Closet: Since baby clothes are much smaller than adult clothes, you can lower the closet rod to be just a few feet from the floor, says Rebecca Johnson, owner of Decorating Your Baby Nursery. This will give you more space above the closet rod to install shelving for other items. Or, you can leave the closet rod where it is and install shelves or drawers beneath the rod. A good closet organizer is also worth looking into if you want to make use of every square inch.  Another handy organizer is a shoe rack that hangs inside the closet. You can use it for shoes, but also to easily organize things like socks, hats, bibs, mittens, hairbrushes, barrettes, and headbands. (Image from closet-organization-systems.com)

Changing table: Use the space below it to store items such as diapers, wipes, creams, and changing pads. There might be enough drawer space for baby clothes as well. You can also put some shelves above the changing table to display books, toys, framed pictures, and pretty boxes where you can store additional odds and ends.

Dresser: If you have enough space, a dresser is excellent for storing clothes, sheets, towels, and blankets. If your room is small, find a dresser that doubles as a changing table.  Dressers with removable changing tables on top are like two pieces of furniture in one: you can continue using it even after baby has outgrown the need for a changing table. You can also consider dressers with a hutch on top, which provides additional space to display knick-knacks or other items. A hutch also works instead of buying a separate bookcase.

Crib: This is a great place to pick up some additional storage space. Use wicker baskets, boxes, or plastic storage containers to store items such as crib sheets, blankets, and clothes that baby has yet to grow into. Some cribs come with pull-out drawers underneath.  (Crib pictured from ATD American.com)

Wall shelves and bookcases: These are great for bringing additional storage space to the room, and to display baby’s books, toys, and stuffed animals. One tall bookcase works great if you have limited space in your baby nursery. If you have more area to play with, a couple shorter bookcases are nice, because they make it easier for your baby to reach their things when he gets bigger.

Toy box: You’ll be surprised at how quickly your baby’s toy collection will grow. To avoid clutter, a toy box gives you one place to keep all the toys and their various parts. A toy bench is a nice way to go, which gives your baby a place to sit when he gets older, and the toys go inside. (Toy box pictured availble from clutterfreekids.com)

More helpful hints:

-If you have baskets or boxes for storage, make sure you keep them labled.

-Furniture such as bookshelves and dressers should be anchored to the wall. This prevents a potential hazard when the baby starts crawling and climbing (or if you live in earthquake-prone areas).

-A glider or rocking chair is wonderful if space allows. Having a place to sit in your baby’s room gives you a place to sit while you feed or bond with your baby. (Glider pictured availible at Amazon.com)

- A clothes hamper is helpful if you want to avoid numerous trips to the laundry room everyday. Babies dirty numerous outfits a day!

-A diaper disposal is also handy, although not necessary. Place it near the changing table for easy access.

-A lamp may be a good thing to have, especially if you want some dim lighting for pre-bedtime activities. Never use a floor lamp , which your baby can easily pull over. You should place the lamp high up on a dresser or bookcase, out of baby’s reach. As an added precaution, fluorescent light bulbs stay much cooler to the touch than regular bulbs.

-Put stuffed animals in a hammock and hang it in a corner (maybe over the baby’s crib or bed) so they’re out of the way but within reach. You could also get a big basket to keep dolls and stuffed toys in. (Image from About.com)

-A row of hooks on the wall or door is useful for hanging coats, sweaters, and diaper bags.

-For the super organizer, consider buying or creating hanging dividers for the closet, and drawer organizers for the dresser drawers.

-If you’re on a budget, check out garage sales and thrift shops (like Goodwill) for used furniture. You will pay a fraction of what you would spend by buying new furniture. You can paint or refinish furniture to match the rest of the bedroom.

What’s more charming for your outdoor or garden-themed nursery than a white picket fence? Liz decorated her daughter Schuyler’s nursery with fluffy clouds, butterflies, ladybug rugs, and a colorful hot air balloon. She used pieces of vertical blinds to create the illusion of a picket fence.  She drew the design on each slat and cut them out with regular scissors. Then, she nailed the horizontal pieces to the wall in just a couple of places and used double-stick cushion tape to fasten the pickets to the horizontal rails.

Over the Top Murals

The nursery is the only room in your house that you can get away with going overboard, says Carson’s mom, Kerry.  A friend painted the spectacular three-wall mural, complete with rolling green plains, cowboys on horseback, and wild stallions. “It envelops you as you walk in the room.”  Make sure to map out exactly where all the furniture goes before you begin painting. You don’t want to accidentally cover up any of the gorgeous images!

Vintage Romance

Who said a baby’s room can’t be elegant? Amelia’s room is painted neutral tan with a soft pink ceiling. Her mom, Jennifer, accessorized with her favorite finds from antique stores, and grandma sewed the toile curtains that surround the white balloon shades.  It’s perfectly pulled together with a pink-and-white polka-dot organza dust ruffle for the crib and a matching chain sleeve for the chandelier.

Timeless Stripes

Julia wanted a nursery that her son could grow into and wouldn’t appear too babyish when he got older. Her desire for timeless decor prompted her to paint Harrison’s nursery in pale blue and cream stripes, with contrasting dark brown furniture. In order to get those stripes just perfect, Julia says you need to plan it all out in advance. First, they measured from the floor to the section of the wall where we wanted to put the chair rail and drew a line in pencil. They painted below the line brown and above the line cream. Then they measured 10 inches apart and drew the lines in pencil using a vertical laser level. After taping up each section with paint tape, they painted every other stripe light blue. She suggests removed the tape before the paint dries too much, to prevent the paint from peeling. She would also carry around a paint swatch, so she could match other items, like bedding, while out shopping.

Reuse and Recycle

Kim and her husband wanted to stray away from the traditional, feminine room, and keep it feeling up-to-date.  They created an elegant, modern nursery for baby Maya, with the chandelier wall decal as the focal point.  The best part of all is that it doesn’t have to be expensive to be beautiful, Kim says. Many of the items in the room are made up of repurposed furniture or home-made items. An old Philadelphia library desk now hold Maya’s stuffed animals, an old TV stand became the changing table, and they put to use a second-hand bookcase that came from Dad’s family.

Silhouettes and Painted Designs

Lori and family live in a log house, and she wanted to keep the rustic feeling. Her favorite element in Noah’s room is the tree, which she painted freehand, adding little birds on the branches to give it that extra touch.  You don’t have to be artistic to do it too! If the thought of painting freehand intimidates you, find an image from a book or magazine and project it onto the wall.  Sketch a design, or trace an image you find on to a piece of paper, and get a transparency made at a copy shop. Use an overhead projector to display it on the wall you wish to paint, moving it farther or closer to get it the right size. Trace your design using a pencil, then paint inside the lines. You can do this by renting a projector that hooks up to your laptop.

All of the photos and decorating tips in this article are from Parents.com. Click here to see even more Real-Life Nurseries at Parents.com!