Product Spotlight 5/8: Nursery Furniture & Decor

swizzlemalarkey

This weeks product spotlight is all about nursery furniture/decor!! Links/photos welcome.

I snagged a schedule that's been used I think by a few BMBs now, but if you guys want to add/change anything let me know!!

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions about, S+TMs to share their prior experience with, and everyone to share what they're eyeing in the world of maternity, baby and postpartum products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to look back and reference!

To view past Product Spotlights or the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fCSvGqefiQ7m-cqNEBzPuaIqF7BL2ost0Ta2sMjC-8w/edit?usp=sharing

We'll freestyle for this one since it's such a broad topic.

What are your favorite/go to.....

• Dresser/changing table?
• Crib set?
• Wall decor?
• Lighting?
• Shelving?
• Knick knacks?
• Closet organization/hangers?
• Rugs?
• Curtains/blinds?
• Mobiles?
• Book/toy storage?
• Diaper pails?
• Miscellaneous items?

rosesintherain

I can think of a few things that I got that just didn’t work for us. 

The diaper Genie - we just ended up using a trash can with a lid

bumpers on the crib

some must haves:
a sound machine: Big Red Rooster Baby White Noise Machine | 6 Sleep Sounds | Sound Machine for Kids, Toddler Or Infant | Plug in Or Battery Powered | Portable Soother with Lullaby is Perfect for Travel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GVEH844/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jVkTEbF0F51NB

a humidifier 

changing table or we had a portable one on a dresser. A good amount of covers for the changing pad

crib sheets and mattress protectors are good to have extras of too. 

swizzlemalarkey

@ktholysz I've heard that a lot about the diaper genie! And you have to buy those special bags so it's too much for me lol
When do you use the humidifier? I remember having one when I was a kid but I feel like my mom only whipped it out when we were sick? Is it mainly a sick thing?

rosesintherain

@greyl yes it is mainly for colds/stuffy nose. It’s really nice to have for when that moment pops up. I don’t think we used ours until he was a little older but we also took it and used it when we were sick too. 

swizzlemalarkey

@ktholysz oh nice!! I have one on my registry i'm sure it will be used a lot!

pai314

We don’t do nurseries but some of my must haves 

-sound machine (no go to brand. Would love to hear recommendations)
-recliner (whatever is comfortable & a great price)
-velvet hangers (love to buy these on amazon or at TJ Maxx)

Very simple over here, maybe I shouldn’t even chime in 

pai314

Ohh and I forgot — a tote of some sort to keep diapers in.  We keep one in our bedroom and living room. I’m looking at some from thirty one this time around. 

megsmcp

Must have from our first...
- comfortable rocker (we have an armchair basically so nice and big)
- diaper genie (I know it's not for everyone but poopy diapers stink, especially when they start eating solids. I buy the rip off bags on Amazon and we put pee diapers in the garbage)
- white noise machine
- black out curtains
- video monitor 
- change pad
- something that you can easily turn on as a super dim light in the middle of the night for feeds that doesn't really wake you or baby up too much (we had an audio monitor that was an owl, that had a button to turn on its orange glow eyes... perfect amount of light and not white)
- if your monitor doesn't have a temp sensor, something to tell temp in baby's room (this can really effect sleep)

robinj716

@greyl +1 for the Humidifer! I use mine when my son is sick, but I recently found some articles saying having a cool mist one in the baby room running at night helps regulate the room temp and provides a more restful sleep and something about helping them breathe. 

I had an arm and hammer diaper bin and had to buy special bags. It was a pain, but I did like it for wet diapers. I took the poop diapers outside in those little scented disposable bags.

I’m looking into an UBBI diaper pail that will accept regular trash bags, so I guess it’s kind of a Dirty diaper storage bin, but I like the idea of containing urine diapers and the fact that I can use a regular trash bag sold me. 

angbaby83

This is the sound machine we have. We love it. We still use the projector part because my daughter loves it but we use a blue tooth speaker and piano music for sound. 

https://www.amazon.com/MyBaby-SoundSpa-Lullaby-Projection-
Lullabies/dp/B01N5CS4RQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=sound+machine+baby&qid=1588913169&sprefix=Sound

We also had this for when she was a little older. 

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Soother-Melodies-Newborns/dp/B07DM86Z43/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=sound+machine+baby+einstein&qid=1588913991&sprefix=sound+machine+baby+ei&sr=8-3

readytobemama

@megsmcp my husband found a picture of LED rope lighting attached using zip ties to the bottom rail underneath the crib, so there's a soft light during the night.  Apparently there's a way to make it motion sensor but I don't want the baby to associate the light going on with me coming in to get it out of bed, so would probably just leave it on all night. 

megsmcp

@readytobemama so cool! Just keep in mind babies love pitch black and sleep best in complete darkness (to the point that I had tinfoil on my baby's window for the first 8 months haha)

beaandthebabes

I loved this little owl sound machine it gives off the perfect amount of light for night feeds. My kiddo has always liked a soft light (currently he has this led orb light that phases through different colors that has been a big help in getting him to fall back asleep on his own in his room) and the projected stars were perfect. I know we used the sound on it but honestly we’ll probably stick with the magic of the Moshi Twilight app which puts my toddler down without a fight within 5-15 minutes every night.

https://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Sound-Machine-Soother/dp/B076F9LV2V

We had a simple changing table last time around but we’ve just upgraded to a dresser which was honestly what I wanted in the first place. I definitely recommend a changing table because it will save your back and your bedding when you change that little babe a million times in the night. 

I buy a big thing of those little scented bags for picking up dog poo and use those for poo diapers (or for poppy diaper liners for the most part) I usually pick them up at HomeGoods like literally everything else I love lol but I’m out now so I’m going to have to find them somewhere that is open or online.

I’m definitely with those who have said to have something that tells you the temperature where the baby sleeps because controlling that is such a game changer for sleep. Having had a late fall/winter baby the humidifier was also a godsend. Babies get dry and congested easily and it makes them miserable. The cool humidifier really helps.

Storage. Any and all. 2.5 was the first grand baby on my side and the amount of toys and clothes that rained down upon him was intense. I recommend going to a garden center and getting a couple of wall hanging planters for stuffies. Definitely one of my favorite toy storage things in our nursery even though ours have gotten way to full. They used to be styled and pretty. I need like 5 more or to cull the stuffie numbers.

Louise_Belcher

Things that we had and will have that I loved. 

- crib
- dresser w/changing pad on top
- blackout window covers (used Velcro on BlackoutEZ and you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face in the middle of the day in our sunniest room)
- Glider
- side table next to glider (ours is storage and holds all stuffed animals and light weight for when baby inevitably pulls it over)
- velvet little hangers
- Kallax (cube storage) in bottom of closet for bins and books
- Tote for grown out clothes
- small trash can with lid
- sound machine (love our classic dohm) 
- crib soother (love our baby Einstein sea dreams soother)
- extra long phone charging cord (You will want this in the hospital too!)
- small lamp with low watt lightbulb
- video monitor

I think I will he adding wallpaper, some new art, and a poof as an ottoman but keeping all main items the same as my sons had.

Louise_Belcher

Based on this I am the only one not really utilizing the humidifier.  We have a cool mist and it is nice. I have only pulled it out about 4 times in 5 years. It is great to have on hand though. We store it in the nursery closet. Like @beaandthebabes some doggie poop bags can save a gross situation. They are a diaper bag and changing area must for us. Also this is our glider side table/stuffed animal storage. Like @beaandthebabes the inflow of stuffed animals has been extreme because we have the only grandkids on either side (and ffc I do not like stuffed animals) so I limit our kept quantity to what fits in this table (in spoiler). Due to the generosity of family and friends I must thin the herd frequently. 

angbaby83

@Louise_Belcher nope not the only one. We never got a humidifier. It would have been useful a few times when she was sick and it is really dry here but we never got one🤷🏻‍♀️

megsmcp

@Louise_Belcher we just use the humidifier when our son is sick! But otherwise we don't use it 

raesky1111

For wall decor, I've gone- heh- off the wall and have been aiming for simple elegance that hopefully will grow with Scarlett. 

For right above her crib, I'm looking at this cute decal I've seen on Amazon and Pinterest alike:
 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYM7HWM/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_lSITEbXGF7BSS#immersive-view_1589019034551

I found this amazingly gorgeous flower decal set that's like $100 but would be so worth it later on in the year when I have the time and money to focus on decorating her room:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0764KKGYL/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_E7HTEbK6QAGSK
The flowers and the final decor piece I think would go above the dresser/changing area, or on an adjacent wall. For the final touch, I found this gorgeous customizable wooden initial on Amazon that I want to get done in black and center inside of an embroidery hoop with some faux flowers on it that will be kind of the center of the flower decals:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01FT6QY4U/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_9sOTEbW5JH586

pai314

@Louise_Belcher
we also don’t really utilize a humidifier. 

Also I LOVE that stuffy storage. Would love to see the Kallax storage in the closet. Sounds like a brilliant idea. 

I can’t stand stuffed animals either and try to keep very little and I try to discourage people from buying them for my kids which may sound rude but I hate if people waste their money on stuff I won’t keep around. 

readytobemama

@Louise_Belcher for the EZ Blackout on Velcro, did you just leave it up all the time or is it a pain to put up/take down? 

NYTino24

Does anyone have recommendations on where to buy paper flowers and wooden name plates like these? Especially curious if you’ve already ordered and received or have a shipping date.  

swizzlemalarkey

@NYTino24 love those kinds of name signs! I used to follow @ modwoodco on instagram and she does signs. I just looked up her etsy and she has a bunch of different styles/sizes and prices. And she's offering free shipping for some of them! Looks like her turnaround time for the engraved signs are 3-5 business days, and 3-4 weeks for the 3D signs because they look more labor-intensive.

robinj716

@NYTino24 I love those round wooden name signs!!! I’ve seen a few on Etsy but haven’t taken the plunge yet as I need to have my AS still! 

robinj716

I originally wanted a grey and white classic nursery design. I found a set on target I liked, but I’m not entirely sure yet. I may still do basic grey and white and then buy a blanket or mobile from this set, but not go too overboard with the “theme”

Louise_Belcher

@readytobemama It depends how your window is set up on how easy it is to take down and put up. My first did fine with just regular blinds, but my second was a bad napper for a long time so I purchased these. Early on I just left them up all the time and when naps became more consistent but frequent I would roll up half of the cover and stick it under the blind to be held because one of the windows was above a dresser and i couldn’t reach it well. After a while we slowly transitioned to naps without them. But if nap trouble arose we threw them back up. They only take a minute to stick up and even if imperfectly placed they make the room DARK. 

@pai314 I also try to discourage stuffed animal purchases. With the exception of a couple very specific ones they get zero attention at our house and it is just such a waste. Even my limited tub of them only gets used to make a giant mess and then left for me to clean up. Here are some old pics of the Kallax being used in my sons closets. 

pai314

@Louise_Belcher thanks so much! I love that. Our closets all need makeovers so thanks for the great idea! 

robinj716

@Louise_Belcher I screenshot that closet!! That is EXACTLY what I need for my sons closet right now! Thank you! And goodness girl I feel you on the stuffed animals. I have literally told everyone when asking about gifts “NO stuffed animals!” I have three bags in the basement full! Someone once showed up with a giant life sized teddy bear! UGH! 

Louise_Belcher

@robinj716 Glad it was helpful! It has been very useful to have that storage in the closet. Last night while looking for a baby pic I found this one that was prior to my first being born. So unused and perfectly orderly. I am certain the books have never been lined up again. Also just a note I greatly disliked those bins from Land of Nod. Way too floppy and lost their shape. 

beaandthebabes

@robinj716 ugh the giant teddy bear! My stepmother brought one TO THE HOSPITAL. Now I have this giant hulking bear to trip over but I can’t bring myself to get rid of the thing because it literally came home with him. It lives in the reading tent in our downstairs library because I have no idea where else to put it.

cabearit

@Louise_Belcher whoa! Closet goals. You are a master! 

baebaek2020

What are your thoughts on curtains? I like the look of floor length curtains but don't want to have to worry about them being pulled down. I've read that some people who went to the window sill still said their child pulled on the shorter ones anyway. Thoughts? Thanks!