Take it or leave it

Awhile ago, my dear friend Chloe at My New Life as a Housewife asked me to write up a post on what items we found we didn't need after Aubrey arrived and which items we can't live without.   It's funny how you think certain items are SO important when registering, but when the little one arrives, you hardly even look at it, let alone use it.  So I'm going to break this down into two posts.  This one will be on items we got but totally don't need:


1.  Diaper stacker  - we have this cloth organizer that we have hung on her closet door where we are supposed to store our diapers. It's cute, and it matches the items in the nursery perfectly.  When Aubrey was first born, I diligently took the diapers out of the package and stacked them in there, but that got old.  I could hardly keep up with the amount of diapers she went through, and the last thing I wanted to do in the middle of the night was get a diaper from that thing.  So I have the plastic sleeve out of the package sitting on the changing table so I can just grab one in the middle of the night.  I haven't used that diaper stacker hardly ever.


2.  Big, fluffy blankets - We didn't really ask for these or register for them, but everyone gave us a nice, soft blanket.  The big ones, not the kind you use to swaddle.  They're so wonderfully soft, and honestly, I would love to cozy up with one of them and do that from time to time.  However, Aubrey really has no use for them.  You can't really put them in the crib for the SIDS risk, and they're not helpful in swaddling.  I much prefer the receiving blankets.  They're so much easier to manage and take with you, and they are perfect for covering her in the car seat or swaddling.  The others just sit in a bin in her room collecting dust.  Who knows?  Maybe as she gets older she'll get more use from them, but not right now. 


3.  Stuffed animals - I know these are well-intended, but a newborn has no use for those.  Or the toys that are given.  She's only just now noticing things, but she has so many stuffed animals I have nowhere to put them.  Again, with the SIDS risk, they're not to be put in the crib so they just sit. 


4.  Dresses and hand-knitted sweaters - We got SO many of these.  I hung them carefully in her closet, thinking she'd wear them, but honestly, just recently I went through her newborn clothes and put them away, and I was so sad at how many items she never ever wore, especially these items.  I find the sweaters hard to dress them in anyway because they're too bulky when you're trying to strap the kiddo in the car seat.  Plus, babies spit up.  You need something that's easy to clean, not something that is dry-clean only. 


5.  Hamper for nursery - This might be just me, and others might use theirs but Aubrey's clothes usually just get tossed in with our laundry.  She has this adorable hamper in her room, but we never use it.  It looks cute, though!  Maybe as she gets older, but right now, with how much laundry she has, I don't have time to do more loads of laundry than I already do now. 


6.  Mobile - We have one of these in her crib to match the other decorations in her room, but I'm not sure how much she even notices it.  She spends her days at daycare, and when she goes to sleep at night, I'm not sure even looks at it.  On weekends, we are bad parents and let her sleep in her bouncy seat or really wherever she happens to fall asleep.  So she doesn't see much of it during the day, and honestly, mobiles are pretty pricey.  I'm not sure if this purchase was a necessity. 


I'm sure there are others I should be listing, but these are the main ones that come to mind.  I'm not saying that this is a universal thing.  Some people out there may use one or more of these items.  But T and I didn't really find much use for them.  I hope this helps, Chloe!  Or anyone else who is expecting or planning for a baby.  I'll be back soon with the items we can't live without!