By Maria Samuels, In Style Modern Interior Design Expert
Before you had kids you never realized how much stuff one little baby can have. Next thing you know you need to proceed with caution as not to trip on baby gear in every room. There’s the diaper changing needs, toys, blankets and burp cloths, binkies strewn about, swing, booster seat and more. Sometimes in the throes of parenthood your home screams “Baby on Board.” Life is a balancing act and your home should be no different. With a few clever decorating hacks, you can take back your home so it appears like adults live there, too. And we’ve got just the tips you need to make the transition back.
Make storage your best friend. Maximize the space in your cabinets and console table with organizing baskets to stash all of baby’s must-haves like burp cloths, extra pacifiers and diaper changing supplies in your family room. Pick-up an eclectic looking trunk or decorative storage basket that can hold toys. Just close the door or lid and presto, no more baby clutter lying around. If you’ve got space under your sofa, you can hide away more stuff in an under bed storage bin.
If you don’t need it, hide it. Don’t bring out items your baby is not ready for yet. And as soon as your baby has grown out of something, move it to storage. Babies accumulate and need so much stuff but that doesn’t mean those items need to be accessible right now.
Your baby doesn’t need everything. Before we have kids, we tend to think we need one of everything available at the baby store. But the truth is all babies are different and not all babies like the same things (like swings for instance). So before you go and buy up every single registry item, try borrowing a friend’s first to see if your baby likes it so you’re not strapped with unnecessary baby items taking up space. If you do decide to purchase your own version, go with the smaller versions that take up less space—swing, high chair, wall mounted changing table, etc.
Transform a closet into a baby command center. If you have a closet you don’t use much or the things in it can be moved, use this space to store all the odds and ends. Add a dresser and you have an instant changing spot. Fold down the stroller and high chair and stash, stick baby’s outgrown clothes and clothes for the future here as well.
Toys, toys, toys. Your little ones don’t need a ton of toys to keep them busy just make the ones you offer extremely creative. In an effort to reduce clutter, make a wall-mounted activity center sensory exploration zone in your kitchen, living room or the room you spend the most time. Your littles ones will be kept busy for ages playing with all types of sensory toys like musical instruments, mirrors, bead mazes and pathfinders and magnetic wall toys. Just be sure that anything you put within baby’s reach is securely attached and does not include any pieces small enough to choke on. These can also be hidden if necessary.
We get it, you love your kids. And we won’t hold it against you if you cut back on the piles of baby books and photos that cover your living space like wall-to-wall carpet. Select a few special photos and have them made into canvases to dually serve as wall décor. This will help reduce the amount of photo frames lying around your tables and shelves.
When decluttering the babypalooza that has become your home, just remember to keep the necessary items in close range. You don’t want to hide and stow so much that you don’t have wipes close by when you need them. If you find that you’ve got stuff you just don’t use or need, consider selling or donating it. You’ll feel better for getting your home back and for the mind cleansing that will come with your new found space.
Maria Samuels is an interior design expert with the popular home furnishings site InStyleModern.com (http://www.instylemodern.com), your top source for stylish and affordable contemporary furniture that won’t break the bank. The line offers all the furniture pieces essential to giving every modern home and office a touch of class and style. Connect with InStyleModern on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
