*Our first bundle of joy in our tiny but charming studio apartment.*

Creating a baby registry is one of the most fun and most daunting parts of preparing for a baby. I vividly remember feeling overwhelmed with options when putting together my first registry — it felt like so much stuff, despite my trying to keep it simple and minimal.

Here’s the thing about preparing for a baby’s arrival: you’re bringing a whole other person into your home. Adding a tiny roommate, if you will. And like all roommates, they’ll need some stuff!

The wonderful thing about baby products nowadays is that there are so many styles to choose from, so you’ve got a pretty good chance of finding a product you like or that aligns with your values. Personally, I’m all about the neutral and natural material baby gear trend that’s become popular in recent years. Our first kiddo, Izzy, was born while we lived in a studio apartment so it was important to me and my husband that our tiny home didn’t end up looking like a daycare. We moved into a two-bedroom duplex this year, so although we have some more space to work with, we’re still keeping our minimal approach to keep our home (and ourselves) from drowning in stuff.

REGISTRY TIPS

Before I jump in, I want to quickly offer a couple of tips when registering for a baby:

Make multiple registries
Although it might sound like a waste of time, sites like Amazon, Target, BuyBuyBaby and Babylist will offer you a completion discount as you approach your due/expecting date. The discount is usually something around 15%, which is awesome, especially when you’ve got big-ticket items like a stroller or car seat on your list!
Ask for what you want
If you’re like me, you might have a little bit of trouble adding pricier items to your registry list. It might feel like too big of an ask. But here’s the truth: your family or friends might all chip in to buy you the stroller of your dreams! Or they’ll give you gift cards to help offset the cost. “Worst” case scenario, you can use your registry completion discount on the expensive gear. We bought our Uppababy Cruz stroller with our registry discount and with lots of gift cards our friends and family generously gave us. It was something we really, really wanted and was totally worth the investment. All that to say, ask for the items you want!

a minimal baby registry

This list is a compilation of what I registered for the first time around, what we ended up buying after our firstborn, plus the items I knew I wanted for our second baby. I focused our registries on covering the first six months of needs, though some items are things we’re still using years later! Everything is broken down by category to keep it simple.

ON THE GO BABY GEAR

Car Seat — Whether you opt for a convertible or an infant car seat, this is an absolute necessity. Because babies sleep so much, I really liked having an infant car seat that I could pop in and out of the car without risking my baby waking up in the transfer out of the car. We picked one from Maxi Cosi that was compatible with our Uppababy stroller and loved it for our first two kids, but finally opted for the Uppababy Mesa infant seat with our third child. My biggest recommendation after three kids is to buy a travel system from one brand, if possible. Adapters are great, but the convenience of not having to worry about adapters was wonderful and made me wish I had gone with the Uppababy car seat from the start. We got about a year of use out of the infant car seat before purchasing a convertible one to grow with our kids. If you have two cars, my extra tip is to get two car seat bases (or two convertible car seats) so you don’t have to worry about properly installing the car seat whenever you switch vehicles.

Stroller— We registered for and bought our Uppababy Cruz stroller with lots of Amazon gift cards, and honestly, it was worth every penny! I wrote a review of our Uppababy stroller four years later because I truly love it and have sung its praises to all my mama friends. If you’re able, I highly recommend going to a store like Nordstrom and testing out the strollers you have your eye on. It can be helpful to get a feel for how wide the stroller is, how heavy it is, and if it maneuvers well in a store. A stroller is something you’ll use a lot in the first years, so this is a place to invest, in my opinion. Something I wish we had considered is opting for a double stroller from the get-go. We always knew we wanted to have our kids relatively close in age, so I wish we had opted for the Uppababy Vista back then. If you also know you’ll want your kiddos close in age, I’d recommend buying a double stroller the first time around so you don’t have to upgrade later.

Diaper Backpack— I can’t recommend a diaper backpack enough! Opt for one that keeps its shape well and that isn’t too, too big. I love leather backpacks as diaper bags because of their lasting quality. Also! Don’t feel like you have to get a diaper backpack from a brand specializing in baby products. I’ve found that even an inexpensive backpack works really well as a diaper bag! It just needs to be able to hold the essentials.

Changing Mat — An easy-to-clean changing mat that won’t stain at the first blowout is a must! I can’t recommend the changing pads from Gathre enough. They have a cult internet following for a reason. Not only are they super functional, they’re also just so pretty. I love the color options of these mats, but more importantly, I love how easy they are to clean. I opted for the Micro+ size and it’s been a great purchase. I still use my mat every day for diaper changes with my toddler.

Ring Sling — I love baby wearing, and I especially love ring slings because of how quickly you can get a baby settled into one. I used the same Wildbird ring sling with all three of my children; that’s how wonderful the quality is! There is a learning curve to the ring sling, but once I got the hang of it, it was awesome. I also like how a sling can function as a nursing cover or extra blanket in a pinch!

Backpack-Style Carrier — Similar to the ring sling, but with a little less of a learning curve. I registered for the Sakura Bloom Scout carrier when I was pregnant with my third child because I wanted something for longer carries. The Scout carrier is worth every single penny. From hiking in Muir Woods to carrying a sleeping toddler in Disneyland, to giving Trader Joe’s grocery runs, it’s hands down my favorite carrier! A more affordable version that I’ve heard excellent reviews about from close friends is the WildBird Aerial carrier, and there’s always the classic Ergobaby carriers!

BABY CLOTHES

How many clothes you register for will one hundred percent depend on your laundry situation.

If you have laundry in your home, you can probably get away with fewer clothes than what I’m suggesting, but if you don’t, my tip is to have at least two outfits per day and night to account for spit-up and blowouts. When we lived in our studio, laundry happened about once a week, so we had at least 14 outfits and sleepers to make sure we didn’t run out of clothes midweek!

7-14 Bodysuits — The season will affect whether you want more short-sleeved or long-sleeved bodysuits, but it’s always a good idea to have a mix! I especially love the wrapover bodysuit style because it’s so much easier to get them on (and off) of baby.

7-14 Leggings — Again, depending on the season, you’ll want more pants than shorts or vice versa. But it’s a good idea to get a few neutral bottoms that will go with any of the bodysuits you have.

2 Cardigans — Newborns can’t quite regulate their body temperature so I’ve found having a few cardigans for layering helpful for managing temperature changes between the outdoors and indoors.

3 Bonnets — It took me a while to come around to the utter cuteness that is a baby in a bonnet! Choose a brimmed one for sunnier days and a wool or knit one for cooler weather.

2 Booties — To be perfectly honest, I think Izzy went barefoot for a lot of his first six months because he was a spring baby. Socks were nice to have on hand but weren’t necessary during the hot summer months. I used these fleece booties for my girls during the winter since they were both born in September.

7-14 Sleepers — Opt for sleepers that have zippers vs buttons! Take it from someone who spent way too many drowsy nights attempting and reattempting to align snaps at 3 AM. The fewer buttons to deal with in the wee hours of the night, the better. We only had one sleeping gown for our son, but this time we have several baby gowns for our little girl. I have a feeling these will be a game changer since there won’t even be a zipper to undo for those middle-of-the-night changes! Footed pajama-style clothes are also my favorite for newborns because they’re so soft and comfy. As cute as baby clothes can be, I’ve found that the less fussy the clothes are, the better my day goes.

SLEEP

Crib — We opted for the Babyletto Gelato Mini Crib because we were living in such a tiny space when I first got pregnant, and I’m excited to be using it again for baby #2! We shared a room with our son until he was two (not for any reason other than we lived in a studio, then a one-bedroom apartment), and having a smaller crib was really helpful for our small space life. If I’d known about the Stokke Crib back then, I would have invested in it so we could have a long-term bed for our son.

Crib Mattress — After doing some research, I landed on this mini crib mattress from LA Baby, and it’s held up remarkably well, especially considering how affordable it is.

4 Crib Sheets — If you’re looking for simple mini crib sheets, I can’t recommend the ones from TL Care enough. They have a good variety of colors, they’re easy to care for, hold up well in the wash, and they offer mini and standard crib sizes.

Sound Machine/Night Light — One of the things I thought we could get away with not having was a sound machine. I was wrong. We quickly realized that living in an old apartment in the heart of a city meant we absolutely needed something to drown out the train and sirens, and occasionally loud neighbors. We ended up buying the Hatch Rest light for Izzy and use one to this day. We did have to buy a newer generation by our third child, but the Hatch is worth it, in my opinion!

NURSING & FEEDING

5-7 Nursing Bras — If you plan on nursing, you’ll need a stash of nursing bras. I love the crossover style of nursing bra because there are no clips, plus they’re comfortable enough to lounge or sleep in during those first weeks at home. Eventually, I opted for bralettes from True and Co that aren’t technically nursing bras but still worked well for nursing.

Milk Savers— Something I was not fully prepared for was how much I would leak during the first month or so of nursing! I wish I’d known about milk savers with my first, but I’ll definitely be trying them out this time. The concept is amazing: Stick the silicone milk catchers on the side you’re not nursing from, and it collects the milk that inevitably leaks during letdown. It’s an easy way to add to a breast milk stash without doing a ton of work.

10 Nursing Pads — For the leaks that happen in between nursing sessions, I like reusable pads. They’re more comfortable, more discreet, and (bonus!) better for the environment. Five pairs is probably a good amount to start with to save your tops.

Silver Nursing Cups — I can’t explain why or how these work, but they work!

Nursing Pillow + 2 Covers — I realized how helpful a nursing pillow was after visiting with a lactation consultant. My initial plan was to use my vast collection of throw pillows, but there’s something to be said about nursing pillows, whether it’s the My Brest Friend or the Boppy. I opted for the Boppy because I could also use it to help with tummy time and to prop Izzy up as he learned to sit, but the My Brest Friend is way more sturdy and supportive. I received a new cover for my Boppy this time.

8-10 Burp Cloths — After a feeding comes the burping and usually, some spit up. You can use extra muslin or flannel swaddles as burp cloths, but I liked having dedicated burp cloths. We used burp cloths from Comfy Cubs. I’m currently obsessed with gauzy textured cotton and these are so pretty and soft. They’ve already gone through the wash and held up well, too!

4 Bottles — Although I plan on exclusively breastfeeding, I know it’s a good idea to have a few bottles on hand. First, we never know what our breastfeeding journey will look like. Second, having bottles will make it easier to think about leaving my baby for a couple of hours. I opted for the Como Tomo silicone bottles and had good luck using them with all three of my kids.

Formula — Reiterating what I said above, we never know what our feeding journey will look like with our babies. It’s good to be prepared with a small stash of formula, just in case! Some offices will give you a bunch of free samples if you ask for them, it’s how I had formula around when Izzy was born.

DIAPERING

Diapers — Choose your adventure! Cloth, hybrid, or disposable. As much as I wanted to dive into cloth diapering, the upfront cost wasn’t something we could afford. I know in the long run it can save money, and it’s definitely a way to minimize landfill waste, but it just didn’t happen for us. The idea of secondhand diapers skeeves me out, but it’s also an option for saving some money on cloth diapering. The disposable diapers we love best are Hello Bello, Honest, and Seventh Generation. Hello Bello and Honest are a bit wider at the bum, which has been great to prevent wedgies on Izzy as he’s gotten older.

Tip: include a diaper raffle at your baby shower, it will give you a chance to find the diapers that work best for your baby without taking a million trips to the store.

Wipeable Changing Pad — I can’t sing the praises of a wipeable pad enough! I originally hoped to get the Keekaroo changing pad but it was too big for the space I had, so I opted for one from Bumbo instead. Boys are notorious for peeing in the middle of a diaper change and I can’t tell you how many times I thanked myself for choosing something cloth-free and easy to clean! It also reduced the amount of laundry we had, which is an extra plus, especially if you don’t have laundry in your home.

Wipes — Most wipe packets have their own little dispenser, so I’d skip a wipe holder/warmer if you’re just going for the essentials. The wipes I’ve liked the best have been Water Wipes and Pampers Pure wipes. We usually buy the Pampers Pure wipes because they’re more affordable and they’re great!

Diaper Cream — Diaper rash is bound to happen at some point, so it’s a good idea to have some diaper cream on hand. I like to keep one at home and one in the diaper bag just to keep things simple. We used the Burt’s Bees and Aquaphor diaper rash creams and liked them both.

Castille Soap — This might sound random, but hear me out: blowouts and spit-up will happen, and they’ll happen on your favorite onesie or outfit and you’ll need something to get that stain out. Like I’ve said a thousand times already, we lived in an apartment with no laundry for the first seven months of my son’s life. After one particularly awful blowout, I ran to the bathroom and grabbed my spare bottle of Dr. Bronner’s liquid castille soap and poured some of it onto the poop stain. Miraculously, the stain didn’t set, and many cute baby clothes were later saved with the same method.

BATHING

Tub — We used and loved our Puj Tub with Izzy but it was sadly too big for our sink once we moved to a larger apartment. We registered for and used an Angel Care tub support for our daughters.

Baby Shampoo — After three kids, our favorite brands for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are Aquaphor, Aveeno, and Honest.

6 Washcloths — I love the ones from Burt’s Bees Baby, especially the plain white ones! They’re easy to clean and gender neutral.

3 Towels — Another shout out to Burt’s Bees Baby and their simple white hooded towels. We used these for Izzy and thankfully received some for Luna. Little babes in fresh white linens is just too cute if you ask me!

Hair Brush Set — There are few things cuter than small wooden hair brushes for littles! We loved these for Izzy and Luna.

Nail Care — The only brand of baby nail clippers I like is Baby Frida. I’ve tried some from other brands and they just bent my baby’s nails instead of trimming them. Trimming baby nails is already a bit of an event, so if you’re really nervous about it, a battery operated nail file might be the way to go. I’m super curious about them because I’ve heard really good things from mamas I know.

MISCELLANEOUS

Lounge Pillow — I love, love, love the Snuggle Me Organic lounge pillows! It was one of those things we were so happy to splurge on after a few months of having Izzy home. I’ll be very glad to have this around for baby girl.

Bouncer/Swing/Lounger — AKA something to lay baby down in. We opted for a Baby Bjorn bouncer seat because it stores flat and because it has multiple reclining options, which meant we’d be able to use it for longer. This is one of those things we got for our first that we’ll be using again for our second. Just another reason I’m a fan of neutral baby gear!

Baby Gym — Once Izzy was a few months old, I realized I needed some sort of baby play area for him, even though we were in our studio. I’m so glad we bought the Lovevery Play Gym because we got lots of use out of it! I can’t wait to see Luna explore it from birth. I especially like that you can use the mat on its own or with the gym and it’s all really easy to set up and break down.

Board Books — Reading to our babies is super important to us and was a special way to bond as a family. We adore the seasons picture board books by Gerda Muller and the Indestructibles baby books, as well as all the classics!

Art Cards — We loved ours from Wee Gallery!

Humidifier — This was one of those things I didn’t actually think we needed until Izzy caught a bad cold. I’d definitely recommend having a humidifier, especially if you’re having a fall/winter baby. We’ve tried a few brands over the years but my favorite was the one from Frida Baby.

Nasal Aspirator — We tried both the classic bulb aspirators and the Nose Frida and to be honest, I prefer the old school ones. The Nose Frida worked all right, but seemed to require lots of replacement parts and I just didn’t have the energy to keep track of all of it.

Thermometer — Don’t be like me and get caught with a sick baby with no way to take their temperature because you overlooked getting a thermometer!

I know I referred to this as a minimal registry, but holy moly! It still feels like a whole lot. But like I was saying, a new baby is a whole, tiny person who needs their own stuff!

I’ve linked as much as I could in my Amazon Storefront to help make creating a registry there quick and easy for you. Also, feel free to comment with anything that you might have found to be essential that I missed! The more info we can offer expecting parents, the better!

Most importantly, congratulations on expecting your little one! Parenthood is good, hard work, and hands down one of the best adventures I’ve embarked on!