Setting up the perfect nursery is a dream for many parents. But, like all things, it takes planning and time to get it done!
A checklist is an absolute must – even if you can’t buy everything, you need to keep track and manage your finances accordingly to make your dream a reality.
Assuming you have the budget to buy everything essential for the nursery, there are only 16 crucial items that you’ll ever need (give or take a few).
Remember, you don’t need to go all out and get everything today.
As time passes, your baby’s needs will change and you can purchase items as the need arises.
Here’s the checklist for everything your dream baby nursery needs:
1. Crib
- PLAYFUL STATEMENT DESIGN: The joyful Lolly highlights the natural beauty of New Zealand pine wood with contrast styling and playful accents. Complete your modern nursery with the Lolly 3-drawer or 6-drawer dresser.
- GREENGUARD GOLD CERTIFIED: The Lolly has undergone rigorous scientific testing for over 10,000 chemical emissions and VOCs. It contributes to cleaner indoor air, creating a healthier environment for your baby to sleep, play, and grow.
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A crib should be the first and most important item on your checklist. It’s where your baby will spend most of her time for the first 18 months at least.
Whatever crib you buy, it should be cozy, comfortable, and safe for your little one.
For extra fun, you can add a crib mobile which is the toy that hangs on top of the crib.
2. Diaper Changing Table
- CHANGING PAD INCLUDED: With included water-resistant changing pad & safety strap, the Graco Changing Table has everything you need to change your babys diaper or get your infant dressed in comfort & style! Its elegant design will complement your style.
- EXTRA DEEP SURFACE: Both functional and elegant, the Graco Changing Table features an extra deep surface for added security while changing your baby or infant. Get trustworthy support for your baby whether youre changing their diaper or their clothes.
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Many moms avoid buying a changing table from the get-go simply because they think it’s unnecessary.
This shifts as soon as they start to feel the pain of changing diapers on a bed or the top of a dresser.
When you consider doing this 6-7 times a day, you can expect future back aches.
So, a changing table will save your back and also help you to keep everything related to diapers organized in a single space.
3. Feeding Chair or Glider
- GREENGUARD GOLD CERTIFIED: This product has undergone rigorous scientific testing for over 10,000 chemical emissions and VOCs. It contributes to cleaner indoor air, creating a healthier environment for your baby to sleep, play, and grow
- RECLINE AND RELAX: Weve hidden the reclining mechanism for a more stylish, premium look. Prop up your legs on the plush leg rest and lean back for ultimate comfort. Easily open and close the leg rest without a struggle
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Let’s face it, you need a chair to sit and feed your baby. Just about any chair will do, but that might cause a lot of back pain.
A glider is a great solution. It’ll help you sit comfortably and also keep your baby calm through its relaxing front and back motion.
If you have space issues, consider a small space glider. You’ll definitely find one that’s less than 30” in width.
Whether you need a glider or not is a different topic and one you’ll want to do more research on before making a purchase.
4. Small Table
- The table top and legs of this round side table are connected by thick solid wood blocks,which prevent the tabletop from bulging due to excessive installation force. The legs of the small side table have a triangular structure which is very stable.
- This small side table has a very elegant and fashionable appearance and can be matched with various home decoration styles. You can put it in the living room, bedroom, balcony or study room for placing books, coffee, alarm clock, potted plants, toys, etc.
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While feeding your baby on the glider or any chair, you’ll need extra space to keep your smartphone, water bottle, and other stuff.
During feeding, you can’t go over to the closet or another room every time you need something.
A small side table that you can reach easily might be a good investment and one that you can use later even when you don’t need to feed your baby anymore.
5. Baby Monitor
- Patent-Pending Active Noise Reduction Feature -filters out background noises so you can hear your baby more clearly. Removes unwanted sound from fans, air purifiers, humidifiers, air conditioners, static and more.
- Ultra Clear Video Quality: High definition 720P video resolution playback.Type of Modulation:GFSK
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Generations of parents have done it without a baby monitor.
But, there’s no point in avoiding technology if it’s available and makes life easier. A baby monitor will alert you when your baby cries and in certain situations, this can be a lifesaver.
If you’re concerned about health issues, you can also get a low EMF baby monitor.
6. White Noise Machine
- 8 Soothing Sounds. White Noise, Heartbeat, Water, Dryer, Ocean, Wind, Rain, and Birds.
- Simple companion app. Control sounds, timer & volume from the other room with iOS and Android devices.
- Custom timer. Set sounds to play for any custom duration, for minutes or hours.
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City life can be distracting and there are many things that can irritate a baby such as the noise from the TV, vacuum, or even people talking outside the nursery.
A white noise machine can be super effective in eliminating noise pollution.
It can even help babies fall asleep – a research study in the 90s found that 80% of babies fell asleep after 5 minutes of hearing white noise.
Even if you don’t buy a white noise machine, keep an iPod or an inexpensive smartphone to play white noise music.
7. Toy Baskets
- LARGE SIZE CAPACITY - 16”(D) x 13”(H), Our large coiled rope basket is designed to organize your baby nursery or toddler bedroom. This adorable baby hamper basket is perfect to store toys, clothes, burp cloths, books, diapers, towels or just about anything in your child’s playroom or bathroom.
- SAFE NATURAL COTTON ROPE MATERIAL - Our toy baskets are hand crafted from ECO-Friendly 100% cotton rope which is very soft and safe for skin, chemical-free, and won’t scratch your wood floors or the walls of your home.
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Your baby is likely to have tons of toys as she grows up.
These toys can make the room cluttered and sometimes dangerous. So, get some pretty baskets to use as a storage space for toys.
Alternatively, you can also invest in a large toy trunk to keep everything organized in a single place.
8. Nightlight
- Nursery night light: This friendly Penguin looks perfect in your little ones nursery, giving a gentle dimmable light that wont disturb their sleep. Use from birth.
- Portable egg light: the glowing egg lights up when lifted off its base, making it the perfect nighttime friend for your toddlers bathroom visits or to read in bed. Suitable from 18M+
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You might want to keep the nursery as dark as possible for the baby to sleep without distractions.
However, some sort of light will still be necessary especially when you go for nighttime feedings.
Some babies struggle with fear of the dark and in that case, a night light can be a good solution without putting too much strain on their eyes.
9. Blackout Curtains
- Blackout curtain blocks out sunlight and harmful UV rays, reduces outside noise, and ensures total privacy
- Includes 2 blackout curtain panels of 42 wide x 84 length with 8 top silver grommets (1.65 inner diameter each) compatible with up to 1.5 standard curtain rods
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Windows can often become a frustration as a small amount of sunlight can still peak in from outside.
Blackout curtains will completely block out every single grain of light and your baby can sleep in peace.
You can find them online or in almost every store that sells upholstered fabric.
10. Diaper Disposal Accessory
- ALL-IN-ONE DIAPER PAIL - Diaper Genie’s ultimate diaper disposal system controls odors and makes changing your baby’s dirty diapers a breeze. Our tallest pail requires no bending with a foot pedal for easy, hygienic and hands-free opening.
- BUILT-IN ANTIMICROBIAL – The Complete Pail and the 7-layer refill contain a built-in antimicrobial to prevent germ spread. The Clean Laundry Scent refill has a built-in antimicrobial that inhibits bacteria on the film to help protect from germs
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Yes, you definitely need some kind of diaper disposal system in the nursery to ditch the used diapers.
Some moms use fabric bags to dispose of diapers. However, this can be unhygienic as the smell can linger in the room after some time.
We recommend getting a diaper pail which will keep the diapers enclosed inside and they also have antimicrobials to prevent the spread of germs.
11. Dresser
- Your purchase includes One Storkcraft Avalon 6 Drawer Universal Dresser, in White color | Made of Durable steel (rails) and High-quality wood & composites
- Drawer Dresser dimensions – 17.52 L x 50.89 W x 40.12 H | Drawer dimensions (each) – 12.99” W x 19.94” D x 2.1” H | Top table – 17.52” L x 50.89” W
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Like it or not, you’ll need a dresser or a closet inside the nursery.
This will help you store all the clothes and accessories for your baby in one place.
A standard dresser, also known as a horizontal dresser with 2-3 rows of drawers will be good enough.
If you’re living in the same room as your baby, you’ll need a double dresser.
12. Clothes Hamper
- XXXX Large Size: largest ever blanket basket on the market. 22 x 22 x 16, perfect for throw pillows, blankets, comforter, cushions, towers baby diapers or toys. Use for toy storage orgainzation, toy basket, throw basket, laundry basket, etc.
- Multi-Usage: Super Super Super large storage basket can hold toys, games, art/craft supplies, clothes and more on floor. Keep in the kids room, family room, or any room in the house that could use extra storage: fits on a closet shelf, bookshelf or desk.
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A clothing hamper or a laundry basket is an essential item for a baby nursery.
During the day, your baby can wet as many as 4-5 pieces of clothing.
And, you can’t keep running to the bathroom every time you have a wardrobe change.
You can ditch all the dirty clothes into the clothes hamper and wash them all together when the time is right.
13. Bookshelf
- STYLE AND FUNCTIONALITY – This set of 3 shelves is a perfect home décor piece that adds style and storage functionality together in a simple, easy to install solution!
- GREAT CONSTRUCTION - thanks to its simple wood structure you can use these shelves to organize your children’s favorite books and toys with style next to their bed!
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Although not essential, you might need one down the line. Storybooks, rhymes, and other stuff could accumulate and cause clutter.
A bookshelf will enrich the decor of the nursery and organize books.
You can also use it to store some of your own books and read them while you spend time in the nursery.
14. Humidifier
- FILTER-FREE COOL MIST HUMIDIFER – Vicks Mini Cool Mist Humidifier is an essential part of a good night’s sleep when family members are sick, during allergy season or when the air is dry It also works with Vicks VapoPads for extra soothing comfort
- QUICK AND EASY TO USE – Vicks filter-free humidifiers don’t require replacement filters With a 5 gallon tank, you can enjoy a visible cool mist for up to 20 hours It’s quiet, too, making it a great choice for your bedroom or as a baby humidifier
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A humidifier for your baby should actually be one of the first items on this list.
Your child can do without a humidifier, but having one can be super beneficial.
A humidifier can soothe your baby’s nasal passages during the dry cold seasons.
Moreover, it’ll keep your baby’s skin moist and also help her sleep better!
15. Thermometers
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ELERA Ear and Forehead Thermometer | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | LittleHippo Kelvin Nursery Night Light | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
You should have at least two thermometers for the nursery – a body thermometer and a room one.
The first is to read your baby’s body temperature. Use it often to check if your baby has a fever.
The second is to check the temperature of the nursery. This will let you know when to turn on the AC or the heater.
Even if you don’t have an AC or a heater, you can take alternative steps based on the reading.
16. Baby Playmat
- LARGE & ONE-PIECE - comparable to a queen mattress in size. No hassle with puzzle pieces
- INNOVATIVE CUSHIONING - an egg dropped from 10ft wouldnt break
- NONTOXIC & SAFE - free from phthalate, BPA, lead, latex, formaldehyde, and EVA (Tested to European Toy Standards EN71)
- WATERPROOF & REVERSIBLE - easy to clean with baby wipes. Two-sided for learning and interior
- FREE 2-YEAR WARRANTY - buy with confidence. Customer satisfaction guaranteed. See more product details.
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A playmat could be one of the first toys you buy for your baby. It’s a safe place to lie down, crawl, and play.
Apart from this, a playmat will also improve the baby’s vision, develop control in her legs, and refine her neck strength.
Whatever playmat you buy, make sure that it’s well padded.
Final Thoughts
Besides buying these essential things for the nursery, you can also invest in the decor of the room.
For example, you can look for wall decals that’ll bring the nursery to life.
The colors in the room and the positioning of the furniture is also important.
Ultimately, the atmosphere in your baby’s room is an essential part of keeping both mama and little one calm and happy.
If you think we missed something on this list, do let us know.
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