Decorate Your Baby's Room On A Low Budget: Practical And Low-Cost Decorating Ideas

While it’s quite evident that planning for the arrival of your newborn can be one of the most rewarding experiences, it can also be one of the most expensive. For instance, the list of must-haves is boundless, from furniture to clothes, and toys to accessories. It's basically enough to break any budget. Unfortunately, some parents end up spending a lot of money when it comes to decorating and furnishing the space that their baby will outgrow in a few years. In essence, you don’t have to spend a fortune decorating a room for the arrival of a new family member. 

No matter how small your budget is, there are several ideas on how to decorate baby's room on a low budget while saving money at the same time. If your due date is approaching, decorating your baby’s room becomes a priority, and here are some actionable ideas to help you narrow down the options to keep the project financially sound. 

Paint instead of using wallpaper 

Majority of parents believe that the idea of painting a baby’s room is simple, since the traditional pink for girls and blue for boys may seem to be the norm. However, this is not the case, considering the fact that the best way to operate on a low budget is by thinking long term. It won’t take such a long time before your newborn baby becomes a toddler, and certainly the traditional color schemes won’t fit his/her room anymore. 

Therefore, you may consider painting your baby’s room using soft colors while decorating with newborn themed border which can be removed easily as your baby grows. To brighten up the baby’s room, try combining two contrasting colors and interesting kids wall art stickers to create a stimulating environment for your baby. Also, you can paint all the furniture white while the avoiding clichés like pink and blue for girls' and boys' rooms respectively. 

Borrow some items from a friend or family member 

Evidently, a baby outgrows some items like infant bassinet or cradle after a somewhat shorter period of time. For instance, your baby will be sleeping in a crib after three months, and hence you won’t need won't need an infant bassinet or a cradle anymore. Basically, baby’s furniture  can be so expensive, but the best option if you’re operating on a shoestring budget, then the best option will be to borrow from a friend or a family member whose baby has already outgrown them. Resist the temptation to think that your baby has to have everything new, especially expensive items like the furniture. 

A budget is essential 

A budget is actually one of the most effective tools that you can use to save money if you would like to decorate your baby’s room on a limited budget. It’s quite fascinating to point out that a good number of new parents have a tendency of spending impulsively while beautifying a space for their baby, particularly in absence of an actionable budget. You should be very clear on how much you are willing to spend for decorating the room by coming up with a budget that comprises of a definite upper limit beyond which you will not be spending. 

Basically, all you need to do is to choose the baby’s room theme and all the items you’ll require for decoration and make two lists, a wish list and an essential items list. It would be prudent for you to concentrate on the essential items list while reserving the wish list for a later date in the case of a low budget. 

Buy used 

You can buy slightly used items from several places, such as yard sale, flea markets and consignment stores, and you’ll rest assured that you’ll get the best deals at affordable prices. Also, you'll be able to save a lot of money that you would spend on new retail and may you can get items of relatively higher quality than you'd get otherwise. To find a nearby yard sale or consignment store nearby that’s selling used items, go through classified ads in your local newspaper. 

You don’t have to decorate your baby’s room the way your favorite celebrity does for the reason that you don't make millions of dollars for just smiling at the camera, the way they do. Essentially, if your budget is low, these ideas will surely help you. However, before you get started, ensure that your baby’s toys, cribs or even clothing meet today's safety standards.

Image credit:  jessicafm on Flickr