happy FIND A balance IN YOUR NEST

Parenthood is filled with compromises, but you don’t have to give up your individual sense of style.

Hands up if, when prepping your home for the arrival of your first baby, you bought a new easy-care leather sofa, you had all the carpet ripped up and replaced it with hardwood timber, and you repainted every single wall with stain-resistant paint? Anyone? No? A quick skim of articles about ‘styling your home in a child-friendly way’ will have you believe that money and messy renovations are the answer to getting your house baby-ready – a bitter pill to swallow when you may be struggling to accept that life as you know it is about to become a foggy memory. I am yet to step onto the rollercoaster ride called parenting, but I am in awe of the sacrifices that parents make across all segments of life when two become three.

I have observed the many ways that home life has changed for family members and friends of mine who have launched into parenthood. Days are filled with tears, smells and spills, and a tsunami of toys and tiny clothes rolls through rooms relentlessly. The purpose of the home often shifts. It can become a workplace – and, indeed, a parent’s whole world for a while – especially if the primary carer needs to juggle work responsibilities with looking after an infant. There is also a new angle of functionality and safety that needs to be considered. The pressure is on to create a perfectly nurturing environment for your child, but the idea of living in a home that looks like a preschool will likely make you want to hide under a pile of unwashed laundry. Even though your life is about to be turned upside down, it doesn’t mean your home has to completely flip as well. Your own sense of style can continue to shine through, the finances don’t have to take a huge hit, and your little one can still contentedly giggle away in a warm, supportive home.