You have just discovered you are pregnant, at last! Now reality sets in — Aunt Jane is knitting the booties and gran is already picking out the pram. You can't sit idle, you need to make room for an extra body in your home.

Those few months until the birth will fly by, and towards the end you won't feel like painting and decorating, so the time to get organised is now.

If you are decorating a nursery for your first baby, chances are you're a young couple living on a budget, probably in an apartment or your first 'starter' home.

Small space

So the small spare room (currently a repository for all your odds and ends that are hastily pushed aside when guests come to stay for a couple of days), or perhaps your treasured study/sewing/hobby room, has to change functions and become the showpiece of your home — the nursery.

You probably baulk at the thought of spending a seeming fortune on all those attractive baby necessities and furnishings you have begun noticing in the baby boutiques.

Never fear — it is possible to create a pretty, practical and safe (an important consideration!) nursery on a budget; and remember, you have several months to gather all you need.

Choose a theme

Once you have cleared the room in preparation for its new role, the first step is to decide on a theme.

Choose something basic that is likely to grow with your baby into toddler-hood; rather steer away from fads, like the current hit cartoon characters, that will quickly become outdated.

It is also a good idea to stay 'gender-neutral', because you don't yet know which sex your baby will be, and because you might need to recycle the room when baby number two comes along!

Classic fairytales, nursery rhymes, animal themes, the seaside and such like are safe enough.

Start here

Start with the walls. The temptation will be to rush out and buy that cute bunny or teddy wallpaper you saw at the local store, but remember, you and your child are likely to get tired of being surrounded by hundreds of cuddly teddies!

Rather go for painting the walls in a plain shade, and adding an attractive wallpaper border, top and bottom, to add interest and colour.

The border can be changed more cheaply and easily as baby grows and preferences change. Another option for adding interest to walls is to use stencilling — you can buy templates and get instructions from your local hardware store.

When it comes to choosing a wall colour, go for something soothing, clean and fresh. If you want primary colours, choose sunny yellow for the walls rather than an angry red or jarring orange. Pastels would be my preference — but bear your overall theme in mind.

Choosing the paint

When choosing paint make sure all your varnishes and paints are non-toxic, if in doubt, ask your dealer.

When painting out a baby's room, especially in an old house or building which may have layers of old paint (which could be lead-based) under the new, it is best to rub the walls down and make sure all debris is removed, before repainting with a primer and undercoat.

Once the walls are painted and decorated with stencils, borders and/or murals, it should be looking more like a nursery!

The floor essentials

Next thing to consider is what is on the floor.

If you are retaining existing carpeting, make sure it is professionally cleaned well before baby arrives. In fact, all painting, cleaning and decorating in the nursery should be finished at least a month before baby moves in, to ensure the room is aired out and free of any lingering chemicals and odours.

If your budget stretches to new flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting remains a popular choice because it is warm and comfortable, however choose a practical synthetic variety that has been treated with stain protector.

Also attractive and warm are laminated wooden floors. You can soften these with colourful rugs, but make sure rugs are kept in place with a non-slip backing. If you opt for vinyl or tiles, warm up with secured rugs.

Windows and lighting

Now consider windows and lighting. Window treatments are especially important, because you have to consider not only the colour, style and pattern, but also safety features and 'black out' function (baby will be napping during the day, and you will need to eliminate any glaring disturbances).

Avoid long drapes that extend down to the floor as these will cause problems when your newborn grows into a crawler and eventually learns to walk.

Instead go for blinds (and here watch the cord hardware, which can also be a hazard), or shorter curtains.

Be especially careful about curtain hardware if baby's cot or changing table is going to be placed near the window. Keep lower draperies to a minimum, and pretty up the window with pelmets, cornice boxes or valances at the top instead.

When it comes to lighting the nursery needs at least one overhead light, or a few recessed lights, with a dimmer switch to vary the intensity of lighting so you can see what you are doing in the wee hours.

Never use a floor lamp, which can be easily knocked or pulled over. If you like you can buy an attractive night-light to fit in with your theme, or use a table lamp with a low wattage bulb and a shade to match the curtain fabric.

The furniture

Now comes the fun part — the furniture! First thought will be a cot, and here the options are dictated by your budget.

I would advise against investing in a pretty beribboned 'bassinet', which your baby will outgrow in a few weeks (you could always borrow one, of course). A good, old-fashioned sturdy cot is fine — secondhand if you like (but in this case of course it must be stripped of its old paint and revarnished or painted, and fitted with a new mattress).

If you can afford it, invest in one of those crib or bed affairs on the market which can be turned from a cot into a toddler-sized bed when the time comes for graduation.

If you are worried about your tiny newborn being 'lost' in a seemingly too large cot at first, put him/her to sleep in a carry-cot inside the cot.

When choosing a cot think of safety first — make sure the slats are no more than 60mm apart; that no slats are missing or cracked; that the mattress fits snugly; that there are no cutouts in the footboard or headboard where a little head could be trapped; that the drop-side latches work properly and are secure; that all screws and bolts are tight and are not protruding anywhere they might injure the baby.

The compactum

It is not necessary to buy an expensive 'compactum' (a unit consisting of a chest of drawers with a recessed baby bath and sponge changing mat on the top).

I made do with an old table. Stick vinyl-covered foam on the top to provide a soft surface for changing and dressing baby, and store the necessaries close at hand (you should never have to leave baby unattended on the table) in inexpensive plastic vegetable racks in the space underneath.

A shelf on the wall above the changing table is also useful, as well as a hook on which to hang a 'nappy hanger'.

Hang a mobile above the changing table to keep baby happy while you do the necessary (be creative and try making your own).

You will also need a comfortable chair (look for a rocking chair in the secondhand shops and add some colourful cushions) in which to sit and feed or cuddle baby.

If you can't afford an extra chair, 'borrow' a comfy chair from elsewhere in the house and cover it in slip covers to match the nursery décor. It is useful to have a small table alongside the chair on which to deposit bottles, dummies, and other necessities.

Other vital items in the nursery are a laundry basket or box (with a lid that prevents odours permeating the room), and of course storage for baby's clothes.

If the room has no built in cupboard, buy a small wardrobe which will see junior through for a few years. You could also add a toy box (a plain pine box that you can decorate yourself to match the theme is a good idea) — or simply store toys in colourful plastic baskets.

A wall clock is also useful to keep a check on feeding and other schedules — don't get one that ticks too loudly, though.

Enjoy your bundle of joy!