Organize and Prioritize: Actionable Steps for Expecting Parents to Organize Your Home and Get Ready for Baby!

Welcoming a new baby is exciting but can also feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to preparing your space. Decluttering and organizing your home beforehand can help create a calm and welcoming environment for your growing family and have tremendous impact on postpartum life!

Why Declutter & Organize?

• Creates Space: Babies come with a lot of stuff! Decluttering makes room for the essentials.
• Reduces Stress: A tidy home promotes a sense of calm and control, especially important during the early days of parenthood. Visual clutter, inability to find what you need, and drowning in clutter impacts our physical wellness and increases a chemical called "cortisol" that is indicative of raised stress levels. Cortisol impacts our ability to stay calm, feel joy and peace, and be present with our infant. It is critical we take care of ourselves in order to help our infant thrive! 
• Improves Safety: Removing clutter eliminates potential hazards for your little one as they start to explore.

Actionable Steps:

1. Start Small: Feeling overwhelmed? Choose one drawer, closet, or corner to tackle today. Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and focus on that area.
2. The 3-Box Method: As you go through items, use three boxes:

• Keep: Items you use regularly and love.
• Donate/Sell: Items in good condition that you no longer need.
• Discard: Items that are broken, worn out, or unusable.

3. Room-by-Room Focus:

• Nursery:

  • Prioritize essentials: crib, changing table, dresser.
  • Sort baby clothes by size and season. Store out-of-season items in labeled bins.
  • Create a diaper changing station with all the essentials within reach.

• Living Room:

  • Clear off coffee tables and low shelves to create safe spaces for your baby to explore (see The Paper Fix for a short course that can change the surfaces and paper organization in your home in ONE afternoon!)
  • Designate a bin or basket for baby toys to keep things organized.

• Kitchen:

  • Designate a cabinet or drawer for baby bottles, formula, and feeding supplies (this is helpful near the dishwasher/sink washing area).
  • Consider using drawer dividers or turntables to maximize space and keep items organized.

• Bathroom:

  • Make space for baby bath supplies and towels.
  • Install a baby bathtub if needed.

Tips & Tricks:

• Be Ruthless: If you haven't used it in the past 6 months, it's likely time to let it go.
• Ask for Help: Enlist a friend or family member to assist with decluttering and decision-making.
• Take Breaks: Decluttering can be tiring, both physically and emotionally. Take breaks as needed.
• Don't Strive for Perfection: Aim for progress, not perfection. Any amount of decluttering and organizing is helpful.

Remember:

The goal is to create a functional and welcoming space for your growing family. Focus on creating a home that feels comfortable and safe for everyone. Enjoy the process and congratulations on your new arrival!

For a STEP BY STEP Downloadable Guide, Click Here!