Nursery planning has a way of becoming a part-time job. Here's a calmer approach.
Start with sleep, not aesthetics
The single most important thing in a nursery is a safe sleep space. A firm, flat mattress in a crib or bassinet with nothing else in it. Get that sorted before you think about anything else.
The actual essentials
- Safe sleep space (crib, bassinet, or bedside sleeper)
- Changing area (doesn't need to be a dedicated table — a mat on a dresser works)
- Somewhere to feed comfortably
- Storage for clothes and nappies
- Blackout curtains
What can wait
The gallery wall, the personalised name sign, the matching hamper, the nursing ottoman with embroidered throw pillows. None of it matters in the first weeks. Buy it later if you still want it.
Shop secondhand first
Babies outgrow everything fast. Secondhand works perfectly for dressers, bookshelves, rockers, and décor. Buy new for the mattress and car seat.
Plan it on paper
The Bloom & Bump Pregnancy Planner includes a nursery planning page so you can sketch out the layout and track what you still need to buy.