See how I created a nursery for my son with just over $100.

Before my son was born, I had absolutely nothing for a baby — no furniture, no clothes, nothing. As my pregnancy progressed, I started getting panicky worrying about how we would outfit an entire nursery. This was during the time that both my husband and I were working full-time jobs but somehow, we thought we were broke! Anyway, I knew that I was going to have to pinch my pennies if I was going to be able to buy everything we needed. In the end, I was able to put together an entire nursery for $119. Granted, I was given a couple of things but when you are pregnant with your first child, that is a common occurrence and you could easily end up with more free stuff than I did. Below is an explanation of all the expenses I incurred in this project.

My first priority was furniture. I knew that I at least needed a crib, a changing table, and a chest of drawers. I knew that I could actually convert the top of a chest of drawers into a changing table in order to save money. As it turned out, I ended up using a changing table as a chest of drawers! A friend of a friend of a friend had a changing table that she no longer needed and generously offered it to me. With frugality already coursing through my veins, I accepted it sight unseen. Fortunately, it was in great shape and it was the kind that has two shelves beneath the changing area. Struck with inspiration, I bought four large plastic bins to hold baby clothes, diapers, etc., therefore eliminating the need for a chest of drawers.

In the coming weeks I went to yard sale after yard sale, looking for deals on baby items. The problem is, baby stuff goes fast at yard sales and I consistently had a hard time dragging my pregnant self (or my husband) out of bed at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Nevertheless, I got lucky on one outing and stumbled upon a late model crib in perfect condition for $30. Of course, I checked to make sure it met current safety standards, which it did. It did not match the finish of the changing table, but I knew I could paint the changing table cheaply and easily. I was then very generously given a brand new crib mattress by a couple who bought it for their granddaughter but then never used it.

I then began scouring discount stores and baby stores looking for cute bedding sets on sale. I finally struck gold when I found an adorable sports-themed set at Walmart for $25. It had the crib sheet, bumper pads, comforter, and window valances. I picked up the coordinating mobile for $10 and I was done.

With the theme in place, it was time to buy room decor. I found some cheery yellow paint on the mis-tint shelf at the hardware store for $8. Admittedly, it turned out to be a bit bolder than I intended, but it was certainly bright and happy. I then printed out templates of a baseball and bat, football, and basketball. I picked up some fabric remnants in colors that matched the bedding and used the templates to cut out sports shapes from them. I then sewed (with just a needle and thread) some simple but cute wall hangings and embellished them with puffy fabric paint. Finally, I used a Print Shop type program and printed out decorative pictures of four types of balls — soccer, baseball, basketball, and football. I put the printed pictures into dollar store frames and hung them on the wall. Finally, I found a coordinating lamp on sale for $3 at a discount store and a pair of decorative shelves for $10. I put the lamp on a bookshelf taken from another part of the house and I was finished.

For $119, my baby’s nursery was complete. Some of you out there will be able to create a nursery and spend far less than I did. Others will find $119 far too low. Either way, it is important to know that you do not have to break the bank to provide a safe and happy place for your baby.