Welcoming a new baby into your family home is an extremely happy and exciting time, however it does require a good bit of planning and preparation to get the home ready for this little bundle of joy. The good news is that you have at least nine months to prepare, so here are some of the essential tasks that you must undertake before the guest of honour arrives.
Get rid of clutter
Small and sharp items are especially hazardous for newborns. They could accidentally swallow a small object or cut themselves against a sharp edge, which is why it so important to de-clutter your home prior to the child’s arrival. De-cluttering will not only prevent harm to your child, but it will also provide you with additional space for all that new baby equipment. Units for storage from Alligator Storage will keep your possessions safe whilst you prepare your home for your new baby, providing you with a great source of additional storage which can then be used in the future to house more objects and furniture.
Clean the House
Once you have everything in storage and have completely de-cluttered your home, you can move onto giving it a good clean before the baby arrives, because let’s face it, you won’t have the time after the birth. Sweep the floors, vacuum the stairs and scrub the tiles. Don’t forget to clear up any dust and grime in the baby’s room and make sure that it is well ventilated to avoid mould growing on the walls.
Prepare Baby Clothes
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Babies have very delicate skin, which is why you have to wash all their clothes and bedding before they can be used in order to remove any potentially harmful substances. This will make life easier after the birth of your child because you will have already washed and prepared all its clothes and bedding. Make sure you use a non-biological detergent which will be gentle on the baby’s skin.
Stock up on supplies
Stock up on baby supplies such as nappies, baby wipes, petroleum jelly, diaper rash ointment and Q-tips etc. According to Baby Centre, you will need around 12 nappies a day for your newborn. For this reason, it is best to get your essential items ready at home so that when you and your partner return from the hospital, everything that they and the baby need will be at the ready.
Baby-Proof the Home
There are many safety precautions to take around the home before your baby arrives. This includes covering electrical sockets with outlet plugs, securing furniture, using protective padding over sharp edges and preparing the crib by ensuring the absence of stuffed animals and pillows to avoid potential harm to your child whilst asleep.
According to Women’s Health, other safety measurements to take in the home include installing safety gates at the bottom and top of stairwells, using safety latches on doors and cabinets, storing cleaning products and medicines out of reach and taking away small objects that the baby could find on the floor or on furniture.
* This is a collaborative post *
These are really good suggestions. My sister is expecting a baby and we are preparing the house for the little guy. We switched the toxic-cleaners with natural ones. We bought a steam cleaner and it truly cleans great. I think that for the rest we still have what to do it order to create the best environment for a baby! Thanks for sharing!
Great . Thanks for sharing