A new arrival is on the way and there is so much to do – decorating the nursery, choosing baby blankets and bedding along with a baby changing table, glider rocker and more. No matter how much you do before the bundle of joy arrives there’s inevitably something you will overlook, especially if this is your first child.

New parents may not realize how much the home décor will need to change throughout the entire house. The glass top coffee table that was once so stylish now represents a potential safety hazard while the sleek bathroom knobs and hardware that was so easy to use now poses a safety problem.

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Each room of your home will need to be childproofed and the bathroom is a good place to start. Any cabinets including the medicine chest should be secured with a childproof lock. The wastebasket should have a lid; a foot operated model is a good idea as kids will have a difficult time opening it. The toilet seat should be secured with a lid lock and all electrical outlets should be secured with protectors.

The bathtub should be made as child-friendly as possible – look for a bathtub faucet guard to protect baby’s head and be sure to invest in a bathtub temperature gauge to reduce the chance of scalding baby. A shampoo rinse cup will help to stop the tears when shampooing children’s hair.

If you do not already have a handheld showerhead you will find this to be one of the most useful modifications you can make in a bathroom. With a handheld shower head it’s easy to bathe children, shampoo hair and direct the water spray exactly where you want it; it also makes cleaning the tub and shower much easier.

Most people think that getting their house ready for kids is as simple as creating a nursery. While it’s true that you will need to take some time to get your baby’s new room all ready, there are also a few other aspects of your home that you will need to sort out. All of this preparation is key in turning your house into a comfortable family home. Not sure how to get your house ready for kids? Here are some things that you will need to do before your first little bundle of joy arrives!

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Don’t Forget The Changing Station

Okay, so you new baby’s nursery is all ready! It’s got a crib, cute decor, and a good selection of toys. But have you also remembered to add a changing station in there? This small area is a dedicated place where you can change the baby’s nappies. Most parents forget about adding one to their nursery, which is unfortunate as it can quickly become the most important part of the entire room. To prepare your changing station, you can add either a changing table or mat. Make sure you have opened nappies and wipes close by at all times as well. When you are changing your baby, there will be a lot of mess and having all your cleaning materials opened and ready to go will be a godsend! So make sure you aren’t completely focused on your baby’s sleeping arrangements; you also need to change them too, remember!

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Pack The Freezer

This point is most important for the first few months of your baby, but if you remember to keep your freezer well stocked while you have children, it can really help you out when you have little time to prepare meals! Be sure to pack your freezer with lots of portions of meals such as lasagnes and stews. That way, you can simply take out as many portions as you need for dinner, defrost them, and reheat. You will have little time to prepare freshly home-cooked meals once the baby arrives, but stocking your freezer can help you stick to a healthy diet and not have to rely on ready meals all the time!

Create A Child-Friendly Garden

When you are trying to make your house into a family friendly home, it is also important to head out into the garden and make sure that it is safe for children. One of the main things to do is to make sure there are no poisonous plants out there. Young children will be exploring every inch of the garden once they are able to walk. To make sure they don’t put anything poisonous in their mouth while your back is turned, de-weed your garden and only add safe plants. If there are any water features or ponds in your garden, you should cover these with a net so that your kids won’t fall into them. It is also a good idea to dig up any hard flooring, such as stone patios or wooden decking. These could be dangerous if your kids are running around on them, so it’s worth replacing them with soft lawn. If your kids fall over on a lawn, they won’t hurt themselves quite so much!

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Safeguard Your Kitchen

Imagine momentarily leaving your toddler in the kitchen for a brief minute and returning to find they’ve emptied out all the lower-level cupboards and spread cereal all over the floor. This may sound like a complete nightmare, but it very often turns into reality. I’m sure that most parents have had to clean up after their kids have made a major mess in their kitchen! Thankfully, there is one way you can prevent this from happening. You just need to make sure your kitchen is fully childproof. And one of the best ways of doing so is equipping all the cupboards and drawers that are within reach with childproof locks. You can find these in most baby stores as well as online.

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Rid Your Home Of Pests

All parents want their home to be as clean as possible. A clean house is one that is free from any germs and bad bacteria that can cause various infections and illnesses. There is one main sign that your house may not be quite as clean as you want it to be. And that is if there are signs of pests or vermin living on the property. For example, if you find some rat or mouse droppings somewhere in your house, you might have a vermin problem that you need to deal with. Similarly, you could find signs in your kitchen of an ant infestation. Don’t panic if you think you do have some unwelcome housemates living with you; you can always call in a pest exterminator. You can find the contact details of your nearest exterminator online on their website.

Find More Storage Space

Think you and your partner already have a lot of things? Well, you can expect that to almost double once the baby arrives! Even though your baby will be tiny, they will need a lot of things! Most parents buy lots of clothes in various sizes. This is because babies grow so quickly, so it is very useful having plenty of spare clothes ready for them to wear once they grow. Because of this, you will need to have a lot of storage in your house for your kids. You can, of course, add lots of cupboards and chests of drawers to the nursery. But it is also a good idea adding some storage elsewhere. For instance, you could invest in beds that have drawers in the base. If you need to buy some more furniture for storage, you can always find it fairly cheaply on sites such as eBay and Craigslist.

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Add Some Color

These days, most of the big interior styles and trends are all about very chic decor choices. For instance, the most popular color shades at the minute are cool silvers and bright creams. These sure do look great, but they aren’t exactly the most child-friendly colors. Once you have kids in your house, you will want it to be as bright as possible for them, and the best way of doing that is adding some color to your decor. You can still do this with a stylish interior design that is based on silvers and creams, though. You just need to add colorful pieces of furniture and artwork. These great injections of color will really help to make your house feel like a cozy family home!

Smooth Your Edges

One of the main causes of accidents around the home for children is sharp edges and corners. You will find that toddlers will walk around without really looking where they are going, and could end up knocking into the edges of tables and shelves. If these edges are particularly straight, they could end up feeling very sharp. To make sure your kids don’t hurt themselves too much, it could be worth smoothing the edges slightly with some sandpaper. Alternatively, you could always treat yourself to some new, round-edged furniture!

As you can see, getting your house ready for the arrival of children requires quite a bit of work on your part. But it will all be very worth it in the end! It will help your home feel a lot more comfortable than it once was, and you and your family will be very happy indeed! So what are you waiting for?

When creating the perfect room for your new baby, the two most essential elements are baby crib bedding and headboards. Between the hardware of the bed and the “software” of the linens, you can decorate your baby’s room with common sense and vibrant style. With the right choices, your baby is sure to enjoy a safe, comfortable and restful room in the few moments of peace that he or she allows you.

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Baby crib sheets are the first element you might think of when creating your perfect baby room. Colorful sheets, comfortable textiles and hypoallergenic fabrics are all high on your list of home goods, but remember to include both baby crib bedding if the articles are for a gift. Some babies have only the crib to worry about, while others prefer the bassinet. On a few occasions, you may find that baby gets to enjoy both. However, whatever the furniture arrangement or the type of bedding, you should consider the possibility of brass headboards as a great choice for your baby’s room. Brass sparkles and shines in a way that simple wood does not, creating a unique option for the adventurous decorator.

Creating your baby’s perfect room is a simple matter of patience and persistent exploration. With so many options for decor, you and your baby may enjoy the decorating process as a fun and lengthy bonding experience.