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Here’s Your Preparing House for Baby Checklist

Once your baby arrives, you’ll have enough to do without worrying about home improvements that need to be made. Follow our checklist below well in advance of your due date to get everything in tip-top shape, so you can focus on welcoming your little one with peace of mind.

Remember, your home doesn’t have to be Instagram-perfect; the goal is a tidy space that’s safe for your family’s newest addition and conveniently organized for new parents.

Tips for Getting House Ready for Baby

1. Think Safety First — and Fast

You’ll be surprised how quickly your baby will become mobile, so don’t wait until they’re rolling over and crawling before baby-proofing your home. Larger issues like electrical, plumbing or mold problems should be addressed first, since they’ll be the most expensive baby-proofing tasks, and may take several weeks to complete. Once that’s done, here is a list of quick and easy ways to get the house ready for baby:

• Move all breakables out of reach of little hands (now is a good time to consider a climate-controlled storage unit to keep valuable items out of harm’s way)
• Cover outlets and block both ends of stairways with baby gates
• Add locks to doors to keep babies from entering rooms with potential dangers (like exercise rooms, home offices or bedrooms)
• Check cabinets for dangerous chemicals (move these to higher cabinets or areas, and put latches on all cabinet doors) used in cleaning and organization, and check all rooms of your home for any choking hazards
• Reconfigure rooms to ensure all trash is hidden away and storage space is maximized

To save time in preparing your home for baby, register for child-proofing kits for both your home and any other home where you know your baby will spend a lot of time (such as the grandparents’ home), or even to include a spare in the car, if needed.

2. Create Your Organization Stations

By proactively setting up different cleaning and organization stations in your home, you can focus on caring for your baby instead of constantly searching for supplies (which is especially stressful during those late nights up with a newborn). Consider the following easy setups for in-home baby stations:

• Nursing: Along with nursing and pumping supplies, plan ahead with a phone charger, your favorite book or tablet, and snacks/drinks for you.
• Bottles and formula: Create this in the kitchen; this station should include supplies for washing the bottles, as well.
• Diapers and wipes: Stash these not only by your changing table or pad but in other convenient areas like in your travel bag, or inside a car seat pocket, and near any areas where you’ll conveniently change diapers, like your couch.

A helpful idea is to make your list of baby items needed as you create your stations, to accomplish two important tasks at once. And for first-time parents, be sure to ask other parents what items have been important and helpful for them — this can save you time in the long run.

3. Do a Deep Cleaning

A thorough dusting and and cleaning of your home is important, but there are a few key areas you’ll want to take special care to clean thoroughly, like any tub or sink where you’ll bathe your baby, flooring (including carpet and rugs) for worry-free time spent with your baby on their stomach, and all bedding (yours and the baby’s). Of course, any new baby items like a car seat, stroller or swing should also be cleaned ahead of time.

This is the time to pay attention to those areas of your home that are often forgotten about but can make a big difference in air quality for your baby — the air vents, light fixtures and ceiling fans. To find affordable professionals to do this work for you in the Greater Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area, look for air duct cleaners on Yelp or Angi.com.

While deep cleaning your home before the baby arrives, consider the following steps to ensure you’re taking care of yourself along the way:

• Wear gloves to protect yourself from product chemicals.
• Ask for help instead of moving furniture, cleaning the cat’s litter box (which can be especially harmful to pregnant women), or overreaching to clean tall areas like ceiling fans.
• Steam clean your carpets to avoid harmful chemicals, or hire a professional cleaner to do the job.

4. Stock Up Now and Save

You’re sure to have plenty of diapers on hand (it’s one of the greatest gifts you’ll receive for your new baby), but one thing that’s often overlooked by new parents is groceries. By prepping meals for the freezer in advance, you won’t have to spend precious time shopping for or preparing meals. After the baby arrives, welcome the offer of hot meals from supportive friends and family. It may seem like a lot at first, but you’re sure to appreciate having food on hand later, when you’re busy and tired.

Let the Experts Help at Self Storage Plus

One final item remains on our preparing house for baby checklist: an easy way to make room for your newborn and all the things they’ll need. Consider consolidating all nonessential or seasonal items into a right-sized self storage space several weeks before your due date. This can also help you feel less overwhelmed by your home environment when everything is decluttered and tidy. 

To get started, find a Self Storage Plus location near you in the Greater Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area.