Decorating a room with new style, paint, and furniture can be incredibly fun. However, when you’re decorating the nursery of your newborn or soon-to-be newborn, there are some ideas you need to consider and some to take off the table immediately.

Because your baby’s nursery is going to be the place where they’ll sleep and play between diaper changes, their nursery needs to be as comfortable for them as possible as well as pretty enough for you not to wince when you open the door. Therefore, keep some of these nursery choices in mind when you begin to finally set up your newborn’s room.

Pick the Right Color

Going gender-neutral with your nursery’s color palette can be a great idea, but only if you choose the right palette. While we may associate the color yellow with joy and sunshine, too much yellow can strain on the eyes and cause irritable behavior. Additionally, because yellow is often a daytime-color, it can make it difficult for your baby to fall asleep. Try using softer colors such as powder blue, grey, or lavender which are more gentle on the eyes and can keep a room from feeling too bold when decor is added.

Choose Softer-Looking Wall Art

Children can have a wild sense of imagination when it comes to fears because they haven’t come to learn what’s threatening to them and what isn’t. For instance, a child is afraid of thunder because of the loud sound it creates and will continue to be afraid until they are old enough to understand why it happens. Therefore, choose wall decor in your child’s nursery that doesn’t play to their fearful imagination. If you’re using trees in your designs, be sure they’re fluffy-looking with leaves rather than scraggly with reaching branches that may appear threatening to your baby in the dark as they get older and develop object permanence.

Use Heavy Curtains

Babies sleep a lot, but in order for them (and you) to get the sleep they need, their nursery needs to mimic the lighting of night at any given time. Use heavy curtains or window shade to block out any daylight and be sure to have your baby’s crib away from where they can see the sun. Just like how adults can trick their sleep cycle by leaving a light on in order to work even after the sun goes down, a baby’s sleep cycle can be tricked by turning the lights off.

Use the Right Baby Crib Sheet

When choosing a baby crib sheet, be sure to choose a fitted crib sheet in order to keep your newborn safe from the threat of suffocation, which can happen in the case of loose sheets. Additionally, utilize waterproof fitted sheets and pillowcases. You may have the greatest diapers on hand, but something can always go wrong resulting in either a number of washes or having to buy a new set of sheets altogether. A waterproof sheet will last you from early childhood up until their toddler years when they begin potty-training — 15% of potty-trained children will continue to wet the bed up until age five. In addition, the hypoallergenic nature of a waterproof baby crib sheet will keep your child safe from any skin-irritation that may result from summer heat.

It’s important for the sake of your baby’s rest as well as yours that their nursery is as comfortable as possible. Use soft colors, soft-looking decor, and soft waterproof crib sheets to ensure your newborn is easily settled in their new room and ensure that you yourself get some well-needed sleep.