A spot for baby.

My son's room was one of the first areas I tackled when we moved into our house last year. I wanted a space that could grow with him - too often I see fancy-schmancy nurseries with chandeliers and lace and ruffles that have to be completely changed around once the kid grows out of it in a year or two.

Based on my experience, here are some words of wisdom to moms prepping their nursery for their bundle of joy. Of course, feel free to take these with a heaping grain of salt - always do what's best for you and your family!

• Try to buy most furniture used if you can, although you shouldn't get a drop-down side crib per the new safety standards. Craigslist is a great source for this kind of stuff - in fact, the dresser I bought off a Craigslist seller for his bedroom was only $50. That's compared to the $600+ that Buy Buy Baby wanted for something similar. 
• Make your own nursery art or support artists on Etsy or at local shops. That way, you'll have some unique pieces and (hopefully) won't overpay for cookie-cutter artwork. I created almost all of the art for my son's room, and not only did I have a blast doing it, but I'm stoked that he can point to them one day and proudly say that his mom made them for him. Ahhh the little things. :)
• Find one item to splurge on. For me it was the rocking chair and ottoman, which ended up costing around $650. It was a HUGE help in feeling comfortable while feeding my son, and I don't regret this purchase one bit. Heck, I feel like it helped prevent what would otherwise have been inevitable visits to the chiropractor. 

Just some samples of my quirky sense of humor.