5 Tips for an Organized Nursery with Ria Safford

5 Tips for an Organized Nursery

1. FOCUS ON YOUR NEEDS FIRST & WANTS LATER

The nursery is such an exciting space to prepare as you await your new little one, so much so, that it could be easy to lose sight of what the most important areas are to get ready. Yes, the theme, color schemes, paint colors and drapery will help the room come to life, but you want to focus on the needs of your baby first as to not be scrambling at the end for necessities. Let’s chat about two of the biggest needs–feeding and sleeping.

Feeding: If this is the room you plan to feed your little one, you will want a comfortable rocker to sit in and a side table for your nursing/pumping/bottle feeding essentials. You can prepare a tote of items like snacks, reading materials, burp cloths and soothing creams. La Maman Nursing Wedge is the perfect feeding accessory to provide added comfort to both parent and baby. 

Sleeping: Your baby may not be sleeping in the nursery right away, so be sure those arrangements are figured out first. The Aristot Bassinet is perfect for a baby's first months next to mommy. The Kind Bassinet allows you to easily transition from your room to the nursery (or anywhere for that matter!), providing them the comfort and security they are used to. Pair that with a Swaddle blanket or Sleep Bag and they will be dreaming all through the night before you know it!

2. KEEP IT CURRENT

With a new baby comes a lot of incoming items–some for right away, and some for further down the road. We do not want to overwhelm the space (or you!) with items that are not essential to the current phase you and baby are in. When it comes to the most accessible areas like the dresser, easy to reach areas in the closet and bedroom storage, keep it current. Clothes, toys and items for future stages and ages can be stored on closet shelves, in storage closets or even in the garage, depending on what storage is available to you. Labeling these items will help you keep track of the inventory you have and prevent duplicate purchasing. 

3. PLAN AHEAD

Baby’s transition very quickly when it comes to clothing and diaper sizes. You do not want to find yourself unprepared for when that moment strikes. Have a bin of washed clothes in the next size that will make swapping out the dresser items a breeze. You will also want a box of the next diaper size available to you. 

When it comes to other essentials like wipes, ointments, lotions, bath accessories, and more, always have at least one overstock item of each to avoid you being without! Wipes go much faster so having a healthy overstock is encouraged. 

You will also want to plan for when you will be out and about with your little one! Keep an extra set of all diaper changing needs in a diaper bag at all times. Another great addition is a Clutch Changer that will make changing on the go a breeze!

4. HAVE A SYSTEM FOR GROWN-OUT CLOTHES

One of my favorite tips for a nursery is the “too small bin”. It is inevitable that your little one will grow out of even the most adorable of outfits. It can become overwhelming and hard to keep track of what fits and what doesn’t without a system in place. Designate a bin in the nursery closet and label it “too small”. As your baby grows out of items, you will place them in the bin. When the bin fills up, that is your cue to do something with these items–box up and store for a future baby (don’t forget to label), donate or give to a friend! 

5. DESIGNATE A KEEPSAKE BIN

You’re going to want to hold on to baby’s first everything (especially if it’s baby #1), so be sure to designate a keepsake bin in the closet. It will definitely come in handy for anything you want to keep ranging from special outfits, cards from family members, first pair of shoes, etc. This can be kept up high and out of the way as it wont need to be accessed regularly.

About the Author:

Ría Safford is a Cuban-American mom of three. She is the founder and CEO of RíOrganize, a company offering full-service organization, design, and space planning to families across the United States. Ría has organized spaces for A-list clients like Vanessa Bryant, Ciara, and Jen Atkin and for everyday families who are desperate for more streamlined systems in their homes.

Ria’s own organization journey began when she became a new mom and felt overwhelmed by all the mess accumulating in her house. She set out to calm the chaos and help families everywhere reduce stress and create routine-ready spaces that would make managing life with little ones easier. In 2022, Ría partnered with U Brands for a product line at Target that was featured on end-caps in 820 stores. She has also partnered with dozens of other companies including Michaels, Ziploc, iDesign, Apartments.com, and more.

Ría has 324K+ fans following her on Instagram (@riorganize) for organization inspiration and advice.

To learn more, visit www.riorganize.com.

Purchase her new book, 'The Organized Home for New Parents,' here!