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Are you on the hunt for baby nursery must haves? This list will help you shop and prepare the perfect room for your sweet baby.
Deciding what items or products are baby nursery must haves can be a challenge. If you are like me, you have reached out to all of your mom friends to pick their brain. You have probably also been living on Google. As a mama and obsessive planner, I am sharing with you the baby nursery must haves that have simplified my life and made being a new mom so easy!
You are going to learn baby nursery ideas, baby nursery essentials list, baby must haves, baby nursery essentials, and more!
After reading about baby nursery must haves, you are going to be ready to design the best AND most functional nursery.
This post is all about baby nursery must haves.
Best Baby Nursery Must Haves List
1. Crib
When I was expecting, I had so much fun shopping for my baby girl’s furniture. You really want to pick out furniture you love. You are going to be spending a lot of time in the nursery. Personally, I really wanted to find a crib that makes a beautiful focal point. This was important to me because it is the first thing you see when you walk into my daughter’s room.
I bought my crib from a local baby store. A crib is a baby nursery must have!
Pro tip: Check out the nursery furniture in person before making the purchase. When shopping online you will notice that a lot of things look nice in pictures. I need to be able to see and feel the furniture before making the investment. My husband is a carpenter, so he is big on making sure furniture is quality and not cheaply made.
2. Waterproof Mattress
You will also want a waterproof mattress. Babies make lots of messes! There will be plenty of blowouts! Having a mattress that is waterproof is essential! I have had to remove the sheets, mattress protector, and wipe down the mattress countless times. Mark my words, a waterproof mattress is so worth it.
The mattress we use for our baby girl is linked above and below. I absolutely love it. It has a firmer side for infants and a medium-firm side for toddlers. It is an organic mattress, breathable, and light!
3. Mattress Protector
Mattress protectors are a must. This organic mattress protector was recommended by the owner of a baby store I did a lot of my shopping at. Mattress protectors are an extra barrier between the sheets and the mattress. Quite honestly, they do a great job of keeping the mattress protected.
I love this mattress protector because it is organic AND is made in the US. It also does not shrink, which is a major bonus! So impressed with this mattress protector!
4. Crib Sheets, Crib Sheets, And More Crib Sheets!
The biggest mistake I made was not buying enough crib sheets. You never want to run into a situation where you need to change the crib sheets in the middle of the night and realize you don’t have a clean backup sheet.
I love the crib sheets from Pottery Barn Kids. Be sure to BUY PLENTY!
5. Baby Monitor
I have the Infant Optics Baby Monitor and absolutely love it! My friend loves and recommended this monitor to me. I am so thankful because I am thrilled with this baby monitor.
The audio and video quality are great. It filters out background noise, so it is easy to hear your baby. I also love that it does not require WiFi. I have no complaints about this monitor!
6. Changing Table
My dresser came with a changing table topper. The topper is easy to remove when my daughter grows older. The topper is great because it is sectioned and makes organizing all of the changing essentials very simple.
I know a changing table isn’t for every mama, but I personally love it. I am all for cleanliness. Diaper changes can be messy and I enjoy having a table to change my baby girl on.
I wrote a detailed blog post all about baby dresser organization. Click the link below to get all the helpful tips as well as pictures of how I organized mine. I show you exactly what should go on top of the dresser.
(RELATED POST: 7 Essential Baby Dresser Organization Tips That Are Life-Changing)
7. Changing Pad Cover
A changing pad cover is a must! This one is so soft, which makes it perfect for your baby. It is machine washable and has a buttonhole for the pad straps.
This comes in a set of two.
I recommend buying a few different changing pad cover sets. Messes do happen and it is wise to have plenty readily available.
8. Dresser Organization
Dresser Organization is key! Check out my in-depth blog post about this topic. After reading this post, you will be ready to organize your baby dresser. Click on the link below for all the tips and tricks that will set you and your family up for success.
(RELATED POST: 7 Essential Baby Dresser Organization Tips That Are Life-Changing)
9. Diaper Genie
The Diaper Genie is the best invention! It does a great job of getting rid of the stink. It also holds so many diapers! We are not having to constantly change the bag. The Diaper Genie is so compact and does not take up a ton of room. I highly recommend this product! You will not be sorry.
10. Black Out Curtains
These are the BEST! We knew the importance of these curtains and bought beautiful ones from Pottery Barn Kids.
They do a great job of keeping out the light. My baby sleeps so beautifully in her room and I attribute this to the blackout curtains!
When we go on vacations and baby girl has to sleep in a room that is not completely dark, we notice a big difference in her sleep. Not for the better!
11. Rocking Chair
When looking for a rocking chair, make sure to sit in it for several minutes before buying it! Yes, we all want our rocking chair to be cute. Being comfortable is so so important. You will spend many many hours rocking your sweet baby in that chair. You want to feel as comfortable as possible while rocking in it.
I bought my rocking chair from Havertys and spent a lot of time rocking before deciding to pull the trigger. I am so happy with my rocking chair. Comfort is key!
12. End Table
I didn’t know how beneficial having an end table was. Breastfeeding makes me so thirsty. I need to have water with me at all times. After realizing how thirsty I was, I immediately moved an end table into the nursery beside my rocking chair.
I also put a few more necessities on my end table. Click the post below to read about exactly how I organize my end table.
(RELATED POST: Secrets To Baby Room Organization)
13. Small Light
A small light is such a great addition to the nursery. When you are feeding your little one late at night, it is convenient to have a small light. Not too bright to disturb your baby, but enough light for you to be able to see. I have a beautiful small light on the end table beside the rocker in my daughter’s room.
14. Books
You need books! I keep the majority of the books inside of her closet and pull books out to keep in a book basket beside the rocking chair. This way I can easily pull books while I am rocking her. We always read snuggled up in the rocking chair.
It is wise to have a big collection of books. As a former elementary teacher with a Master’s in Reading, I am always on the hunt for great books.
15. Book Basket
I keep a book basket beside the rocking chair and a book basket inside of her closet. These baskets are AMAZING! I am obsessed with rope baskets. They are soft and they hold up well over time. Plus they look cute! Who doesn’t love cute?! If you are not a pink fan, there are so many colors to choose from!
16. Organized Closet
Having an organized closet is key. Especially when you have customized your closet to maximize space. Click the blog post below to see exactly how I organized my baby girl’s beautiful closet. My wonderful husband customized it to store her baby things beautifully.
(RELATED POST: Secrets To Baby Room Organization)
17. Bulk Diapers & Wipes
I always make sure to have bulk diapers and wipes. I keep them on the top shelf of my daughter’s closet. There is nothing worse than being low on diapers or wipes. I avoid that situation at all costs!
18. Laundry Basket
Just like us, babies need a laundry basket to store their dirty clothes in. I keep this laundry basket on the floor of my daughter’s closet. It is the perfect size and it matches her room so well.
19. Baskets
I bought two sets of these baskets. They are GREAT! I use these baskets for storing books, dolls, travel accessories, diapers, and shoes.
Baskets make organizing so easy and pretty.
20. Chandelier
I had to have a chandelier in my nursery. This makes the room look so elegant and feminine.
I bought my chandelier from Pottery Barn Kids. They have so many great selections!
This post was all about baby nursery must haves.
Other Posts You May Like:
Secrets To Baby Room Organization
9 Out Of This World Baby Organization Ideas That Will Enhance Your Life
7 Essential Baby Dresser Organization Tips That Are Life-Changing
Katherine says
This is such a cute list! Those book baskets are adorable and such a good idea! Thank you for sharing 😊
Debbie says
This is a perfect list for setting up a baby nursery. I really love the idea to add a chandelier for an elegant room. Great tips!
Michelle Latinovich says
What a great and very detailed list of must haves when setting up your baby nursery. I love that you added a coffee table…most people wouldn’t think of this and it comes in so handy when breastfeeding (as you stated!) I also completely agree that black out curtains are indeed a necessity in helping the little one to sleep better!
Melissa says
I wish I had had this list before my son was born! I was so skeptical about the Diaper Genie. I didn’t think it was necessary. I got one after my daughter was born and goodness, it’s awesome! I completely agree with all of your recommendations. This is a great list!