The Art of Everyday Living - The Peaceful Nursery

Cost Saving Tips to Creating a Healthier, Greener Home for Your Baby
By Alison Forbes and Laura Forbes Carlin

Buy Untreated Fabrics: If organic sheets and clothes are too pricey, buy 100% cotton clothes and sheets that are untreated, which means avoiding anything that says stain-, wrinkle-, or water-resistant. Wash the fabric in an all-natural laundry detergent two or three times before use. Of course, organic cotton is not only better for your baby, but for the planet too, so check out the new organic lines at well-priced stores like Target and Walmart and buy organic whenever you can.

Buy Less Toys: Babies don't need many toys. As we all know babies are often more interested in regular household items, like bowls and spoons, than what we buy for them. If you get lots of toys as gifts, put some in the closet to save for later. Every once in awhile rotate which toys you have out. Rotating toys makes old toys seem fresh and new. If you plan on having another child, take time to carefully clean and then store toys so they're in good shape for your next baby.

Save on Personal Care Items: Your baby doesn't need a lot of fancy lotions and shampoos. In fact, for the first few months, water will be enough to wash your baby. Other than water, all you need is a natural, organic diaper cream, and a moisturizer such as grape seed oil (which does double duty as a remedy for cradle cap). When your baby is older buy a shampoo/body wash combo.

Make your Own Cleaning Products: If store-bought all-natural cleaning products cost too much, make your own!
Windows: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Shake before use.
Wood surfaces and floors: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar to a gallon of water with a few drops of lemon essential oil.
Scouring powder: Sprinkle baking soda on surface and scrub with a damp sponge.

Pick and Choose Your Organic Food: If buying all organic is too pricey, buy the organic alternative of the foods you eat the most. Or buy the foods considered to be the most important foods to get organic. Check out the Green Guide's "Top Ten Most Important Foods to Buy Organic." (http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/54-55/organic) The top of their list: baby food! Also check out Healthy Child's "10 Fruits and Vegetables To Buy Organic" (http://www.checnet.org/HEALTHEHOUSE/education/quicklist-detail.asp?Main_ID=241)

Buy Second-Hand Furniture: Used furniture more than five years old has most likely off-gassed the majority of harmful chemicals, which makes buying or borrowing used furniture an excellent way to be health conscious, stay within a small budget, and practice recycling. *However, be aware some hand-me-down cribs may not meet current safety standards and older furniture made before 1978 might contain lead paint.

Buy Furniture That Last for Years: If you buy a crib, buy one that converts to a toddler bed. This way, it will last through the toddler years. When your child outgrows it, use it again for your next child or pass it on to a pregnant friend.

Remove Your Shoes: Having people remove their shoes before they enter your home is a simple and free tip to creating a healthier home. By having a shoeless household, pesticides from lawn and garden products, pollutants and dirt will not be tracked inside.

Save on Lawn Products: Don't use pesticides or weed killers on your lawn. Weed by hand, and check plants and flowers for pests often, removing pests with a strong blast from a hose or removing heavily infested plants.

Open Your Windows: Create a healthier home immediately, and for free, by just opening a window. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that pollution inside a home could be two to five times higher than outside the home, even in large, industrialized cities. Ventilating your home on a regular basis creates a way for chemicals released from common household items to exit and fresh air to enter.  

Don't Get Caught Up in the Hype: When shopping for baby, keep in mind you may not need everything that's recommended. Parents develop their own parenting philosophy, and should stock the nursery according to their needs. For example: A Changing Table. If you have a dresser that's an appropriate height for changing the baby you can just buy a changing station "top" for the top of the dresser. Or you can change your baby on the floor or on your bed… it's up to you. Of course, if you've never been a parent before guessing in advance what you will and won't want, can be difficult. We suggest asking a friend, who parents in a way you relate to, what she has in her nursery.

Think Ahead and Store: If you plan on having more children, then it is well worth your time to carefully clean and properly store old clothes, toys, and furniture for your next child. Invest in storage bins that can be sealed to protect your hand-me-downs. If you don't store hand-me-downs properly you could just be wasting your time and space on dusty, moldy, ruined items.

Don't Change Your Style: Think ahead when decorating the nursery. The nursery can be playful and fanciful and yet still have some elements that are just as sophisticated as the rest of house. If you decorate "too baby," you'll find yourself spending money to redecorate in just a few short years. So if you invest in new furnishings, choose items that will last well beyond the baby years.

Simplify: While shopping keep in mind every parent hopes that some new product will make the parenting job easier - but unfortunately that's usually not the case! While some things are helpful, others become a waste of money and clutter, so try to keep it simple.