When you’re expecting, one of the most exciting things to do is decorate for your baby! Whether it’s an entire nursery or the wall of a room being shared with an older sibling, we have plenty of DIY nursery decoration ideas to help you stay on a budget and even maximize your space. Each one can be customized for a boy or girl and can go along with any “theme” you choose.
Alphabet Wall Hangings: One popular nursery decoration is to use the letter(s) of your child’s name. First, you’ll want to find a large piece of cardboard. Then use a sharpie to trace the outline of a letter. If you need font or style inspiration, search online. Once you’ve got it all traced, cut out your letter of choice. Now you can wrap the cardboard letter in thick yarn like this or pin flowers and foliage all over it.
Pegboard Wall Hangings: You may be familiar with the pegboards that are typically used in garages for holding tools. They are sturdy pieces of particleboard with holes drilled about an inch apart all the way across. Find a way to decorate the edges and then incorporate items by hanging them on the board. The awesome thing about this is you’ll only make one set of holes in your wall to hang the single board. Plus, decorations can be easily changed out as you find new things you want to incorporate. Check out our inspiration here.
Decorative Banner: Right now it’s very “in” to create banners from strips of fabric that hang from a piece of rope or yarn, like this. Just stop by your local fabric store and find 5-6 fabrics that compliment each other without being too matchy-matchy. Then, cut the fabric into strips and tie them onto your rope.
Braided Crib Bumper: If you want to forego the traditional crib bumper, try making one of your own! This one can get a little pricey if you order a giant chunky yarn like this one, but it also looks like such a fun project! You can save money by finding a stretchy knit fabric, sewing it into a long tube, and stuffing it yourself before braiding. Plus, when you’re done using the yarn/fabric as a bumper, you can repurpose it into neat pillows like these.
Ribbon/Bow Storage: If you’re having a little girl, you’ll need somewhere to keep all of the headbands, bows, and ribbons you’ll inevitably end up with. Using a picture frame, some ribbon, and hooks, you can create your own display “case” for bows. This project is easy to customize to your color scheme and will keep all of your bows in one place – making them easier to keep track of.
Diaper Changing Station: Keep diapers, wipes, ointment, etc. off of your changing table and out of drawers with this storage idea that doubles as a decoration. First, purchase some towel hangers that typically go in bathrooms. Hang them high enough to keep out of baby’s reach, but low enough that you can get to what you need. Then, use hooks to hang containers or buckets on the bars. Make sure you have enough room for everything you use during diaper changes – including toys to distract your little one.
Dream Catcher: Do you have a parent or grandparent who has passed along doilies that were once all the rage for decoration? If not, stop by your local thrift store and we guarantee you’ll find at least a couple! Pin one inside a metal ring like this and then add yarn, string, and other details to complete your dream catcher. Bonus: if your doilies are family heirlooms, you’re repurposing them in a way that maintains their integrity while putting them to use!
With these easy-to-create ideas, you’ll have a Pinterest-worthy DIY nursery in no time. Sure, you can just purchase these all online already made. Even if you save money on creating them yourself, the time commitment can be significant. But look at it this way, you’re creating decorations that will be cherished for more than their decorative value because of all the love you poured into them.
