Baby Nurseries 101: Setting It Up Right In Your Los Angeles Home

Welcoming a little bundle of joy into your Southland household is a happy, yet hectic occasion. So, to stay as far away from the confusion and chaos that go hand in hand with the third trimester, start prepping your house for the new arrival as soon as possible without breaking the bank and without the new mom breaking down in the process. Instead, consider the following five actions.

1. Be a Wall Flower: Don't wallpaper your baby's room. He or she won't stay little for very long, and soon you'll have a child with tastes of his or her own. So, in order to have a nice space ready for your little one without real permanency and without spending a bundle, paint the walls instead. You can always choose soft hues that are a bit offbeat when it comes to the standard pinks and blues. Try raspberry or turquoise to change up the typical shades associated with a newborn.

2. Early Detection: While baby monitors are important, and not at all hard to install, smoke and carbon monoxide monitors need a bit more planning. You can find both of these important baby room accessories at your hardware store. Choose from a two-in-one unit or individual units, whichever you think best. The latter is probably the wiser choice, however, just in case one side of the combined unit fails.

3. An Electric Situation: While your baby won't be crawling around for a while, why not get a start on that stage of your kid's growing process by installing electric outlet covers in the nursery as well as all over the house? This is a time-consuming job, and to have to jump in and do this while also trying to do everything else required when a newborn comes home is just plain crazy. Bundles of these safety covers can be found all over, from your supermarket to your baby store. However, the best price will probably be at the local hardware store.

4. Turning the Tables: Changing tables can be expensive and can also be a tough design element to incorporate in your nursery. As an alternative to pre-made items of this nature, consider building one yourself. Or, if you like, check out the second-hand stores for one that meets the needs of your child as well as your pocketbook.

5. Store More: There's never enough furniture around for storing all the needs of a new baby, so consider buying some portable bins that can easily be taken in and out of the nursery when the mood strikes or when company is coming. After all, who wants to show off their newborn while also showing off the clothes on which they've burped or the diapers that haven't been dealt with in a timely manner? Get shopping for these extra containers, many of which are on wheels and most of which offer colorful alternatives to the typical see-through variety. The latter choice also offers you a chance to color code each bin with each baby need.

Below are some local businesses that may be able to help you get started.

Dragonfly DuLou
2066 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-8448
www.dragonflydulou.com

This small baby boutique is a bit dear when it comes to price, but can't be beat for originality. It carries everything from simple cribs to fancy containers to cute wall art that's bright, cheery and funny.

Jill's Paints
3534 Larga Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-9067
www.jillspaint.net

If painting suits you as an option for getting the nursery ready for your new baby, hit up Jill's Paint for lively hues and environmentally-friendly products.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
210 N Ave 21
Los Angeles, CA 90031
(323) 224-6280
www.svdpla.org

This giant thrift store has a big furniture section that offers all kinds of goodies just waiting to be placed in a nursery. It may take a couple of trips at different times of the day because new stock is put out constantly.

Related: The Benefits Of Hiring A Pro To Childproof Your Home
Related: Play With The Kids By Building A Playground In Los Angeles

For more great tricks, tips and advice about your home, visit CBSLosAngeles.com/YourHome.

Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.