I realized this week that here I am, nearly 38-weeks along and I have written about our baby once on my blog. It has been an amazing journey so far and I am excited as we are winding down to the last few weeks. I have one more week of work before I begin maternity leave and then I intend to rest and maybe nest a bit. ;)
Planning out how to transform our two bedroom condo into a baby and adult friendly living space has been a fun challenge. Ultimately, I have been searching for things to minimize long term costs as well as clutter because, let's be honest, I don't have room for three strollers! What I have come to realize is that some of the best investments may cost more up front but will hopefully save us in the future.
I need to give a shout out to my dear friends who have imparted so much of their wisdom and money saving tips. Most of the tricks/tips/consumer advice is directly from them and I am eternally grateful for their guidance.
Here are a few things we have done to make room, save money, and minimize clutter:
1. Transforming our second bedroom into a nursery and office nook. The second bedroom in our home has for the last four years been Andrew's office. The closet was full of computer parts. The walls are covered in framed Star Wars posters and metal baseball signs. There is a small chair in the corner that was considered my reading spot although rarely used. One entire wall was taken up with a huge desk and Andrew's custom built computer. Under the window sat Andrew's electric piano.
Slowly but surely, we have cleared the clutter in the closet to make room for a tall narrow dresser for Baby's clothes and things. The piano has gone out to the garage to be stored in the rafters until our next home, replaced by a wooden wagon loaded with handmade blankets and a few stuffed animals. The large desk was replaced with a more efficient, streamlined desk with shelves above for Andrew's prized items and books (well out of the reach of little hands). Soon the posters will come down and be replaced with softer artwork. The final item will be our crib which is still sitting in a box waiting for Andrew's skillful hands to put it together. We kept the walls sandstone as the color is soothing, neutral, and versatile.
2. Cloth Diapers: I would like to introduce everyone to the brave world of Bum Genius cloth diapers. I know, cloth diapers, ewwww...right? Well, these babies are not like the thin pieces of cloth safety pinned together as seen on Lady and the Tramp. No, these diapers look and function just like disposable diapers only you don't have to buy box after box after expensive box of diapers that will irritate your child's skin and fill the trash can. I have been told that 24-diapers are more than enough for one child and that if you air dry the water proof covers they will last a long time. We are also going with snaps because they are much more durable than Velcro. There are several different types, but the kind we are going with are the 4.0s that grow with your baby. The diapers work for children 7-35+ pounds. While the initial cost is high ($400 for 24 diapers), Andrew crunched the numbers and determined that we would spend more than that buying disposable diapers in 6-months. Do you know how long kiddos wear diapers??? Much longer than 6-months. Additionally, we can use these on more than one child. Anyway, I could keep talking about how awesome, economical, eco friendly, and cute these diapers are but I will let you take my word for it. :)
Oh! One more thing, you can also get reusable cloth wipes...just saying, another super duper cost saving option for money savvy mommies. :)
3. Phil and Ted's Stroller: Ok, these strollers are insanely expensive when purchased new. There are economical versions like the Classic or E3 that run about $400 for the bare bones basics (which is pretty much all we were looking for plus the Graco car seat adapter). But, if you can find a gently used version on Craigslist that is the best plan. We got really lucky and scored a Phil and Ted's Explorer stroller with the second seat, Graco car seat adapter, and tons of other accessories for $300 (regularly an $800 value). What is so awesome about this stroller is that it is a streamlined stroller that is light and easy to fold up, can be used to jog/off road, with the car seat adapter becomes a travel system, and eventually can be modified to push a toddler and an infant! We decided that the $300-$400 price tag was worth it to just buy one stroller for the now and future (yes, we want to have another child and not too long in the future meaning we will have an infant and a toddler needing a ride most places). Additionally, we just don't have the space for more than one stroller, this one fits folded in our coat closet next to our vacuum.
4. Think carefully about what you will need versus what Babies R Us tells you you need. Ultimately, we got light weight swaddling blankets that will double as burp cloths and play mats. A fold up baby tub made for easy storage under the sink. I didn't get a changing table and instead opted for a changing mat that could easily be folded up and put away when not in use (in the diaper bag!). Instead of a swing which takes up a lot of room, we went with a vibrating bouncer. Instead of a bassinet, we got a play yard that can double as a bassinet for the first few months and then become a play pen or travel crib for visits with friends and family (easily folds up and stores in the closet). Instead of a white noise machine, we are going to use our phones with white noise play lists from ITunes or Spotify. Instead of an expensive monitoring system, Andrew has found HD IP cameras that link up with your phone to give you visual and audio access to your baby while they are napping.
Toys R Us
5. Insurance covered breast pumps: The new Healthcare Reform Act requires insurance companies to offer some sort of coverage for breast pumps. Depending on your coverage and company, your insurance may cover the complete cost of a breast pump, a portion of a breast pump, a rental of a breast pump, etc. Call your insurance and find out what they cover. Then ask them where you can order your breast pump. My insurance required me to go through a durable medical equipment provider. I filled out a form online, selected a breast pump from the available list, and just received my pump in the mail. The provider handles all of the paper work and I didn't have to spend a dime. The $100-$300 you will save is well worth the time it takes to get the info from your insurance company.
Those are some of the things that we have done to save money and space. Praying that we will continue to find storage and money saving solutions as toys are added to our baby's nursery. :D
If you have any advice, money saving tips, or storage solutions please comment and share!
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