How to set up a beautiful and budget-friendly nursery

Make it luxe for less, please.

Creating a beautiful nursery doesn’t need to cost a fortune. With some savvy tips and a little creativity, you can create the perfect space for bub that is not only beautiful but comes in under a tight budget too.

Feeling a little overwhelmed and not sure where to start? Follow these money-saving tips for creating your little one’s dream nursery.

Decide on essential pieces

The first step you’ll need to do is decide on essential furniture. Start with the cot as bub is definitely going to need somewhere to (hopefully!) sleep.

Once the cot is sorted, look to add other bulky furniture items like a change table, storage drawers and a feeding chair.

When you know what pieces you’re looking for it will help you to visualise the layout of the nursery and where you can place your key pieces of furniture.

BIG W

You may choose to use a bassinet during the early weeks before bub is ready to transition into a cot.

Keep it neutral and decorate with inexpensive touches

A neutral colour palette is great for a nursery because you easily change the look and feel of the room simply by adding colourful but inexpensive accessories like linen, cushions, toys, wall decals and pictures.

Storage for the win!

Babies might be small but they quickly accumulate A LOT of stuff. So, you can never have enough storage. You will need somewhere to pop away all their teeny clothes, blankets, muslin wraps, not to mention all their nappies. We recommend stocking up on a supply of Huggies Newborn Nappies as in the early days, you will likely be changing your newborn at least six to eight times per day.

When it comes to storage options, it’s a good idea to go for a sturdy set of drawers and some shelves too. You’ll find they will quickly fill up with bub’s stash of goodies.

Always ensure bookshelves and drawers are securely fastened to the wall with safety anchors as these will prevent furniture from falling or tipping over.

Image: BIG W

When setting up your nursery, we recommend stocking up on nappies.

Safety first

When shopping for bub, there are a few items which you should take extra care when making purchasing decisions due to safety requirements. It is recommended avoid buying secondhand for the following items.

Cots – Take care if buying a cot second-hand as they may not meet the mandatory Australian standard, which was introduced in 1998. However, a cot that’s been made for the Australian market, is in good condition, and is only a couple of years old is should be OK. Look for cots certified to AS/NZS 2172.

Mattress – Second-hand mattresses may be full of dust-mites and are possibly soft and saggy. It’s recommended babies and children sleep on a firm mattress to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Child car restraints – A car seat should never be used if they’ve been in a crash. CHOICE also advises against using a seat that’s more than six-to-10-years-old, as parts can wear and become weaker over time. Never buy a second-hand car seat unless you know it’s full history.

Make the room dark

In an ideal world, babies will have at least two day-sleeps up until they are 12 months of age, so window furnishings could be your best friend.

Ensure you have some curtains, block-out blinds, plantation shutter or darkened blinds and help send bub of to the land of nod during their day sleep or at 7pm when it’s daylight savings time.

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A dark room will help baby to sleep so during day time naps consider investing in block-out blinds.

Baby’s first wardrobe

One you’ve got the nursery sorted, it’s time to make sure bub has something to wear when he or she arrives.

Our pick: BIG W has a gifting range which includes a bib, beanie, bodysuit, bunny rug and coverall (each sold separately) that come in three designs which match with a selection of manchester designs, including White Cockatoo, Blue Whale and Pink Floral. The BIG W short-sleeved bodysuits in white cockatoo print are $10/ 2 pack.