5 Crucial Steps in Preparing a Baby's Nursery

Updated November 11, 2025 by Jan of Unique Baby Gear Ideas

In our list, we will share 5 crucial steps in preparing a baby's nursery that should not be overlooked.  In the tips,  I will share what I have learned from a.  personal nursery DIY projects  b. listening to parents that have shared their experiences b. advice from experts whose opinion I respect and trust.

As you will quickly see, the primary focus in the beginning is placed on safety and air quality. some parts of the process are flexible and fun while others are best managed with a more rigid approach. Feel free to add your own suggestions and project photos using the form that has been provided on our feature page.

5 Crucial Steps in Preparing a Baby's Nursery

1. Never wait until the last minute to start painting the nursery! Either paint it before Mom becomes pregnant or hire someone to paint while the expectant mother is away. This is so important since the effects of painting on the developing baby are unknown. Information on the possible implications of exposure to certain types of paint during pregnancy can be found here. For safety reasons, this step in decorating the nursery should be completed as early as possible to give the paint time to "cure" and off-gas.

2. If the nursery's flooring will be replaced with carpet, do so immediately after painting or choose an option known not to compromise air quality. For practical purposes, hardwood, bamboo or tile are recommended to reduce dust and allergens as well as for being easy to clean. When using nursery area rugs to soften hard surfaces, wash them whenever possible before use and secure them to the floor using tape.

3. When buying new furniture, remove it from the boxes and assemble everything as soon as possible to allow for that "new smell" to dissipate. The same rules apply to new bedding and window treatments. Give all new furnishings and fabrics time to air since it would be ill advised to bring newborn home to a nursery filled with air that smells like chemicals.

If secondhand furniture will be used, be aware that all dropside cribs have been recalled as well as many others so research to see if the bed you have plans to use is safe. Refer to the list of current crib safety standards on this page and do your own safety check to determine that your crib passes and that all of the parts are present, in place and doing their job properly.

4. Some parents resist anchoring the baby dresser to the wall stating that it would make moving the furniture more difficult as baby grows. Experts in child-proofing advise that once baby is mobile that it is important to anchor the furniture to the wall. Safety 1st Furniture Wall Straps that currently cost less than $5 a set can help to prevent accidents.

5. Once safety issues have been addressed, we can start to plan a nursery storage system, organizing the closet to make the most out of the space available and have a place to put items that might harm baby or cause accidents out of the way.

I hope that you have found useful information in our list of tips on how to prepare the baby's nursery in 5 easy steps that you can use in your DIY project.

Thanks for visiting Unique Baby Gear Ideas.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Jan — the creator of Unique Baby Gear Ideas. I love helping expecting parents discover nursery décor inspiration and creative photo shoot ideas that make every stage of pregnancy feel beautiful. The suggestions I share here come from years of hands-on experience styling nurseries, reviewing maternity gowns, and learning what makes each photo session shine.

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All articles and images on Unique Baby Gear Ideas are personally reviewed and edited by Jan Bay. Modern creative tools may assist with design or drafting, but every final page reflects my own voice, experience, and editorial judgment.