PLANNING THE NURSERY
Phase One
There
are two common scenarios when it comes to Baby’s room: The first
involves turning a guest room or home office into Baby’s room and the
second is adapting an area in an existing room because space is at a
premium. Let’s start with the first one. I’d like you to go into that
room now and have a seat. Be sure you have your baby journal with you,
as we need to do some planning.
AVOID COMMON INDOOR CONTAMINANTS
Mattress and Box Springs
Petroleum by-products have found their way into
the manufacture of these products. The typical mattress and box spring
are soaked in some combination of fire-retardant chemicals,
formaldehyde, and other toxic glues, stains, and coatings. These
chemicals can release carcinogenic gases. If you don’t have an air
purifier, order your baby’s mattress well in advance and let it air out
before she ever comes in contact with it.
Rugs and Carpets
The issue here is simple: Do you get a wool
carpet or rug or do you go with synthetic? Natural wool absorbs
chemicals, while synthetic fibers will contribute to the chemicals in
the room. Wool, unlike synthetic fibers, rapidly absorbs common
contaminants in indoor air like formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, and
sulphur dioxide. Not only does wool keep the air free of many harmful
pollutants, it will not re-emit them, even when heated.
Carpets (and rugs) also absorb something else:
sound. This is a benefit to consider if you live in an apartment and
have crotchety neighbors right under your designated nursery or if you
live in a home and a sibling lives downstairs. Noise is after all
another form of pollution, isn’t it?
Paint
As noted above, you want to purchase paint with
low or no VOCs. There is, however, an additional consideration: When
was your home built? If it was built prior to 1978, there may be lead
paint somewhere in the house, even if it’s below several layers of
newer latex paint. This is a concern because the paint can chip
(particularly in areas like on windowsills), creating dust, and if the
dust is ingested or breathed in, it can pose a danger to your baby’s
health and development. But don’t panic! This is a very common
situation and the health department for your city or your state will
have guidelines for safely removing or painting over lead paint.
The low- or no-VOC paints are also good for the
environment, as they are not designated as hazardous waste. (You should
contact your local sanitation department to find out how to correctly
dispose of all chemical products used in your home. You may not simply
dump them in your regular trash!) These new and improved paint products
also reduce ozone-depleting contaminants. Your choice may cost a bit
more but you have the solace of benefiting the planet as well as your
new baby. And yes the coverage is just as good as the less-expensive
VOC-producing versions and just as easy to keep clean.
Wood Floors
The 411 on wood flooring is that it’s safe and
doesn’t off-gas. Of course nothing in life is easy so you still have to
be a Sherlock Holmes wannabe when you shop. Why? Because the adhesives
used during installation might contain formaldehyde and VOCs! You need
to shop with a reputable retailer you trust and request
formaldehyde-free adhesives and finishes. These are water-based, are
solvent-free, and do not off-gas. As you might expect, they are a bit
more expensive but worth it in the long run.
If the room is currently a guest room:
If
the room is now used as a guest room, are you going to divide the room
in half, move the guest bed to another area, or donate the guest bed
and use a futon when you have visitors? An inflatable bed works well
unless of course your visitors are elderly and can’t sleep that close
to the ground.
If the bed
or any other furniture needs to be removed, what are you going to do
with it? Common options include donating it to charity or someone you
know; selling it through a service like Craigslist or your local
consignment shop; putting an ad on Freecycle so someone will pick it
up; or putting it out on the street (be sure you call your sanitation
service so the items don’t languish on your sidewalk!).
Take
a second look before you eighty-six any furniture: Could you paint
something and use it for the baby? For example, let’s say you have an
old dresser from your childhood home. You could paint it a lovely
pastel color and use the top as a changing table.
If you have a garage, is there any room to store some pieces you are attached to and wish to use later?
With
my clients, I’ve found that losing a guest room, a craft room, a
workout area, or any other type of nonessential room tends not to be so
hard. The difficulty arises if you are transforming a home office into
the nursery and need to find new spaces for your office-related pieces.
Clearly, if you work from home or run a business, you can’t share the
space with a baby. Just as he falls asleep, you’ll be answering the
phone and dealing with clients. It sounds like a scene from a Will
Ferrell comedy, doesn’t it? If this room has been where you came to pay
bills and run the business of family life, you can find ways to set up
a work zone elsewhere.
If the room is currently a home office:
Are
there any pieces of office equipment that you don’t really use? Pack
them away for now, or sell them or donate them as is appropriate.
If
your family room or living rooms are large enough, you may be able to
create a work corner. Do you have hardwood floors? You are in luck, as
you can use an area rug to mark off the office zone. If you can’t use
an area rug and you like to entertain in this room, you can always use
a decorative screen to keep the room’s functions separate.
No
matter how many files we create, we usually use only a few on a daily
basis. The decorative file box is best if you are going to be using a
public room. Put a lamp or a decorative vase on it and no one will
suspect its true purpose.
The
last place to commandeer for your office is your bedroom. That room
really is for rest, sleep, and fun. Introducing a computer and the
energy of work invites you to wake up in the middle of the night to
check e-mail. If this solution is the only one, use the trick of the
area rug or screen. Your assignment is to decide what stays and what
goes. Make calls and be sure everything that is scheduled to leave has
a pick-up date. If a relative says they want something but can’t come
for months to retrieve it, apologize profusely, but you need the space
now. Don’t hesitate to donate the item to local women’s shelter or
thrift store instead. If furniture has to be moved to other parts of
your home, call in some burly guy friends to assist your spouse. Don’t
try any heroics! You aren’t to do any heavy lifting.
After the room has been rearranged or emptied, return with your journal and let’s make some notes.
Phase Two
Now
the room should feel very different. The energy of its former identity
is giving way to something new. One day soon you won’t remember it as
anything but a nursery! Let’s take a minute to examine the room.
Does
the room need to be painted? Or are you going with wallpaper? You and
your spouse should schedule a time to shop of course, but never
underestimate the value of perusing magazines and online sites for
inspiration. If you have some direction, the stores will be less
overwhelming.
Before you
make any final decisions, bring home paint chips and fabric swatches.
Your paint store should have small cans of your favorites. Put a few
patches of color on the wall. How does the light at different times of
day play on the colors?
What
about the floor? Do you need new carpet? Perhaps you have a hardwood
floor that needs to be polished? Or did you want to use a few area rugs
to make activity zones in the room? Rugs make it so easy to demarcate
space.
How will you dress the window?
Is there a closet? Will you share with Baby or is this his territory?
Does the room have its own bathroom? If not, is one close by?
What is the light source in the room? Do you need lamps? They certainly create more ambience than overhead lighting.
Does
the room have enough electrical outlets ? If you bring in an
electrician to add a few, be sure she adds a light to the closet if it
needs one.
WHEN BABY MAKES FOUR
If your first
child is about to be asked to share her room, even if she is very
young, you may find out it isn’t the most popular idea, unless you
adequately prepare her. Think how you would feel if I marched into your
bedroom and started rearranging your personal items and furniture
because you had to share the space. Wouldn’t it be nicer if I talked to
you first, invited you into the process, and perhaps even asked for
your input? A friend of mine had her second child when her first was
three years old. Throughout her entire pregnancy she and her husband
told their daughter that the role of a big sister was an important one.
Mommy was going to need her help. This little girl never missed a step.
Her role as big sister made her feel proud, and she was excited to
share her room and her things with her new sibling.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
As
this week draws to a close, remember to have fun with all of these
assignments. You are, after all, creating your baby’s first sanctuary,
even if he will most likely be set up in your bedroom for at least the
first few weeks. If you feel stuck as to how to transform the room, go
through some magazines for inspiration. Cut out some pictures you
gravitate to and make a Dream Board just for this room. This is a
wonderful tool for anyone who isn’t highly visual by nature. Seeing can
be inspiring! All you need is some inexpensive poster board from your
local stationary supply store like Staples or Office Max along with a
stick of glue. Paste the images that capture the look or feel of the
nursery you’d like to create onto your poster board. You don’t have to
have multiple nurseries on view. You might simply have eight or ten
images of various aspects of the room as you’d like to create it. It’s
nice to cut out words or phrases and add them as well. You might find
them in ads or you could purchase a sheet of letters when you pick up
your poster board. Use glitter or stickers if you wish. Just remember
this isn’t a homework assignment. The idea is to have fun and unleash
your creativity.
