Bringing Home Baby (Or Furry Friend): Prepping and Maintaining Order Through It All
Anything new that comes into your house or apartment is going to provoke change, whether it’s that box you’ve been waiting for from Sephora, or, say, a new baby. Even the introduction of a new pet (we’re talking puppies mostly) can provoke anxiety, although the majority of you is over the moon. The point is that any change can be jarring, and organizationally, a baby or a puppy is going to force you to shift some things (objects or routines) around. Because everything is governed by their time now. You’re not on your time as much as you’re on ‘baby time’ or ‘puppy time’. So how do you prepare for these life-changing events? How do you pave the road a bit to make for a smooth(er) transition? And then, once you’ve gotten into somewhat of a routine, how do you maintain that semblance of order you’ve created?
The first thing that we’ll say— and this is mostly directed toward Classic and Organic Structures — is that, no matter how much advance prep you undertake, no matter how ‘prepared’ you think you are — you’ll never be fully prepared for this kind of cosmic life shift. It’s the kind of thing that happens to you, not something you make happen (you know what we mean).
That said, there ARE basic things that you can do to get ready for the new ‘addition’, to manage life with them, and to maintain a system that works for you as they grow and change. That’s what this article is about, so read on if you’re expecting a little bundle of joy — be it gurgling or barking!
She’s Having a Baby
So you’ve gotten the amazing news, and you’ve had the morning sickness, (or not, lucky you), and you’ve read all the parenting books and gone to the Lamaze/parenting classes at your local hospital. You’ve booked a doula or a birthing assistant or you’ve decided to work solely with your OBGYN. You’ve scheduled your maternity leave (if you work) and you’ve painted and furnished the nursery. So what now? Well, waiting IS one of the things you do. But there are things to keep you busy and make this transition, if not seamless, then easier on you and your partner. First off, baby clothes. You’ll need many, because spit up (and all the other bodily fluids that come out of babies) happens. You’ll need various sizes, because there is nothing worse than running out of clothes when everything is either in the wash or outgrown. Hopefully you’ll use a registry and friends and family will help provide all the things you need.
Basic Baby Needs
Seem like a lot of stuff? It is. And you’ll need to keep it all retrievable, because remember, you’re on baby time now.
-Get a changing table with drawers and compartments for organizing wipes and diapers.
-Keep a diaper wastebasket nearby for easy tossing, and try to one-step everything to make your new life as manageable as possible.
-The laundry situation will get hairy, but you can buy a laundry bin with separators in it to make clear whose dirty laundry belongs to whom.
-Think about investing in a good diaper bag as well as a good purse (not too good, it will get spit up or juice on it, inevitably). Keep these in the same spot in the house for easy access and retrieval.
-Keep things where you use them. If you use diapers and wipes in the nursery, keep them there, but have a stash downstairs too, for those times when you’re in the living room or dining room or kitchen with the little one.
-Freezer meals are huge. Frozen casseroles, frozen stir frys, anything to make when you feel exhausted and past functional.
-Set up nursing/feeding stations in every room. This sounds more time consuming than it is, but will save you a ton of trouble and extra movement when the time comes. Have a comfy chair and a wiping cloth set up on every level of the house. Make sure you have a charger, tv remote, burp cloths and boppy pillow/nipple cream if nursing, a clean bottle, water for you and the baby and pre-measured formula on hand. This makes getting up in the middle of the night much easier.
-Keep an extra changing pad downstairs on a clean surface.
-Keep gallon size ziploc bags with clean clothes on hand everywhere— purse, diaper bag, nursery, kitchen drawers — so that if there are explosions of any kind, you can switch out the clean clothes for the dirty ones and pop those right into the bag.
Puppies
The good news? Puppies, although high maintenance creatures, are MUCH easier than tiny humans when it comes to staying organized (and their accoutrements). Here are the things you will need if you’re bringing home a furry friend:
-Patience
-A mid-size crate, depending on the size of the dog
-A blanket for inside the crate
-Chew toys that are large enough not to swallow
-A small and medium length leash
-Food especially for puppies (We recommend Fromm’s)
-Several small towels to wipe feet after walks if it’s wintertime
-Lots of paper towels
-Animal odor spray and cleaner to clean up accidents on both wood floors and carpets/upholstery
Again, puppies are easier than babies, because they (should) become calmer as they age, and are easier to ‘train’. The first few weeks can feel like the twilight zone, though, so be prepared to get up in the middle of the night for at least that length of time for bathroom and snuggle breaks.
The Gist
Having any new personality in your home, whether it be animal or human, can be a challenging adjustment. But if you prepare adequately, it’ll make that adjustment ten thousand times easier, and you’ll be able to enjoy the little moments with these cuties instead of stressing out about where you put the last diaper (or poop bag)!