How to Create a Nursery in a One Bedroom Apartment

It might sound a little challenging but bringing up a baby in a one-bedroom apartment is completely achievable. By planning ahead and being smart with the space available, you can share a bedroom with your new baby comfortably. Functional and adaptable furniture is key, and below we walk you through some steps to create a beautiful nursery space in your small home.

1. Prepare and Organise your Home

Preparation is key when it comes to creating a nursery in a one-bedroom apartment, the last thing any new parent needs is a last-minute flap or worry. The later stages of pregnancy is NOT the time to reorganise your life, so give yourself plenty of time! Plus, a purge of clutter is a rather satisfying task to complete, even when you don’t have a tiny human to make space for…

Babies might be small, but they require a whole host of supplies you’ll need to make space for. Rid yourself of items you rarely use or may not use once the little one has arrived. When you’ve said goodbye to those pieces of art you never hung, or the outfits you have in the wardrobe with the tags still attached, it’s time to start organising! Go through each room meticulously and reorganise everything (yes everything) in a way that utilises space in the most efficient way. Make a list of items you’ll need for your baby’s arrival (you can download our nursery checklist here) and make note of where you envisage each item being placed. Future you will be so thankful.

2. Choose Petite Space-Saving Furniture

Furniture with a small footprint is an obvious choice for your small apartment nursery. Our space-saving cots are designed with practicality in mind, focussing on slight frames and nifty shapes to make the most of every available nook in your bedroom! The Oasis Oval Cot’s unique rounded frame makes it highly adaptable to apartment living: with straight edges that can be pushed up to the wall, and rounded ends to add a more organic look and break up the corners of the room.

Our Turin Compact Cot also has a small profile and can be used as a bedside sleeper. It has a lightweight frame that will fit through a standard doorway, making it easy to move between rooms if required. Lasting from birth to toddler age, this compact cot features great visibility for those early years, and locking wheels offer additional safety for peace of mind.

3. Define the Nursery Zone

To avoid overcrowding your bedroom, the creation of a nursery ‘zone’ will give you a neat, defined space that is obviously separated from the rest of the room. Not only does this avoid disjointed style and baby clutter creeping into your space, but it also promotes a cosy little corner dedicated to your new arrival!

You can zone your nursery area with partitions (such as an open bookcase) or large rug, providing physical boundaries to section your baby’s ‘bedroom’. A duo of our Tidy Toy Cabinets will create a stylish low height wall, providing plenty of visibility to your baby when they are (hopefully) sleeping soundly. The cabinet features two full-width drawers with removable plastic storage tubs, great for storing nappies, muslins and clothes. The understated two-tone white and almond colourway will blend seamlessly with your chosen bedroom style.

There are lots of clever ‘hacks’ for creating a nursery within a bedroom across Pinterest and Instagram such as vintage or wicker changing screens but be mindful that some ideas like railing curtains or hanging objects may not be a safe option. It’s best to avoid anything that could topple over or come loose.

4. Furniture for Parents and Baby Alike

By choosing storage solutions with dual purpose, you can utilise your chosen piece for both parents and baby, saving on precious floorspace and minimising mess. The 3 Drawer Chest Changer Tray can be added to a chest of drawers in order to accommodate both adult clothing and baby changing essentials.

5. Soft Lighting and White Noise

You’ll want to do everything you can to avoid waking up a sleeping baby… Without an upstairs for sleeping, apartments can be noisier than larger houses, and so white noise can be a handy way of masking everyday sounds! A night light is also a smart purchase, when you’re fumbling around preparing for the night time feed, a bright bedroom light can mimic day time and prevent your baby drifting off soundly. The warm glow of a nightlight is soothing, and provides just enough light for you to move around your bedroom undetected!

The babymoov Sleepy White Noise Nightlight combines the two: emitting a soft colour-changing glow, with 7 white and pint noise sounds including rain, ocean, and heartbeat. Did you know that studies show 80% of babies were able to fall asleep after just five minutes of white noise.

We understand the idea of a growing family inside a one bedroom apartment can feel daunting, but hope we’ve given you a helping hand to soothe those worries. Our new Modular Storage Solution is another invaluable piece for space-saving, take a look at the Boori Nest Blog to learn more about this flexible storage solution.