The Baby's Room and 5 Reasons Why I'm Not Decorating a Nursery

I'm not decorating a nursery.  There, I said it. 

Before going to bed Wednesday night, I looked at my husband and said, "I've been thinking.  I'm not going to make the baby's room a decorated nursery.  I just don't think it's practical and what I want to do.  I'm not into it."  He looked up from his book, turned to me, smiled, gave me a high-five and said, "Good for you babe!  Yeah, I don't think that's you... or us for that matter.  I don't think babies care about their nursery theme anyway. But, I wasn't going to say anything."

I love him.

According to almost everyone (except my husband), the time will come when I am 'supposed' to really obsess over preparing a bright and cutesy room for my little angel, complete with a theme.  But, ummmm... Not this mama.

Here are my reasons...

1.  I've searched all over the web for a nursery theme that I like and... It's all just way too baby-ish for me.  I don't like any of it for my baby.

2.  It doesn't seem like baby rooms and nurseries are such a big deal here in Tokyo.  It's more about practicality and the best use of space.  At least, these are my impressions thus far.

3.  On Faye Street, (childhood home from middle school through most of high school) my room was bright yellow with lavender molding and lavender ribbon wallpaper border.  Seriously.  Though I picked it out in 5th grade, by 7th grade it was a COMPLETE and TOTAL mismatch to my personality and taste. We eventually moved my senior year and boy was I happy to have a plain white room.

4.  I don't think my baby will care what color her curtains and crib sheets are.  Honestly, I don't think anyone will care.

5.  I just don't think it's practical for us to purchase a lot of unnecessary baby themed stuff that no one else will want to take off of our hands when the baby grows out of her crib.

You see, it's not that I hate decorating, because I enjoy seeing a room come together with the right decor. And, I really enjoy looking at how others have decorated their nurseries, but it ends there.

So, what are we planning to do?  Well, the first step is done.  We've (my husband) has cleared out his man cave office area for the baby, so it's officially the baby's room.  But there's still a desk in there that we'll have to sell and perhaps replace with a smaller one.  She has closet space, and a separate closet as well as a chest of drawers for all of her tiny baby stuff :) and we've already secured a bassinet on rollers for her first newborn stage (thanks Amber!).

Now, we have to purchase a crib for her,  curtains, crib blankets and sheets, a lamp, and I'm considering selecting 1-2 quilts on etsy for her.  I love quilts.  I'd like to purchase quilts that I can give to her and she can give to her children some day.

So, I'll be preparing the baby's room with all of the stuff necessary to make her feel nice and cozy in her new home.  It just won't be filled with baby decor.  I'd like to fill it with necessary baby items for her comfort, warmth, growth and enjoyment.

This right here is more our style.  Plain.

(sigh)... I feel better.

QUESTION FOR MOMMIES:  If you had to do it all over again, would you spend time decorating a baby nursery?  What would you have done differently?

Comments

[Mama Hen]

Thank you for your sweet comment about Little Chick. She is eating and drinking now and I can breathe. But last night she was up all night again becuase she has a cold now in her chest. Ugh! At least she is eating though. That makes this mama happy after ten days of not wanting to. About the baby room, it is all up to you! When my daughter was little we were in a rental house and it was a new construction that they wanted to sell after our lease. I did not want to make a lot of holes in her room and I did not want to buy things that might not work when we moved. So I went to the teachers store and got lots of adorable cut outs that I pasted on the walls. It was really cute! She loved it. I had also put a lot of books on shelves (we love books) and cute curtains. There are also cute decals you can get online. That is a great way of adding something cute but it is not permanent. Babies need some stimulation so you can add a mobile and just a few things. But the choice is up to you. There is no right or wrong about setting up a babies room. I wish you well! Have a good day!

Mama Hen

[Lann Johnson]

Kara-Bug! hey sweetie its Lann. I wanted to comment on your blog. My husband & I did not decorate a nursery for our son, Halo at all. I just felt like it was overrated & we had soooo many other financial priorities to tend to. Besides, Halo was never in his room anyway. As an infant it was almost impossible for us to leave his little self in a room alone without checking on him 5o million times. I would keep his bassinet next to our bed in our bedroom constantly. I loved to hear him breathe & KNOW that he was still breathing. LOL. I know! Weird right? But we were extremely overprotective of our new edition.

[Gaijinwife]

I had hand me down cot, a couple of new blankets, white set of drawers, curtains from when the house was built and the only things really even remotely baby room-ish were the ABC wall freeze along the top of the wall and a blue kiddy rug. Not too keen on decorating kids rooms too much until they can have a say and help :)

[Jamie Gumieny-Fink]

I just found your blog and love it! Loving decorating and interiors I went all out with all of our little one's rooms but to be honest we never spent much time in their rooms! It was more for me than them... if it were up to the babes they could care less!
Blessings.
j
www.gfinkfamily.blogspot.com
Beneath the Acacia Tree

[Jane]

Thanks for the interesting read, Takara! You inspired me to write a post on fuss-free decorating :)

[Trice]

I think that nursery is very nice. Its not cluttered and everything has a place. I had lots of ideas for Reagans nursery that were just that ideas. I would find something cute that will grow with her.

[Margot Andrews]

Hey Lil Mama, I agree its an unnecessary expense doing a themed nursery. Martin and I were blessed by a friend who gave us the crib they had from the three kids and another gave us a bassinet which I have since passed on to a friend who has since had two children. I also did not do the toddler bed-my sons went from crib to twin beds. I was careful to chose colors and linens that they can grow with-not too cutesy or baby. Marley is seven now and we're actually thinking of getting him a full sized bed know that he can have until college.Quite a few of the baby items on sale are quite unnecessary, why do I need a special bag to dispose of a diaper? what's wrong with recycling a shopping bag?

[Tokyo Mama!]

Thank you all for the great feedback on this! I felt a bit guilty at first, but I have to go with my gut! Something simple that fits my baby's needs, that's all we really want!!!

[finally Mom]

Good for you! We were the same way. Lovie had to share her first room with a 2 desk/computer office (large room though) but regardless, we're not really Theme people- especially where the baby is concerned. We just wanted her to be safe and warm. We got her a crib and dresser from IKEA and kept colors of bedding very neutral. You can catch glimpses of her bedding in my blog in some pics. That's really it. Even now that she has her own room, it's still very simple, very clean, very calm and serene. She's got all of her bright and cheery toys to play with, she can have one space calm and clean- her bedroom. JMO of course. :)

[Baby Stuffs]

Nowdays!!!!Babies wont like nursery Theme decor to their room...it should be modern and trendy too ...http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viva-Magazine-Your-Premium-Womens-Natural-Health-Magazine/262734921452?ref=ts Me very much interested in loving decorating and interiors...For my baby I would find something different that will grow with her...

[Nicole]

Themed nurseries are sooo outdated.

You should design a room that goes with the rest of your house. After all, it's not just the baby's room. It actually becomes more of a family room since you, your husband and the baby will be spending so much time in there.

Best of luck!

[Cheap Jordans]

In many cases, my most important resolutions come paired with the opposite resolutions, and yet both are important to my happiness.

[beddings from chris madden]

I understand how you feel. Baby rooms may be a hype in US but may not be in other places. Anyway, the most important thing to consider is that whatever room it will be, it should be comfortable and safe for the baby.