There are several things you can do to make your life easier
and your home more hygienic without breaking the bank – read on:
Carpets may be warm underfoot, but they really aren’t
practical once you have children. I recall the amount of times we needed to
bring the buggy in with sleeping babies, or once the kids got bigger and the
muddy footprints they trailed in. A much better option is laminate flooring and
there is a grade to suit every budget and a design for every style lover. The
click-lock mechanism makes it very easy to fit, it withstands knocks well and
can be easily swept and mopped clean for a hygienic floor you’re happy to let
your baby eat from!
Swap to a Leather Sofa
The best thing we ever did was swap from a fabric to a
leather sofa when I was pregnant with the twins. All my babies were pretty
sicky and its so much easier to clean up a leather sofa and keep it looking
pristine. Our navy blue fabric sofa really didn’t fare well when JJ was a baby,
but our brown leather one is still going strong now twelve years later without
a stain in sight.
Re-imagine Your Kitchen
Youprobably don’t need a kitchen make-over but you will
need to take a long-hard look at your kitchen. If you’re going to be bottle
feeding there is a whole lot of equipment that comes with that, bottles,
warmers, sterilisers and the like; where will you store them? Have you got some
free cupboard space for the plastics pot, plates, bibs and such that your baby
will require when they start to wean onto solid foods? Think through those
first couple of years of your baby’s life and make the space for what you’ll
need, now whilst you have the time and mental energy.
Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash |
Figure out Where you’ll store the Outdoor Gear
Babies come with a lot of gear for someone so small. Before
they arrive, you need to think about where you will store their buggy, sling,
winter coat, wellies, car seat, nappy bag, travel high chair etc, etc. The list
really does go on. If you’re lucky enough to have a garage attached to the
house, this could be the solution but if not, will you clear space in the under
stairs cupboard, or buy some smart storage for the hall so those tiny hats and
gloves don’t get lost? Ask friends who already have babies what they have done
and see if any of their solutions suit your family too.
Plan the Nursery
This is the fun task and the one most parents remember to
do, but don’t just make it about wall colours and pretty bedding/ pictures.
Think through how the room will be used – will you feed in there during the
night and thus want a rocking chair? Or will your babe be in your bedroom in a
drop-side cot for the first few months? Are you a clothes folder or hanger, and
thus what storage should you invest in? Will you change all babe’s nappies in
there and therefore need a changing table? Really think it through and only buy
what you need as it will be tempting for the next decade to buy all the cute
and pretty stuff but you’ll soon learn that most of it is not needed.
You have exciting times ahead and with some planning now you
can save a lot of angst later on, so put your head together with your partner
and plan the changes you need to make now. All the best!
Why not pin this post for later?
Why not pin this post for later?