The very question of ‘what is needed for a nursery’ can get us all flustered. There are just so many accessories, and essentials, and other stuff! It seems impossible to actually figure out what you really need. We often get asked what is needed for a nursery. That’s why we have created this guide to help you with that very problem. You won’t see us suggesting unnecessary items here; only the products we have tested and loved ourselves.

It’s the age old questions!  Do you really NEED a bassinet or is having a crib sufficient?  We had both!  I was gifted a Moses bassinet and instead of putting it on a stand I actually laid it between my partner and I in our bed.  We sleep in a king so there was more than enough room - but if you don’t have a big bed than I still recommend the bassinet just add the stand!  It gave me such comfort to have my girls close to me and I truly believe it helped me get some extra minutes of sleep in the first few days.  Find some adorable bassinets here.

After my daughters outgrew the bassinet (about two months of age) we moved their crib into our bedroom and began the transition of getting them crib comfy.  It was a very very long struggle for both of my girls and to be honest they didn’t move into their own rooms until they were almost a year old!

We opted for a breathable, safe and toxin free mattress.  We opted for the Sealy brand.  Coming from a mom who crawled into the crib with her child many times - it was super comfy!

We of course protected it with a mattress protector from Walmart - those midnight diaper explosions are NO fun and having a mattress protector makes the clean up so much easier!

I opened Bug & Bean after our daughters were past the swaddle stage.  We opted for the Halo sleep sacks.  The velcro closing option was a DREAM and my daughters both loved having their arms tucked in.  You can achieve the same feeling with our Bug & Bean swaddles available here.  They’re available in so many prints and in muslin or jersey fabric.  Both are breathable - the muslin is a stiffer fabric that softens with every wash and the jersey feels just like your favourite t-shirt!

Look for sheets that are soft and safe - more specifically breathable!  I loved our customized crib sheet for my daughter Violet.  It is made from our jersey fabric and is super soft against a newborns skin.  

I can’t count how many hours and nights I spent rocking the girls away in our rocking chair.  My mother my rocking chair from childhood and I was able to rock my babies in the same chair my mother rocked me.  Though it was dated and quite uncomfortable (sorry mom!) the tradition carried me through.  I was happy I didn’t invest in a new option - but I truly couldn’t have gone without.  From having a comfortable place to nap when your baby just won’t let you out of their sight - to nursing, bottle feeding and singing lullabies - a good rocker/glider is definitely essential for the first few months!

This is such an overlooked part of a nursery!!  I am just as guilty when I initially designed my girls nursery.  

I had no space for all those baby toys - and didn’t want them mixed in with keepsake decor.  Storage bins to the rescue!! Ikea has some awesome kid friendly bins if you want a pop of colour!  We opted for natural and neutral whicker and grass baskets!  It is so much easier to just toss the trinkets in the bin and worry about them when you have more energy!

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