the minimalist baby registry of my dreams
bad design: baby registries. here's a less stressful way to approach yours.
When I was putting together my baby registry last fall, all I wanted was a recommendation list of things I would actually need. WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO FIND. (Answer: consumerism. capitalism. probably the patriarchy? idk isn’t it always somehow the patriarchy?)
I used search terms like minimalist baby registry, first baby essentials, baby registry for small apartment living, non-toxic baby registry, and zero-waste baby registry, but the results were eerily similar across all the blogs and YouTube videos. How is it that every video thumbnail has the same products? And these lists were way too long to ever be considered minimal. It’s as if there’s been an approved list of Baby Products to Buy in 2025 and all the influencer marketing budgets and algorithms are burying simple, honest answers so that the products big companies want to push will show up first in search results.
Because I KNOW I don’t need most of this crap. Did my mom have any of this when she raised me and my siblings? Did my grandma? My grandparents were born in 1925 — one hundred years before my daughter — and we all turned out just fine without a flipping wipe warmer.
So, this is my attempt at brutal honesty for anyone feeling as lost and manipulated as I have.
Context:
Our baby came into the world with two able-bodied parents, in a major city hospital, and came home, at two days old, to a two-bedroom apartment with daily hands-on support from family who live within driving distance. I’ve been able to breastfeed, and after my partner went back to work, we moved in with my parents for even more support. What every new parent needs is colored by their unique circumstances, and this is the context for my particular recommendations.
Now grab your candle and incense, we’ve got some intention-setting to do.
Goals for the Minimalist Baby Registry of My Dreams
Less clutter
Where — specifically where — in our home would this be stored?
My partner has ADHD and we live in an 850 square foot apartment. We both get overstimulated and unhappy when there’s too much stuff around. We need LESS STUFF to manage, not more.
Less waste
Would I want to keep this for a future child of mine? Or a friend’s baby?
I want to invest in things that will have a long life. High quality, and reusable for future children, ideally regardless of sex/gender.
Less toxic
Is this made from materials that occur in nature (organic cotton, natural rubber) or not (plastic, fragrance, dyes, chemicals)?
This is a privilege and is impossible to do perfectly, but it’s nevertheless something I strive toward, for both my babe’s health and the health of the ‘ol planet. So, for anything touching her skin (clothes, blankets, sheets, soaps, creams) or going in her mouth (toys, bibs, bottles) I’m looking for low toxic options. In general, if something is not specifically advertised as non-toxic with specific details/ingredients/certifications, I assume it’s got toxins.
Less Amazon
Can I buy this thing anywhere else, even if shipping takes a little longer?
Remember that company in the Pixar movie WALL-E? The omnipresent mega-corporation that’s the epitome of unchecked corporate greed, power and consumerism which ultimately destroys the environment and pushes humans into space? That’s what I think of every time I add something to my cart on Amazon. I really want to quit. I’m working on it, but for now, if I can buy directly from a small(er) business, that’s the goal.
Now, let’s start at the beginning (a very good place to start).
*insert gif of Julie Andrews twirling around the Alps, just like you’ll twirl around the wide open expanse of your home, without all the usual baby junk to clutter it*
FOR DAY ONE
Focus on the absolute bare necessities
A car seat
Clothes (like three onesies)
A place for the baby to sleep (we chose a travel crib bassinet)
A plan for when the baby poops (we chose diapers + lanolin)
Postpartum healing supplies (I wrote a post about my favorites)
…That’s it. No nursery. No toys. No stroller! No changing table! We need so much less stuff than we’re led to believe, especially at the beginning.
I’ve only had one baby, but people are always saying “every baby is different.” One of your kids will love being swaddled, the other will hate it, yadda yadda. So why are we trying to buy every single thing they’ll need for the first year, before we’ve even met them? Start slow. Start with essentials.
Now, some minimalists suggest making your baby registry all gift cards, or cash gift funds, but I’m sorry. People just love to buy babies real, physical things. They can’t not. So, if you’re lucky enough to have people who want to give you gifts, you might as well communicate the things you’re hoping for.
So, here are the things you likely won’t need on day one, but are investments (read: more expensive things) that will help ease your life as a new parent. They can all be purchased/given secondhand, and are also great candidates for group gifts.
AFTER DAY ONE
Focus on the big things you’ll want to have that cost $$$
Stroller
Baby carriers (we chose one wrap + one front-facing carrier)
Baby bouncer
Infant lounger
Air purifier
Travel crib (if you’ll be changing locations a lot)
Portable blackout shades
I know there are lots of little, inexpensive, things you’ll need eventually, too. And you could take the time to try to put all those things on your registry *or* you could take the time to nap. Or go for a walk in nature. Worry about the rest later! (I’m terrible at this, it’s almost laughable that I’m giving this advice).
Resist the fear of being unprepared! Say “Thank you, Fear, for trying to warn me of impending doom, but I can buy anything pretty much immediately these days, if I need to.” Hold back the flood of things the internet says you need to buy. Trust that if you truly need something, it will become obvious, and you will take care of it.
Coming Soon:
My ultimate list of specific baby registry product recommendations. As a UI/UX nerd, product design matters to me *a lot,* so you can bet I have thoughts.
Til next time :)
Kristie
Artistic Credits:
Thumbnail photo by Kristie Dickinson Latta (San Francisco, 2015)