First-time expecting parents have a lot to do and prep for before the birth of their child. One of those things is getting a nursery ready, which might seem daunting when living in the city’s tight quarters. Amanda Wiss is the founder of Urban Clarity, a Fort Greene-based team made up of 12 professional organizers who help clients create enjoyable spaces for themselves. She spoke at the 2019 Brooklyn Baby and Family Expo, held on April 11 in Gowanus, and gave her Top 10 tips for designing and organizing a small nursery.
#1. Buy storage-friendly furniture – like a crib with drawers for storing extra diapers and wipes. Furniture pieces can look aesthetically pleasing, but should be functional.
2. Trick out your closet.
“For anyone who has the ability to build, try to add as many shelves to a closet as you possibly can because shelves are the best way to optimize space,” Wiss said. “But if you’re not able to build it out and [you] have just a bar and a shelf, [use] a hanging bag. They’re fantastic for small linens and blankets.”
3. Convert your dresser into a changing table.
4. Opt for a mini-crib or multi-purpose crib if you don’t have the space for a full-sized one.
5. Containerize everything – use clear, stackable bins and label them.
“You’re going to want to separate things by category because when you get to the next season or to the next clothing size, you don’t have to dig through all that stuff,” she added.
6. Go vertical – like hanging a shoe bag on the back of your closet door.
“It doesn’t need to have shoes in it; it should have other things at arm’s reach,” Wiss explained. “It can [store] baby Tylenol and a thermometer, for example, in a top pocket. Start grouping things in your mind based on frequency of use and accessibility.”
Plus, instead of displaying items on dressers and other flat surfaces, you can go vertical with sturdy floating shelves for book storage or to show treasures off.
“It’ll look much more intentional … and your child won’t be able to destroy them, when they’re mobile, [because] the items are high up,” she said.
7. Avoid the glider that can take up a lot of space – you can get a compact chair that swivels instead.
8. Skip the toy bin – when not opened, things are put on top of the bin’s cover; when opened, little toys or pieces fall to the bottom. Bin lids can also close on kids’ hands if they’re reaching for something, Wiss added.
9. Rotate nursery decorations – you don’t need to feel like you have to display all the gifts and photos at the same time.
10. A donation station to manage the inflow and outflow of outgrown clothes via a bin or a bag.
For more information, visit Amanda’s web site: urbanclarity.net.
Top photo from Urban Clarity’s website
Author
George Fiala has worked in radio, newspapers and direct marketing his whole life, except for when he was a vendor at Shea Stadium, pizza and cheesesteak maker in Lancaster, PA, and an occasional comic book dealer. He studied English and drinking in college, international relations at the New School, and in his spare time plays drums and fixes pinball machines.
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