Nesting & Decluttering During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can make some women slip into a period of temporary insanity with hormones going haywire, a rapidly changing body and unusual cravings. Even if a woman is not a neat freak before becoming pregnant, the sense of their impending motherhood can flip a switch and urge a pregnant woman to clean, tidy up the place, paint, re-decorate or just generally change everything in the house. This is what some people call nesting. The urge to start nesting is strongest in the later weeks of a pregnancy, coming up to the child’s delivery. If you’re expecting, take advantage of this natural instinct and get a head start on decluttering your house in anticipation of your next little angel.

What Is Nesting During Pregnancy?

Nesting can be simply defined as preparing an infant’s nest or preparing an entire home for the arrival of the new family member.

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Nesting usually takes place during the peak of the third trimester. This period sees the mother going though sudden bursts of energy as well as fatigue and physical discomfort. If you look at nesting from an evolutionary perspective, infants are momre likely to survive if they are born in secure environments. Some would say nesting is hard-wired into mammals. The surviving infants were the ones who have received shelter, safety, good nutrition and warmth. This of course is a lot of work for expectinng parents. So it’s normal for pregnant women to need some quiet time and privacy during pregnancy.

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Signs That Your Nesting Has Begun

Most married and pregnant women will surely talk about nesting. Nesting can actually happen at any time or even multiple times during pregnancy. Some women will not experience the urge to nest at all. So how do you know if you have begun nesting? Some nesting mothers are commonly unable to see how irrational some of their actions or behaviours are during the nesting process. Here are a few signs you might be nesting:

1. You have washed, folded and/or reorganised your baby’s clothes more than once in the past month without understanding that feeling of angst when they are just not clean enough.
2. It’s 3am and you wake up wanting to have a midnight snack. While you grab some milk and cookies from the fridge and you suddenly noticed that the fridge is not organised. You clean the whole fridge and arrange everything.
3. It’s already 1am and you should be asleep because you need to wake up early. But instead, you’re in bed tossing and turning like a salad and you’re thinking about re-arranging the living room furniture.
4. You find crayon drawings and scribbles on the wall… the culprit is your toddler. Now you have decided that you must re-paint the whole wall and the entire room immediately. And you are the only who can do it. Ever.
5. You found a line of ants near the entrance of your house. You take it as a sign that it may be an ant infestation that you don’t know about and it could manifest in your soon-to-be baby’s nursery, so you call an exterminator for an immediate appointment to check your entire house.
6. You’re trying to organise the baby books and the sweet baby pictures that you will be taking soon, but then, you remember that your family photos are not organised chronologically and by category. So you rectify the situation and re-do everything.
7. While checking for something to nibble on in your refrigerator, you noticed that there is some brown smudge on one of the fruits. It may just be gravy or sauce that accidentally spilled, but you want to make sure that it’s not mould or fungus. So you remove all the food items, clean the refrigerator, the cupboard and the pantry just to be sure.
8. As you’re putting away the freshly washed baby clothes in your baby’s room, you realise that you don’t have everything on your baby’s list. It’s already 10 pm but you have the urge to go out and purchase everything you’re missing, so you look online or check store closing times.
9. You have the urge to de-clutter your social media accounts. You have deleted at least 2 accounts and reduced your “friend” list to only the people who you know and the ones really close to you. Plus, you have re-evaluated your friend list a couple of times to make sure that you’ve made the right decision.

Do Not Go Overboard

Yes, it is good to get rid of any excess dirt or unwanted belongings in preparation of your baby’s arrival, but you have to make sure you do everything safely. Always read the instructions of all cleaning products that you will handle and use. Always check if they are toxic or poisonous. Always wear rubber gloves when handling anything that you’re not sure about. Also make sure that you have good ventilation so that you will not get nauseous with the strong smell of cleaning products you’re using. Wear a face mask if needed to protect yourself and your baby. Cleaning and organising are pretty important but do not overdo things and don’t get so caught up in the small stuff that you neglect your own health and safety. When you get caught up in the nesting instinct, remember there is no need to invest in every tool and gadget. Most times getting too much is a waste of money.

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Reasons Why Decluttering Before Giving Birth Is Essential

Decluttering is a good way to prepare before having a new baby in the house. If you ‘re dealing with pregnancy accompanied by a nesting instinct, you might as well make your home baby-friendly. There are several reasons why you need to declutter. Here are some tips and tricks to get your started:

1. Create a plan. You can declutter without a plan by focusing on whatever area that feels more important to you. But decluttering without a plan in mind will take you more time to finish. Having a plan lets you make sure that everything will be cleaned before your baby arrives.
2. Easier to maintain. Simplifying your life before having a baby is pretty important. A clutter-free home is easier to maintain so that you can spend less time on actual housework and spend more time playing with your little angel. You can tackle the high traffic areas first because you will see the big difference there. Once you have generated a system for everything it will be easy to maintain your household every day.
3. Stop the flow of stuff coming in. Decluttering is really a waste of time if you simply replace everything with new things. Nesting will give you the urge to buy things you dont necessarily need.
4. Work in short bursts. This is very important during the 1^st and the 3^rd trimesters when a pregnant woman is more likely to tire easily. Focus only one small area at a time to prevent exhaustion.
5. Declutter one item at a time. Decluttering doesn’t have to be a mad frenzy of sorting and throwing out things. It may take you some time to finish, but choosing one item a day to declutter works. The gradual process can also change the way you think about belongings (what you need vs. what you want). Plus, it can save you the needed energy and makes you less tired, especially if you’re due date is just around the corner.
6. Extra money for baby gear. If you’re having your first baby, there’s a big chance that you’ll spend a lot on new baby gear. Baby gear and clothing can add up quickly and some of it may be in your budget. Decluttering and selling things that you and your baby no longer need can get you some extra cash for everything.
7. Get some help. You’re pregnant and you will tire easily. Don’t exert yourself too much because you may strain yourself and the baby. Moving furniture or lifting heavy items is not something a pregnant woman should be doing.
8. Get a head start on baby-proofing. Tiny toys and other odds and ends should be out of the way by the time the new baby starts to learn to crawl.
9. Do not keep things out of guilt or obligation. Your home, your room and your baby’s room should only contain the things you use or love. Don’t let other people or incorrect thinking dictate what you should keep or give away.

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Now that you have simplified your decluttering plans it’s time to have fun and chill and enjoy your pregnancy. Browse some decorating blogs or visit Pinterest to get some ideas and don’t forget to have some peaceful downtime. Free yourself of worries and wait for the new bundle of joy that will come your way.