When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately started dreaming about the nursery. I knew it would set me up for success to create a special and tranquil space for the baby and I to bond in. I went on Pinterest and searched for inspirational photos that could help guide me in creating a minimal and gender-neutral design (I knew I could always add pops of color to a more monochrome color scheme once I found out the sex). I decided that I was going to try to find everything secondhand, which meant that I had to start the process of finding furniture, décor, etc. early, because often finding items secondhand takes more time.
I was pleasantly surprised that finding items secondhand was extremely easy. Because my community is filled with other thirty-somethings who have already had kids (I am thirty-five and having my first baby), many parents I knew were looking to purge their homes of their baby stuff. Once I posted our birth announcement on social media, I received lots of offers for used baby gear, including big items like cribs and car seats, from my friends and family. I simply chose what I wanted and arranged a time to pick-up the items (though many friends delivered them right to my house!). But I understand not everyone has this luxury.
If you are looking to shop secondhand for your nursery and don’t have a community that you know and trust, I recommend the websites Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, and Craigslist for securing secondhand items. I love these websites because I can set my search perimeters and decide which items I need and want to pursue. In addition, I recommend reaching out to any local Parent Groups or used kids stores to see if they have any items you are interested in. You can also ask them about upcoming clothing swaps, gear exchanges, etc. that might help you outfit your space.
A nursery can be very expensive, both environmentally and financially. Shopping secondhand means that you aren’t creating any new resources with your purchases, you are keeping items out of the landfill by reusing them, and you are promoting a sharing/circular economy. And secondhand items are beautiful, special, and unique, just like new items. You don’t have to compromise on style or aesthetic!
Here’s the big nursery reveal – and some stories behind some of the pieces!
Crib, Dresser/Changing Table, Rocking Chair
My niece had just graduated to using her “big girl bed” and her parents were looking to rehome their crib, dresser/changing table, and rocking chair. Many people warned me not to get a secondhand crib and/or a secondhand mattress, but I totally trust the person I got it from. For those who don’t have a family member or friend to get items like this from, Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, and Craigslist are great resources to utilize. I recommend you inspect each item and are comfortable with the quality.
Basket Hamper, Giraffe, and Upcycled Sari Blanket
I found these beautiful additions to the nursery at Ten Thousand Villages. This Fair-Trade store has a baby line with great baskets for storage, stuffed animals, décor, and more. The Basket Hamper is my favorite – it is made from mint green and white recycled plastic with bunches of kaisa grass by Women artists in Bangladesh. Click here to see details about the giraffe and here for details about the upcycled sari blanket.
Mirror
I found this beautiful mirror on Facebook Marketplace for $30. I love everything about it! I plan to use the ledge to store items like baby nail clippers and teething toys.
Floor Lamp and Salt Crystal Lamp
The nursery only had one overhead light, and I wanted to have more options for gentle and soft lighting. I found the gold floor lamp on Facebook marketplace for $30 and I snatched it up. It was originally from Target and was manufactured incorrectly, so we couldn’t get it to work at first. But my husband and I got creative with the electrical wiring and finally that light bulb turned on – sometimes shopping secondhand means that things don’t always work perfectly! The salt lamp was a find on Nextdoor and cost me $10. I secretly plan to steal this in a year and put it in my home office – I love it.
Toy Basket
I opted for an over sized basket to store items like baby toys and extra baby blankets. I like the way baskets look and the limitation of a basket reinforces the idea that baby only requires a few toys – if they don’t fit in the basket, we don’t need it. I found this basket on Facebook Marketplace for $10.
Wall Art
I was lucky to have two adorable canvases and two gold frames in a storage bin and repurposed them for the nursery. I did purchase the llama and giraffe prints new from a local artist here in the Twin Cities. I had been trying to find secondhand décor for the nursery, but didn’t have any luck, so opted for local instead.
Ottoman/Poof
Perhaps my favorite find (as these can be surprisingly expensive), a neighbor was selling this poof for $45 on Nextdoor. I loved the texture and thought it went terrifically with the room and made the space even more comfortable! It can serve as a footrest or a second seat.
—
This experience has taught me that nurseries can be beautiful, curated, and consist of all preloved materials. I love my nursery and I hope this little one does, too!
In addition to items for the nursery, some of my friend’s even gifted me things I would never have thought of for myself post-baby. A good friend brought over a bag of items from the hospital that she didn’t use, including compression socks and witch-hazel pads, postpartum and lactation pads. Though these were all disposable, I appreciated that she had kept them hoping someone could utilize them before they ended up in the landfill.
Do you have any recommendations for creating a zero waste nursery? I’d love to hear them!