It’s practically a pregnancy rite of passage: the irresistible urge to nest before the baby arrives! In fact, a recent survey found that about 73 percent of pregnant women experienced the sudden desire to clean, declutter, and decorate prior to their baby’s arrival.
The desire to spruce your space can begin at any time during pregnancy, but many moms-to-be say it typically makes its strongest appearance in the last trimester — and might be at its most intense during the last few weeks before your due date.
So why not make the most of that extra organizing energy by decluttering your home, before baby ushers in a whole new world of gear and needed accessories? Here are 5 areas to clear out clutter before baby arrives.
1. Start with major storage spaces
Whether it’s a basement, garage, or even a large closet, we all have those catchall spaces in our home where everything seems to end up when we don’t have a place for it.
By clearing out these larger storage spaces first, not only will you get a better idea of what you already own (like that bag of hand-me-downs from your cousin that you completely forgot about) but also to make space for any new items you’ll need to store (like the convertible car seat your baby won’t use for a few months).
Just be sure to enlist help with any heavy lifting that might be needed.
2. Move on to baby’s future closet
Your average closet simply wasn’t built with a newborn in mind — and unless you bought your home with your baby on the way, you’ve probably been using their future closet to store other items. As you declutter and re-organize this space, start making plans for how you plan to store all of your baby’s tiny stuff.
This might mean adding extra hanging bars for little outfits or introducing a cube storage system for everything from socks and bloomers to extra pumping equipment. (Pro tip: Search “baby closet ideas” on Pinterest for some serious organization inspiration!)
3. Give your own closet a cleanout
Trust us on this one: When you’ve got a tiny person to take care of, your own GRWM morning routine goes flying out the window.
A major closet cleanout is a great way to streamline your own getting-ready routine, making it easier to grab an outfit that makes you feel good without needing to tangle with a lot of clutter. Same goes for your bathroom!
This is a great time to take stock of your products to ensure the ingredients are pregnancy- and/or breastfeeding-friendly.
4. Declutter the kitchen (and freezer!)
Since you’ll likely be doing a lot of kitchen tasks one-handed in the future, a decluttered food prep space will make snagging a nutritious snack simpler when your hands are full.
You also might need space for bottles, warmers, and milk and baby food storage containers, so clearing out a drawer or cabinet will make it easier to keep these items organized later.
We also highly recommend cleaning out the fridge and freezer in preparation for any easy make-ahead meals you can prepare (or will hopefully be gifted!) as baby’s arrival draws closer.
5. Declutter (and baby-proof) the living space
Take careful stock of the room where you will likely be spending most of your time during that precious fourth trimester. Not only will a decluttered space be more relaxing for you while you recover, but this is also an important step in making sure your home is safe once your baby becomes mobile.
We recommend starting at baby’s level — literally take a look at the room from your hands and knees to see any potential hazards (like a tangle of wires or any unwieldy piles) your baby might be drawn to. Bonus: Clearing out clutter means more space for tummy time…and for your little one to one day take their first unsteady steps!
Simply can’t stop nesting?
Ride that wave, mama! Here are a few other areas of your home that might benefit from a cleanout:
- Coat closet
- Desks or office space
- Guest room (just in time for grandparents to start visiting a lot more!)
- Junk drawers
- Laundry rooms
- Mud room or entryway space
- Yard or outdoor storage
