What Furniture Do You Actually Need for a Baby Nursery?
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Setting up a nursery can quickly become overwhelming. Cots, mattresses, bassinets, change tables, drawers, storage — it can be difficult to work out what you actually need and what you can skip.
The good news is that a practical nursery doesn't need to be complicated. Start with the essentials, think about how much storage you need, and choose furniture that can continue to work as your baby grows.
Here's a simple guide to planning your baby's nursery.
1. A Cot
For most nurseries, the cot is the main piece of furniture. When comparing cots, think beyond how they look and consider how they'll work as your baby grows.
Useful features can include:
- Adjustable mattress heights
- A compatible toddler conversion option
- Under-cot storage
- A design that works beyond the newborn stage
- A compatible mattress that's easy to purchase with the cot
If you're planning to use the same furniture for several years, a convertible cot can be particularly useful because it can adapt as your child grows.
2. A Properly Fitting Cot Mattress
Your cot and mattress should be treated as a pair. Rather than choosing a mattress based only on comfort or price, make sure it is the correct size for the cot you're purchasing.
Always follow the cot manufacturer's specified mattress dimensions and instructions.
Buying a cot together with its compatible mattress can make this part of setting up the nursery much simpler.
3. A Changing Area
A dedicated changing area can make everyday routines easier, particularly during the newborn months.
This doesn't necessarily mean you need a completely separate piece of furniture. Depending on your room and storage requirements, you might choose:
- A dedicated change table
- A chest of drawers with a compatible changing setup
- A matching change table included in a nursery bundle
Whichever option you choose, follow the manufacturer's instructions and never leave a baby unattended on an elevated changing surface.
4. Drawer Storage
Storage is one of the easiest things to underestimate when planning a nursery.
Baby clothes may be small, but nappies, blankets, sheets, wraps, towels and other everyday essentials quickly take up space.
A chest of drawers or nursery tallboy gives you somewhere to keep those items organised and accessible.
How much storage do you need?
For a smaller nursery, a compact drawer unit may be enough. If you have more space or want furniture that can continue being used as your child grows, a larger drawer chest can make more sense.
Think about what you'll actually store before deciding purely on the size or appearance of the furniture.
5. Do You Need a Bassinet?
A bassinet can be useful during the early newborn stage because it provides a compact sleeping space.
Some families choose both a bassinet and cot: the bassinet for the early stage and the cot as the longer-term nursery sleeping space.
Other families decide to start with a cot and skip purchasing a separate bassinet.
Your choice will depend on your available space, budget and preferred sleeping setup.
View the Little Haven Bedside Bassinet with Mattress →
6. Do You Need Matching Nursery Furniture?
No — your nursery furniture doesn't have to match.
However, buying coordinated pieces can make setting up the room easier. Instead of trying to match different finishes, dimensions and furniture styles separately, a nursery bundle can provide the main pieces in one coordinated setup.
This is especially useful if you're furnishing an empty nursery from scratch.
What Can You Skip?
Not every nursery needs every piece of baby furniture.
Before buying something, ask yourself:
- Will we use this regularly?
- Do we already have another piece of furniture that does the same job?
- Does our nursery have enough room for it?
- Will it still be useful as our baby grows?
A well-planned nursery is usually better than simply filling the room with as much furniture as possible.
Should You Buy Nursery Furniture Individually or as a Bundle?
If you already own some nursery furniture, buying individual pieces gives you more flexibility.
But if you're starting from an empty room, a complete nursery bundle can simplify the process considerably.
Depending on the bundle you choose, one purchase can cover several of the main nursery essentials, including:
- Cot
- Cot mattress
- Drawer storage
- Changing furniture
- Change mattress
- Selected conversion components
- Optional bedside bassinet
A Complete Nursery Setup
For families who want to organise the main nursery furniture together, Little Haven's 5-in-1 Sleigh Cot Complete Nursery Bundle combines several of the core pieces in one matching setup.
The bundle includes:
- Cloud 9 5-in-1 Sleigh Cot
- Premium innerspring cot mattress
- 3 Drawer Change Table
- Change mattress
- 4 Drawer Nursery Chest
- Toddler conversion kit
View the 5-in-1 Sleigh Cot Complete Nursery Bundle →
Prefer a Different Nursery Style?
Little Haven also offers other cot and storage combinations, allowing you to choose the amount of storage and nursery style that suits your room.
Two Tone Nursery Furniture
For a white and natural timber look, explore the Two Tone cot and matching nursery furniture range.
Explore Two Tone Nursery Bundles →
Complete Nursery Bundles
Compare the wider Little Haven bundle range if you're looking for different cot, storage and bassinet combinations.
Browse Complete Nursery Bundles →
Baby Nursery Checklist
For a simple starting point, your furniture checklist could look like this:
- Cot: Essential for your longer-term nursery setup
- Compatible cot mattress: Choose the size specified for your cot
- Changing area: Choose a setup appropriate for your room
- Drawer storage: Choose the amount of storage you'll realistically use
- Bassinet: Optional depending on your newborn sleeping setup
- Conversion components: Worth considering if you want the cot to adapt as your child grows
Start With the Essentials
You don't need to buy everything marketed for a nursery. Start with a safe sleeping setup, a correctly fitting mattress, practical storage and somewhere suitable for changing your baby.
From there, choose additional furniture based on your space and how you expect to use the room.
If you're furnishing the entire nursery, buying compatible pieces together can make planning considerably easier.
Shop Little Haven Nursery Bundles →
Browse All Little Haven Nursery Furniture →
Always follow the manufacturer's assembly, usage and safety instructions supplied with nursery furniture. For sleep products, follow current safe-sleep guidance and the instructions applicable to the particular product.