Preparing for your baby's arrival is an exciting but anxious time. You'll be regularly stocking up on baby clothes in preparation for the many nappy changes to come, checking out prams, and thinking of a ton of baby names, and one thing you must arrange is the baby's nursery.

It's important to figure out the nursery furniture you want and build all furniture in the baby's room well in advance of your due date to ensure the nursery layout is exactly how you want it. Plus, if you arrange nursery furniture early enough, you have plenty of time to change things and purchase additional essential pieces before the big day.

You won't want to do too much moving and building in the third trimester where you'll spend hours at a time relaxing.

Not sure how to arrange your nursery layout? Unsure of the type of baby furniture you need? Don't fret, as we're here to help. Read our guide to figure out your perfect nursery layout.

What type of nursery furniture do you need?

The type of baby nursery furniture you pick up can depend on the size of the room, but there are a couple of absolute necessities.

You'll need a cot bed or cot for your baby to enjoy a good night's sleep. The best thing about a cot bed is it can transition into a toddler bed as your baby grows, saving you some money in the long run.

You will also need some storage space and a changing table. You could combine the two by placing a changing table on top of your storage solutions, keeping your nappy changes efficient with all essential items close to hand.

Nursery storage is essential as you'll have lots of clothes, baby bedding, blankets, muslins and nappy change essentials. If you have room for a wardrobe and a set of drawers, we recommend picking up both so you have as much storage space as possible.

You can find all of the above in a nursery furniture set from Bunk Beds.

While it is not necessarily essential, you'll be thankful for a rocking chair. When your baby wakes in the night, a rocking chair can make settling them much easier. You can sit in the baby's room and feed them after a nappy change, hopefully easing them back off to sleep.

Other furniture includes a bookshelf or a side table. However, unless you have the room, you won't need to worry about these just yet.

Nursery layout tips for your baby's room

Once you've run through all of your available nursery furniture options and picked up what you need, it's time to figure out the ideal nursery layout.

It's important to set up your nursery furniture in a way that makes baby and mum comfortable and makes nappy changes convenient – and you can do this with specific zones.

Where to place baby furniture

Sleeping zone

Visibility, accessibility and safety are paramount to the sleeping zone aspect of your nursery layout.

First things first, you have to figure out the best place for your baby's cot bed. Ideally, you should place it in a spot that makes the cot visible as soon as you open the door to your baby's nursery. So, whether the bedroom is big or small, ensure the cot bed is immediately visible as you enter the room.

Accessibility is also important. Make sure it's placed in a location that makes it easy for both mum and dad to pick the baby up from at least two sides. As your baby grows, they will move around a lot in their sleep, making it difficult to reach and pick them up if you're restricted to accessing the cot on just one side.

Safety measures must also be taken into account when organising your nursery furniture. Don't place the cot bed next to a radiator to avoid overheating, and move them at least 60cm away from a window to reduce the risk of feeling a draught.

Changing zone

A good nursery layout will feature a changing zone that makes nappy changes efficient.

It is difficult when your baby continues to wake through the night and you need to change their nappy. On particularly bad nights, when sleep is rare, you want to make the changing table as easy to access and navigate as you can.

The best nursery layouts feature a changing table close to storage furniture. You can pick up a nursery furniture set that features a changing table on top of storage solutions, making nappies and wipes a lot more accessible.

You cannot leave your baby unattended on the changing table so make sure you can easily reach what you need during the nappy change process.

Good lighting is also important here. A small lamp or night light for the changing table can make all the difference when changing nappies.

Feeding zone

Your nursery layout should also feature a feeding zone. Separating your baby's nursery into zones makes each night easier to navigate, creating efficiency and routine.

The size of your baby's room may dictate the location of a rocking chair but try to place it in a quiet corner away from the door. The last thing you need is your partner (or any other children) walking into the room and accidentally clattering the door into the chair, waking the baby.

The feeding zone of a baby nursery should also be cosy and comfortable. While you rock back and forth and feed your child, ensure there are soft furnishings around for your comfort as well as the baby's. A comfy chair, cushions, blankets, stuffed animals and a soft rug can make all the difference in your nursery layout.

You can also tie these soft furnishings into the nursery theme to create an aesthetic appeal.

Play zone

As time goes by, your baby will want to play more. A spacious nursery will allow you to create a play zone. This is an inviting space with their toys and books where you can both bond and have fun.

Try to arrange furniture in a way so your baby can enjoy some tummy time or a space where they can lie down on a play mat with a mobile above them for entertainment.

Flow and accessibility

The key to a good nursery layout is how accessible everything is.

Try to keep a clear space in the centre of the room to easily navigate in the middle of the night. When both parents wake to help soothe the baby, too much furniture can clutter the room and get in the way, causing obstructions.

When you're both tired and there's a crying baby to change, feed and soothe, you want to make the baby's room as calm and efficient as possible.

Keep things within reach, like nappies and cream during a nappy change.

Ensure there's a small light that you can control when sitting down to feed and keep the baby's crib close to your feeding zone.

Once the baby is back off to sleep after a change and feed, putting them down to bed can be like a military operation, so make sure the bed is as easy to reach and access as possible. If you're having to squeeze past boxes and drawers to put your baby back to bed, you're creating problems for yourself.

Create the perfect nursery layout with Bunk Beds' baby furniture

At Bunk Beds, we stock an impressive collection of nursery furniture sets that allow you to find the ideal nursery layout.

Our furniture sets feature plenty of storage space so you can organise your baby's clothes.

If you're interested in creating a beautiful nursery design, check out our high-quality nursery furniture sets.