Skip This: Baby Items that You Just Don't Need

Before I get into this list that many people will probably disagree with, let me explain something about Nate and I. We live in a tiny little house. And we try to minimize the amount of random 'uni-tasking' items that are big and bulky especially as it relates to baby stuff that Matilda will outgrow in 4 months.

So without further ado....here is our list of items we are very glad we didn't register for, buy or borrow for baby's first year.

1) Bottle Warmer
That is what a Pyrex bowl and some hot running water are for. And when you are done warming that bottle, you can measure out ingredients for dinner, and put the bowl away. Bottle warmer = counter clutter.

2) To that end...Wipes Warmer
Question: Do you warm your toilet paper before you wipe your butt? Then why would you feel compelled to wipe your babies butt with a warm wipe? Wipes Warmer = Nursery Clutter

3) Diaper Genie
Keep in mind that we live in a tiny little house, so it is not a hassle for us to carry the dirty diaper to the kitchen garbage and throw it away. But this may single-handedly be the best decision we made. The nursery doesn't smell like poop (or should I say a muted-scent of poop) and we don't have to change a freak-nasty bag of dirty diapers every week. Plus we don't have another giant contraption in the nursery. Win. Win.

4) Stroller Cover
Let me introduce you to this thing called a blanket. You will have many of these with a baby. Use one of these hundreds of blankets to cover your stroller if the sun is too bright. These stroller covers are just fancy, expensive contraptions that you will constantly forget to bring with you. At which point you will just use a blanket.

5) Video Monitors
Do not let me fool you, there have been many a night where it is 3AM and Matilda is giggling in her crib where we have said "Man I wonder what she is doing in there", but at the end of the day, I am glad we did not get the video monitors. They are un-neccessary and quite expensive. And it takes some of the mystery out of the night-time guessing game. :)

6) Shopping Cart Cover
See description of #5. Blankets---such great multi-taskers.

7) Fancy Baby Cooking Machine
It's called a steamer, or a bowl with water,  plus an immersion blender. That combo puts about $110 in your pocket vs. the fancy baby food machines.

8) Every Single Apparatus known to Target
You just don' tneed all of them. And for us it wasn't an option unless we were going to get rid of real-people furniture to make-room for all of them. Our baby go-to item was the Fisher Price Rock n' Roll sleeper. Was the best for the itty bitty. Then we borrowed a swing and exersaucer from a friend. Unless you live in a mansion, pick and choose carefully.

9) Mirror for Car
So, on top of talking while driving, texting while driving (which no one should be doing), now you are going to do all of this while also checking out your baby in the little baby rear view mirror? How about instead, you just focus on your driving and pull over if you want to watch your baby being cute, or are worried there is something wrong.

10) Bumper for the Crib
You may as well just take the money you were goign to spend on this and light it on fire, because as soon as that little darling of yours starts moving in any way shape or form this needs to come out of the crib. Opt for a cute crib dust ruffle and nursery accents instead.