My Baby Registry Checklist
How do you even begin to prepare to have a baby?
I remember being completely overwhelmed when Dan and I stepped foot in Target, with the scanner in hand, and tried to register for everything we thought we needed. I think we maybe registered for 15 items and then said “that’s it”. Not that those 15 items were all we needed, but we realized we didn’t have a clue what we needed.
I honestly thought we could just walk in and figure it out ourselves. Boy was I wrong! I realized that night in Target that I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when it came to having a baby and that babies needed a whole lot more than what I thought they did.
I ended up going online after we got home, looking at different “registry checklists” and ended up having a pretty comprehensive registry. Though what I wish I had was a practical registry guideline list. There were lists out there that had a crazy amount of things on them that I either:
A. Could never afford and…
B. Knew I did not need
Like with everything in life, what are the necessities? What are the things you can live without? With my registry list, trust me, there are plenty of things on there that you could live without. These are just the things that I found helpful.
Here is a link to my baby registry:
A few other things that I personally have found helpful:
- WubbaNubs – I know, it’s a weird word, but this pacifier has been a life-saver! If your child constantly loses their paci at night, throws it while in the car, or if it just plain gets lost, the WubbaNub is worth every penny! We even bought a spare in case our daughter lost hers! Plus, they come in the most adorable stuffed animals too!
- Buy used. I have found that babies grow out of clothes SO FAST. In fact, there were times when Mazy was only in clothes for a few weeks and I had to put them away. Buying clothes from garage sales has been so worth it, where I don’t feel guilty if she only wears it for a week.
- Beware of the “have to have it all” mentality. Already, I find myself seeing toys and thinking oh, Mazy should have that. Really? Does she really need it? Or is it ME that THINKS she needs it? You could spend a fortune on toys, clothes, and gadgets, but really, who is the one who needs them? If there is something I think we need, I first see if we can get it used (depending what it is) and try to not fulfill the instant gratification at the store, but try to find the best deal.
- You are in charge of what comes in and out of your home. If one thing comes in, one should go out. If you feel your house is getting cluttered, remember that you allowed those items to come in. I sometimes feel like our house is like a daycare center, but when it is all put away, I realize it is pretty manageable.
If you are pregnant and are looking to register, I hope you are not overwhelmed with everything there is to get, but excited about what this change will bring! Looking back, I had so much fun revamping our registry every week! It truly is a time to celebrate and enjoy!
