There are so many details that go into preparing a nursery for your little one.
It goes way beyond just picking a crib and a paint color!
Similar to a bed skirt, a crib skirt is one of these small details.
It’s simply a decorative strip of cloth that runs around the perimeter of the bed and hangs down to the floor.
Though a crib skirt is a simple idea, there’s more to it than room decor.
Let’s take a look at whether or not you should bother putting a crib skirt in your baby’s nursery.
Crib skirts add a nice aesthetic touch to any nursery. However, there are a few practical uses for crib skirts that maybe you hadn’t thought of, including protecting the bottom of your crib mattress and hiding under-crib storage.
However, crib skirts are not a “must-have” item, and could end up an unnecessary expense. Plus, they’re a pain to put on and take off for cleaning.
Let’s talk about the other benefits and drawbacks of adding a crib skirt to your nursery.
Benefits of a crib skirt
There are obvious benefits to having a crib skirt, and some benefits you may not have known about before.
Let’s take a look at the main advantages.
1. A crib skirt adds a nice touch to the decor
Does it seem like the baby’s room is missing something?
The simple addition of a crib skirt can instantly turn a nursery from “blah” to “huzzah!”
With a number of different options of colors, pleats, frills, and patterns, you can find just about anything to match what theme you already have going on in your nursery.
2. Crib skirts can hide unsightly box frames or bed legs
For cribs that have a funny-looking or worn frame or legs, a crib skirt is a great way to hide these imperfections.
Just make sure you buy a skirt that covers the bed to the bottom of the floor. If it’s too long or too short, it could look funny.
3. Crib skirts hide under-the-crib storage
Do you have a small space for a nursery? One good way to make some extra room is to utilize the space under the crib.
The problem is, it might look tacky to have storage bins visible to the rest of the room.
Crib skirts hide this area, making it functional yet aesthetically pleasing to hide that extra package of diapers under the crib.
4. A crib skirt can keep the space under the bed more clean
Crib and bed skirts are not just for visual appeal; they have practical uses too.
Did you know that a crib skirt can decrease the amount of dust and pests under the bed and in the box spring?
This is a highly desirable feature, as we all know that cleaning the space under the bed can be a pain.
5. Crib skirts can protect sheets and little fingers
One more functionality of a crib skirt is for protection purposes.
Crib mattresses usually rest on some sort of spring-based platform, which can be disastrous for little hands, as well as your nice and new crib sheets.
Putting a crib skirt on top of a the springs can prevent little fingers from getting pinched, and they can also keep your sheets from ripping or tearing.
Drawbacks of a crib skirt
If you’re already browsing online for your favorite crib skirt, wait a minute.
Read through these possible drawbacks of having a crib skirt in your nursery first to make sure you’ve thought through everything!
1. Crib skirts are not necessary
Even though crib skirts have some benefits, they are by no means necessary. Plenty of parents go without crib skirts in their babies’ nurseries, and their babies are no worse off!
Some cribs are not designed to accommodate a crib skirt.
For example, some cribs are designed simply, with a wooden bottom and a foam mattress on top.
Crib skirts are designed for crib mattresses, which look more like adult mattresses, and crib skirts won’t work for these simple types of cribs.
2. They can be expensive
The cheapest crib skirts are around $20, but some of the more quality crib skirts can be purchased for up to $100 or more.
That’s a lot of money for something you don’t necessarily need.
3. The material can get in the way of other tasks
While they have the benefit of hiding things stored under a crib, crib skirts can make getting to the storage under the crib difficult, especially if the things are small and not stored in a big bin.
If this is the case, you will have to stoop down, lift the skirt up with one hand, while trying to fish for the item with your other hand.
(Looking for a dropped pacifier under a crib with a skirt is an absolute nightmare.)
Another task that is difficult to accomplish when you have a crib skirt is cleaning. Try vacuuming around a crib skirt!
The skirt is very easily sucked into the vacuum, which could make your crib skirt very dirty and bring it off-kilter, causing a bunch of extra work for you.
4. They can be hard to get on and off
Installing or removing a crib skirt isn’t exactly brain surgery, but it’s kind of a pain in the butt!
The entire crib mattress will have to come out temporarily to get the skirt lined up properly.
If you really like the look of a crib skirt, you won’t mind the effort it takes to put one on and take it off when it needs to be cleaned.
If this sounds like a big chore to you (taking care of a baby is already a big chore!), you may want to think again about having a crib skirt.
Wrapping Up
The decision to add a crib skirt to your baby’s crib is a matter of personal preference.
Decide which pros or cons are most important to you, then you can easily make a decision.
For example, if you want vacuuming to be quick and easy, you might choose not to have a crib skirt.
But if you like the idea of storing things under the crib and hiding unsightly boxes, a crib skirt might be worth the hassle.
Whatever you decide, your nursery is sure to be functional and cute!
Before you go, check out:
- Should you put a ceiling fan in the nursery?
- Should you put a TV in the nursery?
- Should you put a daybed in the nursery?
Hope this helps!