10 Ways To Prepare Your Home For A Baby

Last Updated on June 7, 2022 by babygatesplus.com

Congratulations, you are having a baby soon. You have probably been preparing for the coming baby since you were a few months pregnant. This means that you have bought the big kinds of stuff like a car seat, stroller, baby carrier, clothes, and even diapers.

However, many parents forget that how to prepare for a baby entails even the need to prepare their home for the baby. The nursery or the baby’s room is not the only place you should prepare. The baby will take over your entire home and it is good that when she or he comes, your home is ready for the baby. 

Remember that most babies will not even use their nursery until they are several months old. Use these tips to get your home in tip-top shape for your baby.

1. Baby Proofing

If you are wondering how to prepare for a baby, baby proofing your home is one of the things that you should start with. It may seem like a huge task, but It becomes easier when you start early. Baby-proofing your home comprises covering all sharp and awkward corners in your house that can act as a threat to your baby.

You can purchase an edge guard to cover all the sharp corners. Also, remember to install baby gates in risky areas for your kid. These areas include the fireplace, the stairs, the kitchen, and the bathroom. Parents with a baby-proofed room have less to worry about the safety of their kids.

2. Conduct A Safety Exam For Your House

Babies become mobile very fast. Without knowing it, they will be crawling soon. This means they will crawl into the kitchen and open cabinets full of toxic chemicals that may threaten their health. Therefore, it is very important to prepare your home early before the baby arrives.

Cleaning products such as detergents and medicine should always be put out of sight and preferably in securely locked cabinets. It is also good to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

This will help you detect any danger that may be ahead early in advance. If you have firearms in your house, it is good to lock them away in a place that is out of reach for your kid. Conducting a safety exam in your home will ensure that anything that threatens your kid’s safety is out of sight.

3. Lock it Down

Your home may have furniture that is likely to fall once the baby starts to crawl. Also, babies usually support themselves with the furniture as they pull themselves up. It is therefore advisable to secure all types of furniture and ensure they are firm enough so that the baby cannot fall as they try to support themselves with the furniture.

For cabinets within reach, especially ones with anything hazardous, it’s good to get safety latches. You should also cover all electric sockets and ensure no dangling cords. Babies will crawl on the floor and get all these dangerous things you might not be thinking of.

4. Smooth All Sharp Edges

Your home might have sophisticated furniture made of glass or metal. Unfortunately, these are not baby friendly. If you can’t get rid of them, it’s good to wrap the edges with plastic guards or bubble wrap. These will prevent the baby from bumping themselves.

5. Fold and Organize Clothes for The Baby

It is very good to organize your baby’s clothes by size and season. Then, fold the clothes neatly and perfectly hang others in the baby’s closet. 

Remember that babies grow so fast and don’t buy too many clothes for the newborn size because they won’t be fitting them in the blink of an eye.

6. Have A Place For The Baby To Sleep

The place where a baby sleeps differs with different parents. Some parents prefer co-sleeping with their baby; others buy a baby crib, while others prefer a baby to have their room. Whatever it is you decide, figure out where the baby will sleep in advance and get prepared.

For those who prefer a baby to have their room, it is good to decorate the baby’s room. You want it to look so cute, right? So go ahead and make it so. However, don’t overcrowd your baby’s room with stuff. Have only the basics like the crib, dresser, the changing table, and a rocking chair.

7. Breast and Bottle Feeding Essentials

You will need feeding equipment and formula before your baby arrives. This is because babies want to feed on time and they might drive you nuts with their cries if they are hungry and you haven’t prepared their meal. Also, it’s good to have a breast pump if you will have someone else feed the baby when you are not around. They also come in handy if you are traveling out with your baby.

8. Baby Gear

Baby gears are not necessarily essential, but if you can afford them, they can make your life a little bit easier. They include things like a baby monitor, play mat, a swing, a bouncer, a baby carrier and a stroller.

These baby gears can be pretty expensive. If you are on a tight budget, you can buy used items, borrow from your friends and family or even put them on the baby registry so that others can buy them as gifts for you.

9. Screen Door

Consider having a screen door for your nursery. This will help you see and hear the baby while sleeping in their room. The screen door can be painted with a decorative color that matches the baby’s room.

10. Prep For Visitors

Once you come home with your new bundle of joy, you will get lots of visitors especially your best friends or your mum. And, once you are from the hospital is not the best time to prepare for visitors. Make sure you do this early in advance. Prepare the room they will be sleeping, change the sheets, stock towels and toiletries and add an extra fan in the room.

Start preparing for a baby early in advance as it will ensure that you have not forgotten any important details. This is because preparing your home for a baby involves a wide range of activities; the earlier, the better.