Small Space? Read Our Minimalist Baby Registry Ideas

If you're an expecting parent building a baby registry, you might find yourself overwhelmed with the size and volume of items prepared to occupy your home.  If your home is small or perhaps you and your friends and family are working with tight budgets, you might be looking for smaller and more multi-functional items.  We're fans of well-designed products, perfect for small spaces and parents who like to keep things simple.  To help you with your shopping process, we've devised a minimalist baby registry to help you keep your clutter down and focus on essential baby registry items.  For a great general list of important items, our best baby registry and must have baby registry items articles also cover the basics.

If you or your family is budget-conscious or even space-conscious like those of us in smaller homes, apartments, condos, and low-storage homes, here are some minimalist baby registry options for you.

Baby Registry Items For Small Homes

• Crib: West Elm Mid Century Crib 4 in 1 Full Bed
  Most people buy their baby a bassinet that they'll outgrow, transition to a crib, then a toddler bed, and eventually full bed. Instead, you can buy a beautiful convertible crib now to use through all of those stages. For its sleek design and remarkable versatility, this is a must have for any minimalist baby registry.  These cribs typically include a reversible mattress for firm or soft surfaces as they age through infancy.  When the child reaches toddler age, you can drop the mattress down to get higher walls and eventually remove the front gate to convert to a toddler bed.  My kids have had these for years.
   
• Changing Pad: Summer Contoured Changing Pad
  Instead of buying a changing dresser that is specifically for babies, get one that goes with the rest of your décor, and then add a changing pad on top. You can choose a cover that goes with the room and get a changing pad with a buckle to keep everything safe!
   
• Stroller: Baby Jogger City Mini , Graco Ready2Grow  , Stroller Wagon
  If you are looking to save on space and look chic while doing it, the Baby Jogger is a great way to make that happen. It’s easy to store and built to stroll right over city blocks. You can even add infant accessories like a pram, or toddler accessories like a glider board.  The Graco Ready2 Grow stroller is awesome if your family is expanding.  The handle and the bottom basket can expand and collapse to reduce your stroller footprint when carrying one baby while providing a comfortable but compact and configurable stacked layout for two babies.  It also allows you to install cup-holders which are an unbelievable bonus when pushing it around.  Stroller Wagons are really popular now and they have tons of purposes.  They include a detachable canopy, detachable tray with cup holders, a push and pull handle, wheels which very easily roll over sand, and it's entirely collapsible for minimal storage footprint!  I've owned different models of all of these and they were all great.
   
• Car Seat: Britax Convertible Car Seat
  Getting a convertible car seat is a great way to get years out of one purchase. This Britax converts from a rear-facing infant seat to a forward-facing 5-point harness, to a high-back belt-positioning booster, taking you from birth to big kid with a single car seat.  Car seats are difficult to justify as a space-saving item on a minimalist baby registry since all of them are so bulky but this is obviously an essential item and ones that can be un-clicked and then clicked right into a stroller are perfect if you have one baby.
   
• Swaddle Blankets/ Burp cloths: Pottery Barn Half Moon Muslin Blankets
  Muslin is a material that is beautiful, soft, and highly absorbent. You will need to wipe things off you and your baby regularly. It’s nice to use a material that feels good on your baby’s skin. You can use swaddle blankets for swaddling, burping, as a light blanket, or to cover the front of the stroller to shield your baby from the sun on walks.
   
• Baby bag: Freshly Picked Aspen Classic Diaper Bag and DERJUNSTAR diaper bag
  This diaper bag is extremely functional. Not only does it have enough space for all the baby gear you could need on the go, it's made of high-quality material that you can wipe clean. Plus, it’s attractive and simple, so you know it won't go out of style.  I used the RUVALINO diaper bag and now that it isn't used much for diapers, I can use it for lugging around the kids' toys as well.  The DERJUNSTAR diaper bag is anothe rawesmoe one that can even expand into a bassinet, which is like the ULTIMATE gift for a minimalist baby registry.
   
• Small Drying Rack: Boon Lawn Drying Rack
  With all the pump parts and bottle parts, having a drying rack that lets all those parts properly drain and dry can be really useful. If you prefer one that is not bottle specific, you can try the Yamazaki drainer rack. If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher, try out the OXO dishwasher basket to keep everything in one place.  I see these lawn drying racks in many houses (I have one as well).
   
• White Noise Machine: Marpac Portable White Noise Machine and Hatch Sounds Machine
  This is one of those incredibly useful baby items that you'll be able to use for years and years. The added beauty of this model is that it is portable, so you can bring it on walks or trips. Having a noise machine can be a total lifesaver.  We use the HATCH at home and my kids love it.  This makes our minimalist baby registry list because even though some people are probably eye-rolling that this is a luxury item, babies have great hearing and if you live in a small space they'll constantly wake up if they can hear you.
   
• Baby Tub: Puj Soft Infant Bath Tub
  When you are first giving your little squirmer a bath, you will want a baby tub that safely cradles your infant. The Puj is really soft, easy to clean, and fits perfectly in the sink. If you're short on space, this is the way to go.  Houses which don't have bath tubs (maybe it's a chamber shower) will need a bath option that isn't from the 1800s.
   
• Body Suits: Gerber Short Sleeved Onesies
  However many onesies or body suits you think you are going to need, add about a million. Gerber onesies are classic, comfortable, and affordable. Stock up on long and short sleeves so you're prepared for any weather. You can never have too many!
  We also recommend the Magic Merlin for your infants.  It's fairly bulky but it saves space compared to rotating through a dozen flying squirrel suits that don't work, so it made our minimalist baby registry honorable mention cut.

If you have a baby on the way, there is only so much you can do to avoid the impending chaos. With a minimalist baby registry, you can at least keep the visual clutter to a minimum while maximizing your baby's comfort.