Which room should we use as the nursery? - Update!

I would like pros and cons of both rooms - we are going back and forth as to which room to use for the baby's nursery.

Here's the deal:

The Office: It's small - only 7x9 and has a radiator jutting out of one of the walls, so one wall is vitrually useless. It does have a small closet, though, where my clothes currently are. The only other closet is in our bedroom, and DH has his stuff in there. We have a VERY old house and closet space is one of the things we are severely lacking. (hey, it makes up for it in charm )

The Guest Room: it's about 12x13, but the only room where we have an extra bed. We do have some family (SIL and ber BF) that stay with us from time to time when they come to town (they live in Boston). My IL's are *possibly* moving OOS within the next year or so (although, they've been saying this for the past 2 years). The guest room doesn't have a closet - it *did*, but that closet was dismantled by the previous owners and it is now the entryway to the walk-up attic. We would most likely be takig the bed out of this room and making it all just for the baby. (We can't fit a bed and a crib in there)

I am really unsure of which room to use. We also don't want to spend a TON of money on furniture. We have 2 dressers that we can use for the baby (granted, they are mis-matched )

What do you ladies think?

Please give me arguments for and against each room - I want to have the discussion with DH this weekend and want to go in with some ammo.

There are pictures of each room in my album - the office is the blue room and the guest room is the tan room.

Thanks!



***********************

So - here is my stroke of genius. Move the bed that we have in the guest room into the office! Duh - why didn't I think of that before? I measured and if I put the bed in one corner with one side flush against the wall. That would give me about 2.5 feet on the other side of the bed - plenty of room for a night table and stuff. Now I just have to get DH on board with this new fangled idea!

Thanks for the ideas and thoughts everyone!

Message edited 3/11/2009 8:31:49 PM.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I think it makes more sense to use the office as the nursery and then combine the guest room & office into one.. Plus it has a closet so you will begin with more storage space, albeit small.. (sorry you have to sacrifice it for the child... I know how hard it is finding closets & storage)

Good luck!

Message edited 3/11/2009 1:41:09 PM.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I would use your guest room then, especially if you're using your office for closet space already, and if you don't have guests that often, its not such a big loss....if only your fam are guests, can't they stay in there w/the bed anyways, and you can have baby stay in your bedroom, w/pack'n'play when they're visiting? It also depends on how much you use each room....luckily we have two extra bedrooms and an office, so one bedroom will become the nursery, but I use the office DAILY....


I don't know if that helped at all

good luck!

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Posted by brownie

I would use your guest room then, especially if you're using your office for closet space already, and if you don't have guests that often, its not such a big loss....if only your fam are guests, can't they stay in there w/the bed anyways, and you can have baby stay in your bedroom, w/pack'n'play when they're visiting? It also depends on how much you use each room....luckily we have two extra bedrooms and an office, so one bedroom will become the nursery, but I use the office DAILY....


I don't know if that helped at all

good luck!

Message edited 3/11/2009 1:45:56 PM.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

oh ok...

so now my vote is office then

Some others on here don't have a separate room for a nursery, so having a small one I think is not a bad idea....and like the PP mentioned, maybe using your guest room as guest room and office combined...

good luck

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I'd use the guest room - The baby will not ALWAYS be a tiny baby and will eventually need more space .......

Also, your child lives in your home - I personally wouldn't sacrafice and have a teeny tiny nursery for the sake of a 'guest room' -

For as often as we have house guests, they can sleep on the couch -

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

It depends on what you want to put in there. My first thought was to use the office because you need the guest room and all you need really is a crib and maybe a small dresser. Then I thought if you want to get a glider or a changing table or anything- you won't have enough room.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I guess it also depends on how long you'll live there....if its long enough where baby will eventually will have a bed in a bedroom, might be easier now to use guest room as nursery...but if you'll move before, maybe the office then


I use the office everyday, but that's cause I work a lot from home....which could you live w/out?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I had the same decision to make. I ended up choosing the office room which is the small room in our house. DH and I decided we wanted to keep a larger spare room for guests and later on move our to the larger room when she is older and needs more space.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I would choose the office. I personally am big on having a nice guest room. I always want my family or visitors to feel comfortable when staying over and not have to sleep in the living room. I think the baby will be fine in the smaller space. You could put the glider in your bedroom or the guest bedroom if it won't fit in the office. Good luck!!

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

We had the same problem and ended up using our office as the nursery. We live OOS and have family come visit us several times a year -- they need a place to stay while they're here and I hate to squish my guests into a teeny tiny room. We replaced our office furniture with a much smaller desk and chair and moved it into the guest room (in a corner so it doesnt take up much room).

The nursery is small and we could only fit a crib, a dresser, and a glider. But it has a small closet and we wont be living here forever...

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

We had a similar dilemma but not really with the size of the rooms more just what to do since my parents are OOS & come monthly...

I would opt for the guestroom since you can get enough storage in a dresser & maybe airmoire for the baby's clothes. Remember a child has tiny clothes in the beginning & a closet is not a necessity.

In terms of the office since you would have literally no space, I think it would not be a wise decision to move the baby in there. When guests come, can you give them a air mattress to sleep on in that room?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Ok, personally I would use the office. But then again, we need our guest room. My parents live out of state and when they come to visit (which I am sure will be more often once the baby arrives) they stay for at least a week or two. We need a guest room.

We are using our office as the baby's room. Ours is small as well (8x10). Also, I found it easier to relocate the desk and office stuff than it would be to find a place fo a guest bed.

I don't know if I helped you or not but wanted to share my opinion. Good luck!

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I would use the office. First its easier to relocate the office into the guest room and then you still have the option of having your guest room. Second I would plan on keeping the smaller room as a nursery and then transitioning your DC to the bigger room when they are older. We chose to put our DS in our smaller room but I plan when #2 comes to move him to the now office/guest room and then that will be his big boy room and then I wont have to redo the nursery for #2 it will be all set.

And when that time comes I hope to refinish the basement to accommodate a guest room / office.

I don’t think it’s a big deal to put a changing table/clothes in a different room than the crib if need be. A lot of people with 2 story homes have a changing table on the main floor whereas the crib is on the second floor. And you might even find that as something you do in the future. I think I would put the crib, glider and a small bookcase in the babys room. Then you can rock the baby when BF (if necessary) or when going to bed, you can put some books on the shelves and I would put a basket or 2 with just simple items that might be needed in the middle of the night, burp cloth, blanket etc.

Message edited 3/11/2009 4:00:18 PM.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

I would use the office for now and when the baby gets older you can always convert the guest bedroom into your baby's new bedroom.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

We made our smaller room Andrew's. We don't have much room in our house and really needed the bigger bedroom for all our extra stuff.

Alexa now has the bigger bedroom because we had no choice and we are totally maxed out now in this house

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

V-do you like your IL's? Because if it were me, from what you are saying, I would use the guest room

Seriously though, you want to think long term, because after it is a nursery, it will be DC's room, and DC will need space for more clothes, toys, etc. Also, eventually you will need to consider a regular sized bed and regular furniture. I am thinking long term here.

So, my vote is the guest room. The office sounds too small and I would worry about the radiator jutting out of the wall.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

You know what my vote was!

Even though we have the room.. if you want to be a guest in my house, you can have an air bed in the living room! And when the air runs out... you're out!!

Nobody puts baby in the office!!!

Message edited 3/11/2009 5:19:26 PM.

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery?

Re: Which room should we use as the nursery? - Update!

Updated at the bottom of the original post