” so we found a little spot!
A bit more shelf styling to do, but this is a great way to display books, photos, little baby toys and keepsakes. I am excited to add more to these once the baby arrives!
