Nursery Inspiration + Organising Ideas

As I've officially hit the third trimester of my pregnancy I'm getting into nesting mode and going on an organising spree throughout the house - the linen, kitchen and bathroom cupboards all need a good tidy up so I can make room for the baby's things!

But first things first I want to finish setting up the baby's nursery and have found so many great ideas on Pinterest to get me inspired. Here's my organising ideas for the room so far ....

As you will see in my earlier post I'm having a chest of drawers that doubles as a change table. For this I purchased the Ikea Hemnes chest of 8 drawers on Gumtree brand new at a fraction of the original price!

I have also purchased some Ikea drawer dividers as the baby's clothes are so tiny the drawer dividers will help keep everything neat and tidy. I've seen some great ideas for organising everything in these drawers with the baby change items like nappies and creams in the top drawers and then clothes in the bottom drawers.

I'll share my chest of drawers and change table organising on the blog once I have set this up in the coming weeks.

We moved an Ikea 2 door wardrobe we had in the Guest Bedroom into the nursery for our baby's pretty dresses, coats and anything else that needs to be hung.

I scored a heap of matching coat hangers for free from Pumpkin Patch who are closing down their Australian stores so I have all nice matching coat hangers in different sizes which is perfect.

I also want to install some shelves in the wardrobe as the hanging space won't take up much room as the clothes are so tiny and I want to make use of all the wardrobe space.  The shelves will be perfect for baskets and storing the linen, boxes of nappies, toys etc ... I have discovered baby's have so many things!

My Ikea 10 cube bookcase will be staying in the nursery (which use to be my study/craft room) and the baby and I will need to share the bookcase as I don't have anywhere else to store my books.

Bookcases are a great addition to a nursery because I can add some decorative boxes or baskets to store toys as well as pretty decor items and books on the shelves.

I want to keep everything baby related in the nursery so whatever I can fit in this room with clever storage I will as I figure it will make it a lot easier to find things if they're all kept in the one room.

Do you have any organising tips for a nursery?

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[Images via my Pinterest 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

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Nursery Design - Working With What We Have

With Mr P and I expecting a new addition in the Jarrah Jungle home I've been busy planning our baby's room in my head for months and months and now we're ready to actually start setting up the nursery for our sweet little girl due in May.

I don't want to spend a fortune on the nursery and have given myself a $700 budget for all the furniture and decor. I'll mostly be using furniture we already have and need to get just a few other things and then make them all work together so everything looks like it was meant to be together and not the mix matched collection of furniture that it is!

Working With What We Have 

I have an Ikea cube bookcase in dark wood which needs to stay in the nursery (which use to be my study/craft room) as there's nowhere else to put it in the house and I also need to keep my books on the shelves.

But I'll clear some shelves and make it more baby friendly by adding cute ornaments and baby books. Just recently I had a big clear out and donated a heap of books to charity but I'll be doing another purge to make room for some baby books as I'd love for our little one to be as addicted to books as I am.

Excuse this old photo but it's the only neat and tidy one I have as I've accumulated so many books in the last 5 years since purchasing this bookcase it's overflowing!

When I found out we're having a girl I knew a wardrobe was a must to hang all her pretty dresses and coats - already our little one has a better wardrobe of outfits than me!

I have an Ikea wardrobe which was in the Guest Bedroom and was storing our winter coats and travelling gear which I have managed to squash into our Master Bedroom wardrobe so I can move this wardrobe into the nursery.

I plan to add a few shelves in the wardrobe to store baskets and boxes so I can organise all the baby's things like linen and nappies and anything else baby related I can fit in here!

We have been given a beautiful timber cot which has been in Mr P's family for many years and I love the sentimental thought that it's been passed down through the family.

Unfortunately the timber doesn't match the other white and dark wood furniture so Mr P is going to paint the cot white so it matches in with the other furniture in the room.

Our only purchase so far is the Ikea Hemnes chest of drawers which I've had my heart set on for ages and managed to buy on Gumtree brand new and still in it's original packaging for a bargain $320 (its RRP is $449).

I did my research and read a lot of reviews before settling on these drawers which will double as drawers for the baby's clothes and also as a change table by placing a change mat on top. I don't have space for a separate change table and don't want to spend money on something I may only use for a short time so felt the drawers were a better long term investment.

These drawers are the perfect height for Mr P and I and I can put the change mat on one side so I can stand on the end of the drawers to change the baby (as changing side on may be difficult), and it's long enough to have the changing supplies and nappies on top at hands reach.

My other purchase will be a nursing chair but I'm still undecided whether to get a proper nursing chair like a glider (a chair and footstool that moves back and forth), or a rocking chair, or if a really comfortable big armchair with a high back would be better as it could be moved to another room when it's not needed in the nursery anymore.

What type of chair would you have in a nursery?

I'm trying to be practical in my choices and get pieces that can be used later for other purposes rather than for just a short time in the nursery.

I'm also shopping from home for items we already have that will look good in this room like the rug, light fitting, art and wall decor.

I'm slowing chipping away doing a little project here and there and hope to have the room ready in the next few weeks so I can really start 'nesting' as they call it!

What are your must haves for a Nursery?

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[First 3 images my own - Last 2 images via my Pinterest 1, 2 & 3]

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Book Review: Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown by Adena Halpern

I have just read the book Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown, Notes from a Single Girl's Closet by Adena Halpern.

 

This was the story of Adena the author, telling the tales of her love/hate relationship with her wardrobe, from a young school age through to now when she is in her mid 30's.

 

Each chapter is a new outfit, a new memory and a new time in her life. This isn't a fashionista book but rather Adena relating back to the clothes she wore and how she felt about herself and life at the time. From the embarrassment of her prom dress she sewed herself, the over the top Madonna phase, the perfume scents those closest to you wear and the memories they evoke to what she was wearing when her partner proposed to her.

I really enjoyed this book it was easy to read and made me smile most of the way through as I felt I could really relate to it. The author is a bit like Carrie Bradshaw and being based in New York and Los Angeles you get that vibe as well.
 

I would recommend this book to those of us who always seem to remember what you (and others!) were wearing on a certain day and a certain time in your life - you'll absolutely love this book. 

 

I give this book 4 stars.

 

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:

1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch re-runs of Neighbours than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd pass up a pack of tim tams for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

 

[Image via Angus Robertson]

 

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Hollywood Dress Up Party: Audrey Hepburn + James Dean

I went to a Murder Mystery Hollywood themed party the other weekend and dressed up as Audrey Hepburn and Mr P went as James Dean.

I'm a big fan of creating my own outfits for fancy dress, a trip to the op shop and some accessory shops and a hunt around my wardrobe and I can usually come up with something pretty good.

I went for Audrey's Breakfast at Tiffany's look and found a long black halter dress from the op shop for $6, the first one I tried on and it fit perfectly! 

The diamonte collar was from Diva $35 that I bought recently to go with a wedding outfit and the diamonte and pearl hair clip was a great find at Temt $3. 

The satin gloves, pearl bracelet, diamonte studs and suede heels I already had.

For my hair and makeup I used my hair accessory that pulls my hair into a tight bun and then clipped the diamonte and pearl clip around and unleashed the hair spray to tame the fly aways.

Audrey was a fan of natural make up so I used nude eyeshadow, lightly smoked black eyeliner, lashings of black mascara and rose toned lipstick.

As for James Dean Mr P wore his tightest fitting jeans, a white bonds t-shirt and pack of cards that looked like cigarettes up his sleeve and he was an instant James Dean lookalike. 

Rather handsome too if I might add ;)

The Murder Mystery party had a hired host who organised us into groups, gave us each a name to play by (I was The Oscar Winner and Mr P was The Villain) and had us competing for clues to figure out who the murderer was.

It turned out the murderer was someone in my team and we won the Best Sleuth Award for guessing correctly and dobbing him in!

It was a really great night with lots of fabulous costumes and the Murder Mystery was fun to play out.

Are you a fan of fancy dress parties?

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[All images my own]

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What to pack for a work conference

 

I'm flying back to Sydney tomorrow for a couple of days for a work conference. It feels like I only unpacked my suitcase last week (maybe because I did!) but I'm taking a much smaller one this time.

 

I shared with you recently how I plan and pack for a holiday and I did the same thing for this trip, wrote my list and took myself shopping to buy some new outfts as well.

There's always a bit of confusion about the dress code for work conferences - smart casual is the way to go and I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed so I've packed clothes that I would normally wear to work for the conference, dresses for the drinks and dinner functions and blazers and jackets instead of cardis because they look smarter.

 

After checking the weather for Sydney next week, spring temps low 20s degrees with sun and possible showers this is what I'm packing for the 4 day trip:

• 3 pairs of shoes - flats for the flights, wedges for the conference and heels for the functions
• 2 dresses for the functions
• 1 skirt, 1 pair pants, 2 tops for conference days
• 2 blazers and 1 jacket
• Jeans, leggings, 2 tops and cardi for flights
• 3 bags - Large for day and Clutches for night

 

Conference Dinner outfit

Dress Miss Shop Myer, Blazer Valleygirl, Shoes Betts, Belt Portmans, Clutch Cruise 



 

Conference day outfit

Blazer Chickabooti, Skirt Temt, Top Miss Shop Myer, Flats Kmart

 

It all fits into my suitcase nicely with room for my hair straightener and toiletries and still space for some shopping if I get the chance!

 

 On the trip last year I took myself on a bit of a chocolate tour ... I wonder what will tempt me this year? Any suggestions welcome!

 

 

[Image of Sydney here, all other images my own]

 

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Holiday Planning and Packing

I'm heading off on my cruise holiday on Friday to cruise around the South Pacific islands for 10 glorious days of cocktails and sunshine and wanted to share with you my holiday planning and packing regime.

I learnt the hard way on how to pack a suitcase when I was 18 I went on a 6 month holiday and thought I could fill every last inch of space in the largest suitcase known to man BUT it meant I had to lug that thing from airport to trains and in the end it weighed half my body weight and was impossible to lift by myself.

There were things in there I only wore a few times and it was not worth me bringing them. I had to buy a trunk for all the goodies I bought on my travels to ship that home from the UK to Australia which took months to arrive.

Lessons learnt: Pack less means you can bring home more!

So after that youthful experience I now plan what I want to take from the tops and bottoms all the way down to the jewellery and shoes. I make a list of where I'll be and what I'll wear both day and night and then I can decide if the outfits I've picked are going to work together - what tops go with what bottoms, how many times I'll wear the shoes, etc so I get the most wears out of each outfit.

The idea is to take as little clothes that make a variety of outfits so I have plenty of room in my suitcase to bring home goodies. I find dresses are the best because you don't need to work out a top and bottom and you can wear them different ways by changing your shoes and accessories.

About a week before I travel I get the suitcase out and get out all my clothes on the list. I'll try things on to make sure they go and to make sure I'm going to wear them (if I never wear them at home the chances are I'm not going to wear them on holiday so they may as well go to the op shop!)

Then I scrutinise and if there's items I'll only wear once or that only go with one thing then it'll go in the ''íf there's room pile''. Once I have my outfits decided I'll put them in the suitcase and see how much space I have left - I like to have 1/3 empty space. If I have that then I'll put the "íf there's room pile'' in but if there's not I won't!

Domestic travel usually allows you 20kg and the cruise allows 32kg. My case currently weighs 13kg ... that's 7kgs of souvenirs and gifts that I know I can fit into my case and still fly with no trouble.

So that's how I pack for a holiday a bit of pre planning and organising works for me!

Do you have any travel packing tips?

If you want to go on your own travel adventures around Australia check out the awesome deals on Travel Factory here

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[Images via Pinterest 1, 2, 3, 4,]

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Holiday Fashion and Shopping Sprees

I'm about a month away from my cruise holiday and have found it a bit hard shopping for Summery outfits whilst the Winter and Spring fashion is in the shops here.

I did manage to find some cute yellow shorts from Forever New and I'm loving their new Tropical Paradise collection ... It would be a dream come true to win a shopping spree in this store!

Mainly my shopping list is for summery dresses and shorts and cute tops for the day time and cocktail dresses for the evening and I'm still on the hunt for ...

A pair of flat sparkly sandals

A hat to keep the sun off

A few more evening dresses

What is your dream store to win a shopping spree in?


[All images via Forever New]

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Fridays Letters - Dear Sparkly Scarf

It's time for my favourite link up party Friday's Letters if you want to meet some fabulous friendly bloggers head on over to Adventures of Newlyweds and join in the fun

I'm imagining my letters are written from this funky home office today although I'm wondering if I could restrain from doing a crossword on the wallpaper!

Dear Sparkly Scarf - I've been feeling under the weather this week but when I put you on suddenly the world seems like a sparkly brighter place. Thanks for making me feel better. 

Dear New Followers - Welcome to my humble part of the world, I have really loved getting comments and emails from you lately it truly makes me smile and brightens my day.

Dear Taste.com - You are full of simple and easy to follow recipes that people have cooked and reviewed so I can see the tried and tested recipes worth making. Thanks for saving me this week.

Dear Hot Water System - Why did you have to break on the coldest morning in decades? A week of boiling the kettle to wash dishes has made washing up even more painful if that's possible. I hope you get fixed this weekend.

Dear Granny Flat - You know I think your scary and daggy and can't really stand to go inside you on my own but your hot shower has saved my cold naked butt this week and for that I'm grateful.

[Image via my likes on Pinterest]

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