Decorating the nursery cheaply can be a challenge but there are many ways to save money and keep your nursery under your budget.

Step number one is to begin early so that you are not forced to spend all the money for what you need all at the same time but instead you can spread the costs out over several months. The best money saving nursery tip is to formulate a plan before you start buying stuff to put in the nursery. Figure out a theme, color scheme, layout and list of items you will need and write it all down. Sticking to your plan will help keep you on budget because you will be able to avoid quick purchases of cool items that just do not match the theme.

One of the best nursery tips to save money and stay on budget is to design the nursery in a longer lasting way. Consider that the layout and theme should not only be perfect for a baby but also be able to cheaply transition into a toddler’s room. Certain colors or themes may be very cute for a 6 month old baby but not be enjoyed as much when your baby is turning 4 years old. Having to redecorate the room will be more costly than a room that can already be usable when it is time to swap the crib for a bed.

Buy only what you really need to save money. If you go to the baby store you will be amazed at the number of products that exist for every situation involving your baby. Decorating the nursery is big dollars and there are many products that are sold which parents never need and often buy the thing and never use it. Talk to your friends, read books, and consider what you really need and what you can live without. Not only will you be helping your baby budget but you will be saving storage space that you would have used to store the stuff you never needed in the first place.

Layout wise take into account that a toddler bed will take up a larger space than a crib. To save money, find a crib that converts into a toddler bed.

When choosing colors, furniture and decorations consider if you are planning on having another child. It may be best to design the nursery with gender neutral colors, furniture and decorations so that you will be ready if the next child is a boy or a girl.

Some of the larger expenses in a nursery involve the way the room is built or remodeled. For example, the flooring in a nursery can help you save money by using easily replaceable area rugs instead of the more costly wall-to-wall carpeting. Cleaning wooden floors and area rugs can be easier and create a more dust-free environment when compared to carpet.

Understand your size and space when designing a nursery. If you have a small room or small space for your nursery you will benefit from having less of the stuff you do not really need and purchasing items that can do more than one thing.

You do not need to spend a lot of money on a crib bedding set which could cost one hundred dollars or more. Besides the fitted sheet, the rest of the items in a crib bed set are not safe to put inside a crib anyway so just buy the fitted sheet for the mattress separately.

Posters and paintings can add a nice decorative touch to a nursery and give your little one something to look at while at the changing station. Family pictures hung on the wall can both be decorative and helpful as your baby can begin recognizing the important people in his or her life.

Remember, you will be spending a lot of time in the nursery so make sure the colors, patterns and theme are pleasant for you to look at because it may not be worth saving a few dollars on something for the nursery if it is going to bother you every time you look at it. Making a nursery fit your budget means careful saving, planning and shopping. Nursery saving money tips can help offset some of the expenses that parents incur when having a child. Financial responsibility is an important lesson to teach to your child when he or she grows-up so start practicing now.