1. Declutter & Organize All the Things

CLOSETS

When it comes to clutter and dysfunction, most of my issues show up in various closets.

I tend to shove things wherever in closets because it is not a common place for other people to access, so I hide it away to deal with later.

Well, welcome to later! Now's the time… the amount of stuff for baby that is going to enter your home is going to be overwhelming.

I couldn't get over how much stuff we accumulated in so little time pre-baby. Items like diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, other random baby gear, and more.

It's insane that one tiny person could/would need so much stuff, but they do.

Focusing on the closets will help you make room for baby and get rid of all the crap you for sure don't need that's been hiding in those closets for God only knows how long.

Below is the list of the closets I tackled with links to my specific posts on my tips for decluttering and organizing the individual spaces. 

• Linen Closet
• Master Closet, including dresser drawers (Two parts: Decluttering, then Organizing)
• Nursery Closet (Check out my post on all the essentials & also the closet reveal)
• Entry Way or Coat Closet (this includes tips for decluttering & organizing any space)

Cabinets & Drawers

As I was working my way through the house, the areas that were bothering me most, aside from closet spaces were cabinets, specifically cabinets we use most often.

This included kitchen cabinets, bathroom/under the sink cabinets, my desk drawers, and our medicine cabinet.

For the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, I wanted to focus on functionality, decluttering, and making room for baby stuff.

For our guest bathroom, I emptied the entire space under the sinks and either got rid of it completely, moved it to a better location, or made room for it in the linen closet.

This way, when all the bath time and toys made their way in, I would have a place for them. 

For the kitchen cabinets, my goal was to have at least one set of cabinets completely unused and designated for baby.

The purging process was intense, but it was worth it because I now have a designated spot for all the random miscellaneous bibs, utensils, cups, and dishes.

I also worked through making each cabinet house items that made sense.

For instance, I made sure the cups, plates, and bowls were near the kitchen table and near the dishwasher since we use those items most often.

I also made sure the coffee mugs stayed in a place close to the coffee maker. 

Below is the list of cabinets and drawers I made sure to hit before baby with some links to more specific tips. 

• Under the Bathroom Sinks
• Kitchen Cabinets
• Under the Kitchen Sink
• Medicine Cabinet 
• Desk Drawers

Pantry

The dreaded pantry… This tiny little beast is always been my Achilles heel, but it's one of the spaces that needs to be purged and organized at least once a year.

When you are in the nesting phase of pregnancy, follow my tips to pantry organization.

But before you do, be sure to stock up on as many gotta-have-them snacks as you can.

A full pantry of goodness waiting for you when you get home from the hospital with your little babe is priceless. 

Fridge

Another great space to clear the heck out is the dang fridge.

Purge anything expired or any items you for sure aren't going to eat or want around post-baby.

I did the same thing with the freezer.

We had so many really weird items in the freezer that I was certain we were never going to eat.

If you feel bad throwing this stuff away, consider donating it to a non-picky family member or otherwise.

But, whatever you do, be honest with yourself and purge it if you know in your heart it's no longer part of the meal plan.

Be sure to also make yourself a list of things you threw out that were expired that you want to have on hand. I threw away a bunch of condiments that my husband went to look for later, but they were purged. Restock the essentials if needed.

Kitchen Desk or Command Center

We had a catch-all kitchen desk area that had no functionality what so ever.

Mail would pile up and other nonsense to the point that I had no idea what was even there any more.

Since we don't have another place for a designated command center, this was one of the areas I purged and organized.

You can check out my kitchen desk organization here. 

Storage Spaces

The last decluttering/organizing task I tackled was the storage spaces.

This wasn't super high on the priority list, but when I started to look at what I was housing, it became a must purge zone.

I had been saving some decor that I thought I might use in the baby's room, but after finishing the nursery, I didn't end up using it, so to the donate zone they went. 

At a time when we are adding a lot of new items to the mix, it feels really good to know there is a space to house some of the “for later” items, such as toddler bed rails and full-size bed rails for the convertible crib, the highchair she wouldn't be using for awhile.

And also the clothes she either wasn't ready for or would grow out of quickly.

Take the time to see what is in there and part with the items that no longer make sense to hold on to.

MISCELLANEOUS SPACES

These spaces may not be all encompassing for your house, so as you work your way through the checklist, consider any other pain-point areas you know are going to make life harder if they don't get tackled before baby.

Some additional questions to keep in mind as you consider additional spaces to declutter and organize are:

• Do you have a place for toys/baby items in your main living area?
  • Now might be the time to think about a good organizer you could introduce to this space.
• Do you have a designated spot for kid books?
  • We ended up making a reading nook in our bonus room to keep majority of the books in a central location.
• Where will you house the overflow of diapers and wipes?
  • My husband had a diaper party, so we had a ton of varying sized diapers we needed to store for later. We ended up using our guest closet, but this is something to consider while your brain isn't all mush after baby. 

2. Get the purged Items Out of Your House

I put this as its own checklist item because getting the motivation to move all the stuff I purged into the car and out of the house was daunting in my stage of pregnancy.

However, I would highly encourage you to make a trip to Goodwill or other donation center a high priority as soon as you are done purging each area.

There is nothing worse than walking out of your bedroom and seeing the load of crap you need to remove after already removing it from another area… trust me.

Remove it quickly. 

3. Clean All the Things

Get carpets Cleaned

Now that you have decluttered and organized all the things, it's time to get to cleanin'.

Since our fur baby sheds all over the place, one of my top priorities was to get the carpets cleaned.

I haven't ever experienced a carpet cleaning service before this, but man oh man, it was so worth it.

Knowing that any lingering allergens and dust are sucked out of the carpets made me sleep so much easier. 

Deep Clean or Hire a Cleaning Service

As for the rest of the house, if you are a diligent home cleaner, you will probably already have your home in order.

However, for the rest of us who let that deep cleaning *ish go way longer than it should, consider a one-time cleaning service to come out and deep clean towards the end of your third trimester.

I like to think of this as a great pro tip because I was never happier than to watch someone else make my home sparkle without lifting a finger – especially when I was over literally everything. 

Deep Clean the Car

Last but not least, be sure to clean out your car.

I realized this is not part of your house, but it is a place your baby will be spending time in.

You will feel much better to have a clean slate before carting the babe all over town.

4. Knock Out the Not-So-Glamorous House Tasks

There are always some of those not so rewarding tasks that just need to be done, so here is my list of items you should knock out before baby:

• Change air filters in the furnace and purifiers
• Add salt to water softener
• Change batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
• Add child locks to inside of all chemical housing cabinets (laundry room, under sink, bathroom areas)
• Add security (ring doorbell/cameras)
• Stock up on paper goods
  • Toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, etc.