With the help of several contributors, we’ve explored aspects of nursery design and preparing for a baby, including tips on recycling a crib and safe do-it-yourself projects during pregnancy. We’ve applied many of those suggestions in our own home, and this week we’re launching a Nesting Series to document our process: designing the nursery, converting a laundry room into a combined baby bath and laundry space, and preparing for a home birth.
Here’s what we plan to cover in the Nesting Series.
1. Converting a Home Office into a Nursery
We’re relocating our home office to another part of the house to make room for the baby. Much of the space will store the gear we’ve already accumulated from friends, family and a baby shower. We’re also grateful that our parents saved many items from our childhood; reusing these heirloom pieces will add character to the nursery and reduce waste. In the series we’ll share how we evaluate which furniture and items to keep, how we arrange the room for safety and comfort, and tips for creating a soothing nursery on a budget.
2. Updating the Laundry Room for Baby Care
Our laundry room was previously a purely functional space—dark, dusty and not designed for daily use beyond washing clothes. Now that we need room for baby gear and a clean area for bathing and laundering infant items, we’re transforming it into a more hygienic, organized and welcoming space. We began by whitewashing the walls to brighten the room and create a clean backdrop. In future installments we’ll cover practical storage solutions, choosing durable, easy-to-clean surfaces, safe plumbing modifications for a baby bath sink, and simple finishes that improve both cleanliness and visual appeal.
3. Preparing for a Home Birth
We chose a home birth because we wanted a calm, familiar and loving environment for welcoming our baby. We had little firsthand knowledge of the process at first, so we trained with a professional birth center to ensure safety and comfort. While we’ll keep personal details private, we will offer practical guidance on how to prepare your home for a planned home birth: creating a comfortable birthing space, assembling essential supplies, coordinating with care providers, and planning for contingencies. Our focus will be on safety, informed decision-making and creating a nurturing atmosphere.
Follow along each week as we dig into the chapters of our Nesting Series. We’ll provide clear, practical steps, photos of our progress, and lessons learned so you can adapt ideas to your own home and family.