If you’re expecting a baby, we know you can’t help but think about all the hard work it will take to prepare a place for them in your life and in your home. Since you are busy with so many important decisions, the last thing you want to worry about is how you are going to pay for all of it. This article hopefully removes some of that stress by providing you with helpful DIY suggestions on ways to build a nursery on a budget. For many, the fact that you actually can have a gorgeous nursery that doesn’t break the bank is welcome news.

Have DIY Ambitions

While things like curtains and bedding should be left to the professionals, you can save a lot of money by taking the DIY route. This often requires finding a tutorial online for the specific project you are interested in. Don’t be intimidated by a bit of research, as there are hundreds of tutorials for any project imaginable (no exaggeration!). Finding the right instructions together with some inexpensive, high-quality supplies will let you put together your own nightstands, under the bed storage units, closet organizers, curtain rods, etc.

Creative Use of Paint

A great and inexpensive way to really leave your mark on a nursery is to use paint in interesting and unusual ways. This often adds a more personal touch to the room and is cheaper than many expensive wall treatments. Consider adding patterns and shapes using stencils and painter’s tape. You can even paint and design the ceiling, something your baby will love given how much time they spend on their backs! If you really don’t think you’re up for this level of painting, then consider wall decals that match your room’s theme and colour scheme.

Lookout for Spare Furniture

Although there are plenty of beautiful pieces of baby furniture available at your local store, these can be very expensive, so if you are on a budget, don’t expect that you have to buy everything brand new for your baby to live in comfort. If you can find a good second-hand shop or if you have extra furniture somewhere that can be repurposed, a new coat of paint can breathe new life into old pieces. The Spruce provides some excellent examples of this, which include: reupholstering an old armchair with some baby-friendly fabric, painting a large ornate mirror an unexpected colour, or adding some new paint and custom drawer pulls to an old dresser.

Check online

Make sure to check out sites such as Gumtree and eBay, where you can find second-hand or even new items at discounted prices. This shouldn’t be surprising because babies are well known for growing out of clothes, toys, and furniture very quickly.

DIY Crafts

You can make another big impact by creating unique accessories, with just a handful of inexpensive supplies. A classic example is to capture your child’s tiny handprint or footprint in clay, along with some adorable photos, all in a nice frame. Better yet these pieces can serve as keepsakes for when your child becomes an adult. See Red Tricycle’s list of more DIY nursery accessories for those on a budget. A good rule of thumb is to try to use meaningful decorations such as family pictures and DIY accessories, rather than potential expensive and impersonal, artwork or other wall hangings.

Lack of Storage?

If you are desperate for some more storage on a budget, consider adding a few wicker or cloth baskets, or a handful of floating shelves. These can be inexpensive storage option for clothes or toys. Consider keeping plastic bins under the crib, which can be obscured with a crib skirt. You can even break large drawers into many smaller compartments by using food storage bins or Tupperware if you really want to use every little bit of space.

It is important to consider that because babies grow up so fast, the room will have to be redecorated after two or three years to accommodate the changing tastes and needs of your child. Try to keep it simple and enjoy the time you have together!