Probably one of the biggest projects during pregnancy is putting together the nursery. You might think you have all the time in the world, especially if you are planning on having your baby room with you for the first few months. But it’s not just the baby you’re getting ready for, it’s all her stuff, too. Without adequate storage space, what used to be a cute little room is going to become one giant pile of stuff. That’s just one reason to get started right away. You also have to consider how (un)productive you’ll be in your third trimester and beyond. The window of opportunity is in the first two trimesters. Unless you are hiring a crew to come in and do the nursery for you, you need to take advantage of your smaller size and energy in the first half of pregnancy. For most women, the second trimester is the perfect time to tackle most projects.
You should also consider how much time it’s really going to take to transform your spare bedroom into your dream nursery. Whatever you are estimating, double it. Things will go wrong, you will forget supplies, and things will take twice and long as you thought they would. That’s okay as long as you plan for it.
Instead of trying to do everything at once, try dividing the work between the three trimesters. During the first three months, completely prep the room for paint. Clear out all the old furniture or move it to the center and cover it, empty out the closet and clean the floors. If you have carpet, you might want to get it steam cleaned. If you are planning on resurfacing hardwood floors, now is the time to do it. During the second trimester, paint the walls and move in all the furniture. Hang up all your pictures and decorations. During the third trimester, wash all your little clothes and put them away. Organize all of your shower gifts in the nursery. This is the time for final touches. One of my favorite ideas is to leave one photo frame empty for your family’s first photo.