A Minimalist Baby Registry List Guide

Last updated on December 29th, 2025 at 09:03 am

When I was putting together our baby registry (almost a year ago – how time flies!), I was overwhelmed by endless social media “must-have” lists with 100+, sometimes 200+ items. I get that babies have ever-changing needs, but surely some of those were nice-to-haves, not true essentials.

In the end, our registry landed at just under 60 items. Not as minimalist as I hoped, but pared down enough to feel manageable. Below, I’m sharing what ended up being true must-haves for us—and what I’d skip. (As always, this is just our experience – take it with a grain of salt!)

Side note: We used Babylist for our registry and really liked it. You can add items from any retailer, register for gift cards or funds, and even mark certain items as “private” if you plan to purchase them yourself. I did this for our car seat and stroller so we could still keep everything in one place as a checklist.

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Our Must-Haves

• All-in-One Bottle Washer / Sterilizer / Dryer: If you plan to formula feed or pump, this is worth every penny (or at least worth using your registry discount on). As an exclusive pumper washing pump parts and bottles 7+ times a day, our Momcozy Bottle Washer was a lifesaver.
  • The Grownsy and Papabalic brand models almost the same and slightly cheaper. Even post-weaning, we still use it 3–4 times a day. My favorite feature: a drain tube that empties directly into the sink, so no dumping water by hand.
• Haaka Silicone Sterilizer Bag: A simple, inexpensive sterilizer bag that we used in the early days before getting the Momcozy. We still use it while traveling – it stands up on its own and doubles as a mini washbasin for bottle parts.
• Bouncer: The (in)famous Baby Bjorn bouncer is $200, but its simple design really works. We started using it when baby was just a few weeks old, and it’s been a safe, handy spot when we need both hands for cooking or eating. The slight elevation also helped with reflux early on.
  Tip: The Baby Delight bouncer is a good budget-friendly dupe, and Facebook Marketplace often has gently used Björns for under $100.
• Lovevery Play Gym: I didn’t register for this because I doubted a $150 play gym could be worth it. Luckily, a friend gifted us one, and it’s been fantastic. The thoughtful design adapts as baby grows, and swapping out toys keeps him engaged. Their Play Kits are also excellent – we have the first three and haven’t needed much else toy-wise.
  • Deal alert: Currently 2% cash back on Rakuten, plus an extra $30 off if you are a new user through my referral link
• Non-Wifi Baby Camera: We went with this Babysense set (two cameras). One lives in the nursery; the other we pack for travel with a bendy tripod mount. After reading too many WiFi-hack horror stories, we opted for non-WiFi. It’s secure, easy to use, and no fiddling with hotel/Airbnb WiFi.
• Burp Cloths, Muslin Swaddle Cloths, and Crib Sheets: You’ll want plenty. We love the thick Honest Baby ones (super absorbent), plus aden + anais cloths, which double as lightweight blankets, stroller shades, or changing pad covers.
• Keekaroo Peanut Changing Pad: Pricey, but worth it. Comfortable for baby, easy to wipe clean, and still looks new after five months of use. We often placed a muslin cloth under his head during changes to help with reflux.

Several of the items above are on the pricier side – but Babylist allowed them to be split into group contribution gifts. And actually, several of the items above weren’t actually on our registry (but should have been!).

Skip (or Wait on) THese

• Clothing: We registered for just a few outfits we couldn’t resist, plus one pack of onesies. Thanks to generous hand-me-downs, we’ve barely bought clothes in five months. If you need more, check out secondhand shops like Once Upon a Child.
• Diapers: Don’t stock up on one brand too soon – fit and comfort vary by baby and by stage. Instead, try the Babylist sample pack of diapers (includes multiple brands). This helped us discover what worked best (Honest, Coterie, Millie Moon) without wasting boxes of the wrong kind.
• Diaper Bag: We use the Everlane 3-in-1 Renew Tote—not technically a diaper bag, but it works beautifully. Diaper-specific bags tend to be bulky and expensive. Before Everlane, I just used a large canvas tote, which worked fine. I also still like to rotate my handbags, so I didn’t want to be tied to one “official” diaper bag.
• Hatch Rest: Mixed feelings here. It’s nice to control light/sound from your phone, especially when the unit isn’t in arm’s reach. But I dislike products that require an app – what if the app disappears years down the road? A portable sound machine works just as well for a fraction of the price.
• Bottles: Free registry boxes usually include a few samples. Start with those before buying multiples, since babies often change preferences. Ours switched from Dr. Brown’s (with a preemie nipple we bought separately) to Philips Avent at one month.
• Books: Many friends gifted us a copy their little one’s own favorites, and we’ve built a nice collection thanks to them! We still bought a few books, but I’m glad we waited so we avoided any duplicates.
• Nursery Rocker / Glider Chair: These can be helpful if you’re nursing, but they’re very expensive. We bottle-fed, and our hand-me-down wooden glider was more than enough. In practice, we got far more use out of a $30 yoga ball for soothing and a nursing pillow (Boppy or My Brest Friend) for feeding anywhere.

Partnership Disclosure: This blog post was not sponsored by any of the brands listed above. As always, all opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, in which I earn a commission on purchases.