With the current housing market, more and more couples are making the tough decision to stop envisioning the large nursery for their babyy. Instead many are considering welcoming their baby in an apartment or small home. Making your space work for a new addition can seem daunting when you feel like you are already bursting at the seams. But a small space can be really great for a mom on the go who is constantly jumping back and forth from checking the baby to checking things off her to-do list.

How can I live in a small apartment with a baby? How do you live in a small house with a baby?

Here are some tips and tricks to make your small nursery ideas a reality.

Purge + Declutter

First, purge your belongings. I personally like to follow Emily Ley’s Simplified method of “best, favorite, necessary”. If items don’t fall into those categories, you likely won’t miss them.

Make sure to consider donating what you don’t need. Extra towels can go to animal shelters, your old clothes can go to women’s shelters, and furniture can go to Goodwill.

Define Your Space

Now that you are working with less clutter, start defining your spaces. If you have a studio, consider room dividers to create a nursery. Accordion style dividers are great and can double as a Zoom call background if necessary (I get more to multipurpose items below!).

If you’re running low on storage options, consider a room divider with storage opportunities like the Ikea Kallax. When you’re using this item to define a nursery, you can load up the Kallax with baskets and have it act as a dresser for baby clothes or as a place to store diapers and wipes.

Repurpose Your Space

If you have any space in your home that is unused or underutilized, repurpose it. You might not need an extra closet space once you’ve finished purging. If that’s the case, remove the closet doors, paint the walls, add a bassinet and call it the nursery! If you’re looking for a small nursery idea, it doesn’t get much smaller than that!

Is beneath your bed wasted space? Consider vacuum compression storage bags for off season clothes or under bed storage containers for other items you don’t use regularly.

Keep Things Off the Floor

In addition to eventually becoming a tripping hazard when your little one is mobile, clutter on the floor closes off a space. Seeing more of the floor gives the illusion of an ongoing area. Find ways to use the vertical space in your home. Consider over the door organizers, a wall mount for your bike, or a hook to store your stroller behind your front door for an easy exit!

Another item that eats up a lot of space - the highchair. Opt for a chair that attaches to your table or kitchen island saving that floor space from clutter.

Think Mini

Mini cribs are all the rage right now. Just as their name implies, these cribs take up a very small footprint. Plus many options even fold away. If you aren’t tight on space, this is also a great suggestion for grandparents’ homes if you plan to let the baby sleep there from time to time. (Remember: babies nap A LOT).

In addition to the mini crib, many brands that make “standard” size baby products also make smaller versions. For example, Baby Jogger, the maker of my beloved and well used stroller have the cult favorite City Mini Stroller. The City Mini comes in several options including a double stroller. It boasts the same great functionality as its larger counterpart (which I have and LOVE), but it is a much more lightweight, smaller option.

Find Multiple Purposes for Everything

When you’re short on space, everything in your home should serve multple purposes. Here are some examples:

This cart can function as a diaper caddy + toy storage that moves throughout your home.

Opt for a Pack N Play that has a playard, changing station, and a bassinet.

If you’re looking to splurge on a multipurpose play piece, this nesting table and chairs is ideal. You can store toys in the seats, and the seats can easily be stored underneath the table so they don’t take up extra room.

Use Toys as Decor

Obviously, toys will accumulate. When my kids were younger, I would always request books for gifts. Children’s books are some of the most beautiful pieces in my home, and I love to display them. Grab some affordable acrylic ledges that attach to the wall and load them up with books. It is a colorful accent and kids are more likely to request to read when they can see all the options.

Or if you have the space, dedicate one bookshelf to toys. Utilize baskets that match your decor and purchase some beautiful wooden toys for a seamless integration into the rest of your home.

Skip the Nursery

Hear me out. The baby will likely sleep in your room for at least the first 6 months if you’re following the AAP sleep guidelines. Within that time you will be figuring out how to function as a family, which will likely mean that baby will be with you as you check things off your to-do list. You will lay them down for some supervised tummy time within eye shot, but odds are you won’t want your baby far from you in the first few weeks/months anyway so that small space is perfect!

If you opt to skip the formal nursery all together, consider the collapsible furniture and furniture on wheels options above so that you can roll the crib around the house with you.

Welcoming a baby is always going to be a bit daunting whether you will have a baby in an apartment or a mansion. Start with small goals to get your small home ready, and add the fancy frills later.

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Small Space Nursery Ideas