Even unfurnished rented accommodation is likely to need flooring. But whatever the level of furnishing, the choice is important. Landlords will want to choose durable items but also those that will add to the attractiveness of their properties. They must also be sure to comply with safety and other regulations.

Upholstered furniture made before 1988 may contain foam that is capable of engulfing a room within seconds with toxic fumes. Since then only much

safer materials may be used for both filling and covering furnishings. And since 1997, it has been a legal requirement that all upholstered furniture provided in furnished lettings must meet with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

The requirement applies to domestic items of furniture only, and includes items such as: beds, mattresses, headboards, sofa-beds, futons, pillows, nursery furniture, cushions, sofas, easy chairs, garden furniture which is used indoors, and seat pads and coverings (including those supplied with cane furniture). Items that do not fall under these regulations include: curtains, carpets, sleeping bags, bed-clothes (including duvets), loose covers for mattresses, and pillowcases. These may come under the General Product Safety Regulations 1994 which implemented the EU directive on general product safety and require no product intended for general consumers may be placed on the market unless it is safe (although the regulations do not apply to second hand products which are antiques).

Furniture brought new after 1988 should be labelled to indicate that it complies with the furniture and furnishings regulations. This will include a display label at the point of sale, and also a permanent label attached to each individual item of furniture.

Labelling is primarily the responsibility of the manufacturer, but also of the retailer. Since 1993 it has been illegal to sell second hand furniture that does not comply - with the exception of antique furniture (or any furniture) manufactured before 1950. If a landlord cannot provide proof that furniture complies, a tenant may request that the items are replaced. For their part, landlords have the right to refuse to allow tenants to use their own furniture if it does not meet the legal requirements.

The Department of Trade and Industry advises anyone letting out a property to contact their local Trading Standards department for advice. Trading Standards department have powers of entry into rented accommodation, and a landlord can face a maximum penalty of 5,000 pounds, and/or six months' imprisonment, if found guilty of failing to comply with the regulations. Additionally, property insurance may become invalid, leaving a landlord personally liable for potentially huge sums of money.

A good rule of thumb with regards to furnishings is to provide less rather than more. However, for a furnished property, the landlord must ensure that the furnishings are adequate for the purpose of living, from the day that the tenant moves in. Rooms on which a landlord should focus particular attention are the bathroom (including a shower if possible) and kitchen. Bedrooms should be kept simple and inoffensive. If furnished, it is best to select plain, neutral and simple, yet sturdy, items of furniture since these will appeal to the widest range of people.

Any landlord intending to let to the professional market should aim to fit out and furnish to high quality. Furnishings should also be chosen to suit the property. For example, a luxurious house might be considered incomplete without a tumble dryer and dishwasher. Although electrical items such as these will add to the rental value of a property, they also provide potential worries since they can break down unpredictably.

The general rule is that the more upmarket the furnishings and fittings, the greater the likelihood of attracting more discerning tenants. This will hopefully help ensure the property is treated better than otherwise might be the case. Better furnishings also help minimise periods between lettings.

Furnishing property with second hand furniture may seem like a money saving option, but the cheapest option is not always the best. Items can often be below legal requirements, they might not stand the test of time and they can also look shabby, putting off potential tenants. If a property is to be furnished with second hand furniture, landlords are advised not to leave anything of great sentimental value to themselves. Such items will not have the same emotional significance to the tenant, and so may not be treated as carefully. It is also not wise to leave anything of great financial value in the property, as damage and theft do occur.

But in any case an inventory listing all contents to be used by tenant should be compiled, noting the condition of each item of significance. Tenants should be required to sign the inventory and both tenant and landlord should hold a copy. Without such safeguards, it will be impossible for the landlord to prove any loss or damage to the property or the furnishings.

If anything supplied by a landlord breaks down it is his or her obligation to have it repaired. So it might seem that letting property unfurnished will involve fewer complications. The fewer items in the property that can go wrong, the fewer the potential problems.

But market demand has to be taken into account and many landlords find there is more call for furnished accommodation - and rent levels will be higher as a result. And even an unfurnished will normally require carpets, curtains and a cooker.

Landlords who prefer not to have to deal with the details of furnishing, or who want to offer the choice of furnished or unfurnished accommodation can use one of the specialist furnishing companies offering packages to landlords.

There are other advantages in using a specialist company, including being able to tap into its knowledge of the current market, and expertise in creating the most modern look available.

Some property style consultants provide an affordable alternative to interior designers. Using a contract furnishing service can relieve the client of both the time and financial pressure of having to research, shop, deliver and install all interior furnishings and fittings.

Presentation is key. In today's property market, making your property irresistible to potential renters is the key to a quick turnaround. The days of renting a property with shabby, old and unusable furnishings and fittings are over. Potential renters will simply go to the next property with its new, clean and fully functional interior and even be willing to pay a little more.

Contract furnishers analyse consumer trends and provide durable, comfortable and stylish solutions for both clients and consequently their end users. The service also takes into account all current health and safety regulations. Clients should think of the service as a one stop shop for their entire interior furnishing needs, providing a bespoke solution and adding value to their property.

Often, contract furnishers have complete furniture packages in stock and ready to deliver, therefore making the property ready for rental much sooner when compared to most high street retail lead times. The client should determine budgets and timeframes beforehand. If a contract furnisher is willing and able to work within that predetermined budget and timeframe, there will be no hidden extras and therefore no surprises. The client can therefore relax, safe in the knowledge that their property will be completed and ready for occupancy at that agreed price and on that agreed day. Reputable contract furnishers form solid business relationships with reputable suppliers and deal in bulk purchases, thus saving money and passing on those savings to their clients.

	Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman Cushion, Cherry Wood and Beige Corduroy List Price: $199.00 Sale Price: $135.99
	A must-have for new moms, this Hoop Glider is perfect for rocking baby to sleep in the wee hours of the night. Glider features solid wood construction with metal, enclosed ball bearings for a smooth gliding motion...

	Room Magic Nursery Set, Magic Garden Chocolate List Price: $1,498.00 Sale Price: $1,031.32
	Babies will love our Heart Throb Nursery Group with its graphic swirls of multi-colored hearts on the fabrics. Made in French colonial style with solid hardwood with a white finish, the set includes 5-Drawer Chest, removable heart shaped changing table tray, Crib/Toddler Bed, coordinating crib bedding set, changing pad cover...

	Stork Craft Tuscany Glider and Ottoman, Espresso/Beige List Price: $299.00 Sale Price: $187.00
	After a hectic day, put your feet up and relax on Stork Craft's Tuscany Glider & Ottoman. The incredibly smooth gliding motion of this chair will lull you into the tranquil state you've been dreaming of...

	Atlantic Furniture Eco-Friendly Richmond Convertible Crib, White List Price: $420.00 Sale Price: $365.95

	Graco Avalon Glider with Ottoman, Espresso List Price: $229.99 Sale Price: $169.00
	The Avalon Glider Ottoman provides maximum comfort and style at an exceptional value. The generous seat area with high density foam cushions and padded arms provide amazing comfort while the deluxe steel ball bearings provide an exceptionally long and smooth glide motion...

	Munchkin Baby Care Cart List Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $19.76
	This rolling organizer helps you keep all your baby essentials organized and at your fingertips. The top storage area keeps frequently used items within easy reach. Four large storage bins provide ample space for diapers, wipes, blankets and towels...

	Pam Grace Creations Pam's Petals Rug, Pink List Price: $34.99 Sale Price: $29.95
	R-PETALSP Features: -Pam's Petals collection. -Color: Pink. -An adorable flower petal. -It will look just beautiful next to the coordinating Pam's Petals 10 piece Baby Bedding Set. -Non slip back. -Machine washable...

	Fisher-Price So Many Surprises Baby Dora Nursery List Price: $27.99 Sale Price: $9.00

	Fantasy Furniture Princess Chaise, Pink List Price: $149.00 Sale Price: $124.27

Oh the stuff little babies need.  It’s really quite shocking.  Unfortunately, it’s essential to have enough baby items like diapers and wipes at hand so you’re not caught without important items needed to combat those unexpected baby accidents like late night dirty diapers.  It’s no wonder that most nurseries get a little cluttered with all the baby bedding, toys, diapers, clothes and more that babies require.  Plus, with the new parent responsibilities it can be quite a challenge to get time to get organized. That’s why we’ve provided you with some simple solutions to your storage needs that will help keep your baby’s nursery clutter-free.

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To the shock of most new parents, babies have tons of stuff.  Adding to this, is the parents need to stock up and not run out of their babies things because not having a diaper or a wipe at an imperative time can be very unpleasant.  This is especially true when it’s in the middle of the night!  With tiny clothes, hats, diaper potions and lotions, books, toys, and baby bedding, it’s very easy for a nursery to begin to look cluttered.  These are spaces that we as parents need to have organized, but it’s difficult with a new addition taking up most of your time.  We have provided some storage solutions that will keep you ahead of the game and make things much neater.

Create a Plan

It’s advisable that before you buy one item in your nursery, that you first measure and plan how the basic pieces are going to be placed.  Once you have a general idea where the main items like the crib, dresser, or glider will be, you can then fit the remaining space for storage and organization.  Those three pieces take up a lot more room than you expect so plan accordingly.  If your nursery is on the small side, try to find pieces that have additional storage built in to these pieces or can be added.

Closet

The thought of transforming a closet into a custom-built organization station can be overwhelming!  Surprisingly it’s not as difficult as parents think.  To save money, you can do most of the work yourself.  You can double or triple the hanging rods on one side making most of the hanging space multi-leveled.  Be sure to use hanging rods that can be easily removed or adjusted since in about 3 or 4 years their clothes will begin to get too long.  On the other side of the closet, install cubbies, shelves with baskets or bins, drawers, or even place a highboy dresser in there.  This is the perfect spot for baby shoes, socks, baby blankets and bedding, and extra diapers, so you can keep items you use frequently like onsies, ointments and lotions, and wipes near the crib.

Below the Crib

There a couple of ways to use the space below the crib as storage.  Placing a crib skirt that covers this area and putting canvas or sturdy and safe material bins underneath the crib is a great way to store baby sheets and baby bedding an other items such as pillows, quilts and stuffed toys that you will want to remove when your baby sleeps, but put back as decoration when the crib is unoccupied. Cribs with drawers are available today and can be extremely helpful for bulky items like baby bedding. You can place intersecting slats in the drawer for more organize-friendly smaller spaces.

Benches and Window Seats

Options for these have really taken off as of late.  You can buy or build either a bench or a window seat and have plenty of ways to store and organize accessories.  The basic window seat has a large storage space below for big items like baby bedding, toys, and books.  Create even more organization by adding hooks, shelves, cubbies, or cabinets above the window seat and create a nice reading area, lighting display, and precious keepsakes.  Store baskets or bins below a bench for added storage or buy a bench with storage included.  Attach rollers onto the bottom to make the bench mobile and sew fabric pockets on the sides to create more fun space for toys or stuffed animals.

Walls

The nursery walls can be the most safe and handy places for organization.  If placed at the correct height and not within reach of your baby while she’s in the crib, you can make a storage and display empire that looks great and helps conceal clutter.  Cubbies or shelving with bins is a great solution for diapers and creams.   Attach a mini curtain on a cubby to break up the monotony and add a fun pattern or color to the mix.  Hooks are perfect for jackets or diaper bags, or even hanging pictures in a safe way.  Stacking on top of each other or mixing and matching different pieces gives you the ultimate options and can look like the area was professionally designed.

To the shock of most new parents, babies have tons of stuff.  Adding to this, is the parents need to stock up and not run out of their babies things because not having a diaper or a wipe at an imperative time can be very unpleasant.  This is especially true when it’s in the middle of the night!  With tiny clothes, hats, diaper potions and lotions, books, toys, and baby bedding, it’s very easy for a nursery to begin to look cluttered.  These are spaces that we as parents need to have organized, but it’s difficult with a new addition taking up most of your time.  We have provided some storage solutions that will keep you ahead of the game and make things much neater.

Create a Plan

It’s advisable that before you buy one item in your nursery, that you first measure and plan how the basic pieces are going to be placed.  Once you have a general idea where the main items like the crib, dresser, or glider will be, you can then fit the remaining space for storage and organization.  Those three pieces take up a lot more room than you expect so plan accordingly.  If your nursery is on the small side, try to find pieces that have additional storage built in to these pieces or can be added.

Closet

The thought of transforming a closet into a custom-built organization station can be overwhelming!  Surprisingly it’s not as difficult as parents think.  To save money, you can do most of the work yourself.  You can double or triple the hanging rods on one side making most of the hanging space multi-leveled.  Be sure to use hanging rods that can be easily removed or adjusted since in about 3 or 4 years their clothes will begin to get too long.  On the other side of the closet, install cubbies, shelves with baskets or bins, drawers, or even place a highboy dresser in there.  This is the perfect spot for baby shoes, socks, baby blankets and bedding, and extra diapers, so you can keep items you use frequently like onsies, ointments and lotions, and wipes near the crib.

Below the Crib

There a couple of ways to use the space below the crib as storage.  Placing a crib skirt that covers this area and putting canvas or sturdy and safe material bins underneath the crib is a great way to store baby sheets and baby bedding an other items such as pillows, quilts and stuffed toys that you will want to remove when your baby sleeps, but put back as decoration when the crib is unoccupied. Cribs with drawers are available today and can be extremely helpful for bulky items like baby bedding. You can place intersecting slats in the drawer for more organize-friendly smaller spaces.

Benches and Window Seats

Options for these have really taken off as of late.  You can buy or build either a bench or a window seat and have plenty of ways to store and organize accessories.  The basic window seat has a large storage space below for big items like baby bedding, toys, and books.  Create even more organization by adding hooks, shelves, cubbies, or cabinets above the window seat and create a nice reading area, lighting display, and precious keepsakes.  Store baskets or bins below a bench for added storage or buy a bench with storage included.  Attach rollers onto the bottom to make the bench mobile and sew fabric pockets on the sides to create more fun space for toys or stuffed animals.

Walls

The nursery walls can be the most safe and handy places for organization.  If placed at the correct height and not within reach of your baby while she’s in the crib, you can make a storage and display empire that looks great and helps conceal clutter.  Cubbies or shelving with bins is a great solution for diapers and creams.   Attach a mini curtain on a cubby to break up the monotony and add a fun pattern or color to the mix.  Hooks are perfect for jackets or diaper bags, or even hanging pictures in a safe way.  Stacking on top of each other or mixing and matching different pieces gives you the ultimate options and can look like the area was professionally designed.

	Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman Cushion, Cherry Wood and Beige Corduroy List Price: $199.00 Sale Price: $135.99
	A must-have for new moms, this Hoop Glider is perfect for rocking baby to sleep in the wee hours of the night. Glider features solid wood construction with metal, enclosed ball bearings for a smooth gliding motion...

	Room Magic Nursery Set, Magic Garden Chocolate List Price: $1,498.00 Sale Price: $1,031.32
	Babies will love our Heart Throb Nursery Group with its graphic swirls of multi-colored hearts on the fabrics. Made in French colonial style with solid hardwood with a white finish, the set includes 5-Drawer Chest, removable heart shaped changing table tray, Crib/Toddler Bed, coordinating crib bedding set, changing pad cover...

	Stork Craft Tuscany Glider and Ottoman, Espresso/Beige List Price: $299.00 Sale Price: $187.00
	After a hectic day, put your feet up and relax on Stork Craft's Tuscany Glider & Ottoman. The incredibly smooth gliding motion of this chair will lull you into the tranquil state you've been dreaming of...

	Atlantic Furniture Eco-Friendly Richmond Convertible Crib, White List Price: $420.00 Sale Price: $365.95

	Graco Avalon Glider with Ottoman, Espresso List Price: $229.99 Sale Price: $169.00
	The Avalon Glider Ottoman provides maximum comfort and style at an exceptional value. The generous seat area with high density foam cushions and padded arms provide amazing comfort while the deluxe steel ball bearings provide an exceptionally long and smooth glide motion...

	Munchkin Baby Care Cart List Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $19.76
	This rolling organizer helps you keep all your baby essentials organized and at your fingertips. The top storage area keeps frequently used items within easy reach. Four large storage bins provide ample space for diapers, wipes, blankets and towels...

	Pam Grace Creations Pam's Petals Rug, Pink List Price: $34.99 Sale Price: $29.95
	R-PETALSP Features: -Pam's Petals collection. -Color: Pink. -An adorable flower petal. -It will look just beautiful next to the coordinating Pam's Petals 10 piece Baby Bedding Set. -Non slip back. -Machine washable...

	Fisher-Price So Many Surprises Baby Dora Nursery List Price: $27.99 Sale Price: $9.00

	Fantasy Furniture Princess Chaise, Pink List Price: $149.00 Sale Price: $124.27