Nesting

As I focus more on the steps to become a mom through adoption, I'm thinking more about how attractive, functional, and cozy my home would be for a child. I guess there are two levels of home improvement: one, what the adoption agency requires me to do before placement; and two, what feels comfortable and livable for me if a child is placed in my home. Here are some thoughts that are nagging at me, in terms of home cleaning and improvement, below. * To put this in context, I have never been someone who thought a lot about home decor and improvement. I do like the house to have some nice aesthetic elements and be kept relatively clean, but beyond that, I'm like, "meh."

• Getting the shag living room rug and other rugs professionally cleaned.
• Getting the last few bins and boxes out of my bedroom. These are an example of how I can get used to a situation that isn't great because it seems like too much trouble to change it, and it isn't a priority.
• Finding a vanity table and chair at an antique store or on Cr@igslist. I've been meaning to do this for some time, and it would definitely be a big help to the look of my bedroom, providing a place, other than on top of a large plastic bin, for me to keep my makeup, hair ties, and perfume, etc.
• Doing something in the bathroom... I'm limited there because what would be ideal is to have the tile shelving, which is obviously quite old and coming apart in places, redone or removed. Whoever had that idea was a little bonkers. Small tile shelving? Water and grout? Makes no sense. Sooo, yeah, in lieu of that, I think maybe a tray on the shelf with an inch or two edge for the bottles and maybe a hand towel underneath with edge to set razors (it's a high shelf)? Something that feels more functional and effective. Any other ideas would be much appreciated. I guess I'd need a bin for bath toys, too!
• I'd like to clean the couch. It's that faux suede type fabric and I know there are furniture cleaners made for that.
• If I got really ambitious, I would re-stain or paint my wood dining room table and chairs.

Then, there are specifically child-focused furniture and items I would like to bring into the home, such as:

• Child's dresser and wardrobe
• Child-size table and chairs
• Child's bookshelf
• Mobile and art... considering themes, if I chose hippos, I would already have several cute items since I collected hippos for many years. Other ideas: the mountain forest (think evergreen trees and Bambi animals :); Babaar (I loved those books and have lots of elephants from my Grammy's collection); or the circus... what do you think? I like interesting and colorful themes.
• Other needed furniture and home equipment, depending on age of child, including a changing table, crib, bouncy swing and/or rolling baby walker.

I'm really lucky in that my sister and brother have had four kids between them, and I know there would be hand-me-downs coming my way in the form of furniture, clothes, and toys.

I guess you could say I am starting to enter "nesting" mode, which is brand new for me! I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it's exciting to think about. When I schedule the meeting here with the social worker, I imagine that will launch me into gear to do more of these things asap. Fingers crossed. What was your nesting experience, and when did it hit you?