How to Prepare a Small Space for a New Baby

Babies are small and really don’t need much. Sure, our society today will make you believe that you’re not a good parent unless you have a huge nursery with all the best things and decorated like a fantasy land. But, really, all a baby wants is your love and all it needs is a few things – food, clothing, diapers, a place to bathe, a place to sleep, and a place to play. It doesn’t matter how big – or small – those places are, and many spaces can serve multiple purposes. If you live in an RV, like we do, or a small apartment or even a tiny home, you may wonder how in the world a baby can fit in there. Here’s how we do it:

In the bedroom and bathroom

Yes, our baby sleeps in our bedroom and bathes in our bathroom. We have five children and they have all slept in the bed with us for the first year. Newborn babies don’t move around a lot, so they can sleep right on the bed or in a changing pad covered with a soft king-sized pillowcase like this.

Once baby gets older and starts moving around and turning over, sleeping on the bed can be dangerous, but not impossible. We have several extra pillows that we line the sides of the bed with to prevent baby from falling off. We monitor him with a baby monitor so we know exactly when he wakes up and can retrieve him before he starts crawling around.

Babies don’t need a lot of clothes, but that doesn’t stop us from buying way too many…because, admit it, they’re just so cute. We have a cute four-drawer dresser that fits all his clothes, socks, shoes, jackets, and caps. On top of the dresser is a small organizer for miscellaneous items. 

Since we don’t have much space, making use of the doors is a must. We hung a changing table organizer on the back of our bathroom sliding door using command hooks. It holds the wipe warmer – because no baby deserves to be wiped tortured with a cold wipe, I mean, what kind of parent does that? – diapers, grooming items, baby powder and lotion, burp towels, and an extra blanket.

In our bathroom, we have a hanging baby bathtub suitable for babies from newborn to sitting. It hangs out of the way for drying and sits inside the shower for bathing. The baby’s hooded towels hang on a command hook on the outside of the shower for easy access.

In the living room and dining room

A big, wheeled high chair was out of the question in an RV, but we found a portable, adjustable baby chair at a local flea market that fits perfectly on the dining table bench. Just store extra bibs underneath or hang them on the back of the chair with a command hook.

The floor space in the kitchen allows room for a small portable baby swing, an exersaucer, or a walker to give baby some playtime. As baby gets older and is moving around more, an inflatable ball pit or pool will keep baby safe and his toys contained. It can also be deflated and stored easily, taking up very little space.

See how easy it is to prepare for a baby while living in a small space? There’s really nothing to stress about at all. For more items that you may want to consider, visit our baby shop.