How to create a nursery on a budget

Having a proper cot is essential, but buying the matching wardrobe and chest of drawers definitely isn’t!

Babies do have lots of clothing, but it’s all very small, and often either being worn, in the washing machine or drying, so you don’t really need a proper wardrobe until they are much older.

Double-duty furniture is the way forward in a cost-conscious nursery.

Why not use a chest of drawers with a mat on top instead of splashing out on a separate changing unit – it’ll save space as well as cash. We like this wedge-shaped changing mat that has higher sides so there's less chance of your baby rolling off.

Rather than buying expensive wallpaper for your newborn’s bedroom that’s time consuming to put up, use wall stickers to add pattern and colour.

Not only are they much cheaper, they’re idiot-proof to use, and as another massive bonus can be easily peeled off and reused elsewhere.

These beautiful balloon stickers are available in soft grey, which is a great neutral tone for either a baby boy or girl's room and can transform a blank wall for under £20. You can also buy them in blue, yellow and pink.

You don’t need to buy heavy and expensive pieces of furniture; a set of storage baskets can easily hold toiletries, toys or even clothes.

You’ll find uses for them for years to come, and as they’re easy to carry around your home, you’ll always have things to hand, like nappies or favourite toys.

Made from soft, yet sturdy cotton, these fabric storage baskets by Minene come in a rainbow of colours and designs, with a choice of four sizes. They are ideal for storing nappies, clothes or toys.

Tempting though it is to decorate the nursery in sugary pastels, they often look twee and out of place very quickly, especially when your newborn has grown into a boisterous toddler.

So stick to simple neutral shades that can be bought to life by pops of colour from rugs, wall art and bedding.

A cot that can convert to a toddler bed, and then a sofa, chaise or even a child-sized table and chair gives you great value for the initial cost – and means you don’t have buy a new bed until your child reaches four or five.

This also means you'll get a piece of furniture that’ll be part of your home for years to come, rather than having to ditch a cot that’s outgrown its usefulness after a couple of years.

This chic grey cot rings in at under £100 and converts from a cot into a toddler-sized bed. Not keen on grey? No problem as you can also buy a white version. Made from solid pine, you also get a mattress included in the price.

Don’t spend a fortune on expensive wall art; create an engaging and personal montage of family photos for your baby to look at.

They love staring at faces, so this will entertain them for hours, and you can ‘introduce’ them to family members that they haven’t met yet.

Buy a purse-friendly 'gallery wall' set of assorted frames from Amazon for as little as £30, you'll get 10 frames in different sizes to display all your prized photographs together.

All you’ll need for the first few months is a fitted sheet, a sleeping bag or swaddle (or a flat sheet and cellular blankets if you’re using traditional bedding).

The matching five-piece bedding bundle may be gorgeously tempting, but it’s also pricey, and some pieces, like the quilt, can’t be used for babies under 12 months anyway.

A second-hand cot is a great cash saver, just make sure you buy a new mattress as used ones can be a SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) risk, and also check for any missing screws and fixings, which could make it less stable.

Read our guide to cot mattress safety here.

If you’re feeling adventurous you could always upcycle existing furniture.

Use special non-toxic paint (formulated to be safer for nurseries and children’s bedrooms), and replace knobs and handles to give pieces a whole new look.

Hang cheap paper lanterns across your baby’s room for some brightly coloured eye candy.

Just make sure they’re out of grasping reach!

Home-made bunting is another decorative money saver; you can always make it from paper if sewing isn’t your strong point.