Skip These Items On Your Baby Checklist to Save Money

The Basement

May 9, 2018

After writing my last blog post about my son’s baby nursery reveal, it reminded me of preparing for my first baby. It was exciting, fun, dreamy, overwhelming, stressful, and confusing…I loved every second of it, but remember how picking the best/safest yet more economical products was a bit overwhelming. So I am sharing items you should cross off of your baby checklist. (And in my next blog post, I’ll share some items you should consider adding to it.)

Keep scrolling for baby checklist items.

 1. Baby Crib Set (or Baby Crib Blankets)

If SIDS scares the bleep out of you, you can cross crib blankets off your baby checklist. All you need in your crib is a snug mattress sheet. (Although the matching blanket is on the crib in the below photo, I definitely didn’t keep it there!)(And I did like my bed skirt, but it totally was not needed.)

Having extra blankets for playing with baby on the floor makes sense to me, but I used larger ones than the crib baby blanket. And we were gifted several handmade beautiful blankets made with love that I used to serve this purpose.

Nursery Room Decor For Baby Boy | Of Mountains and Earth2. A Fancy Crib

I did a ton of research on cribs. I wanted a wood crib that didn’t have:

  • Formaldehyde-filled MDF or particle boards
  • VOC off-gassing containing stains, glues or finishes

I ended up buying an expensive Land of Nod crib for my first that seemed to fit my requirements, but I should have just purchased the Sniglar crib from Ikea. I could have pocketed a few hundred dollars for retirement or college savings!

3. Crib Sheet Protector

My relatives raved about the Ultimate Crib Sheet Protector. Like, totally crazy raving. So I bought two, and I never used them. I didn’t understand them. They snaps confused me. I was never in a situation that I felt I needed the Ultimate Crib Sheet Protector. By not including these on your baby checklist, you could go out for a light dinner date with your spouse.

4. Wipes Warmer

Of course. Don’t even go there.

5. Bottle Drying Rack

I have a smaller, older home and counter space is precious to me. I skipped this item, and used my regular drying pad instead. No problems!

6. Hangers

If you’re having boys, you don’t need a ton of kiddo hangers. A dresser will store tee-shirts, everyday button-down shirts, sweaters, shorts, and pants better. I only hang a couple of nicer items…initially I imagined rows and rows of beautiful baby clothes, and then reality.

7. Bumbo Floor Seat

We were gifted a Bumbo Floor Seat, and it was another baby item that took up precious space and that I didn’t really get. (Nor did either of my babies.) I guess you can put a child in it and have them practice sitting up…but both of my boys preferred their play mat, rolling around, or exploring the world on their own.

There are a ton of items (smaller and larger) that are of this nature that your child will or will not love. A baby swing and a bouncer seat come to mind–proceed with caution when spending lots of money on these items. I would recommend borrowing from a friend if at all possible.

8. Baby Clothes

I loved looking at and buying baby clothes. And then clothes started to accumulate. We’ve been blessed to have grandmas who love to buy cute outfits for their grandbabies. We’ve been blessed to have relatives and friends send hand-me-downs our way. For me to spend much money on clothing for the boys is just silly.

9. Baby Shoes

They won’t stay on. Don’t go there.

FWIW, the best foot purchases we made (our the grandmas!) for our babes were these Acorn brand slippers and plain white socks by Hanes.

10. A Fancy Baby Mobile

I used an old mobile my mom had for my first and then I made one for the changing table area. My boys were fine with this, although I personally love this photo clip mobile that I hung for my second son.

Do you have any recommendations on items mamas and papas can cross of their baby checklist? Please share in the comments!

Skip these baby checklist items

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