9 Baby Registry Hacks to Save You Time and Money

The world of baby gear can be overwhelming, to put it mildly. Are all those “essentials” really, well, essential? The questions are daunting and the answers are far from definitive. Do you need more than one stroller? Is baby actually going to like this bouncer—or will it just take up space? While you can do all your due diligence and research, many of these questions won’t be answered until after baby makes their big debut. Fortunately for you, your budget and your sanity, we’ve got a few hacks up our sleeve for putting together a baby registry. Here, experts and real parents offer their best baby registry hacks to save you time and money.

Seek Out Recommendations

It can be hard to figure out what items you truly need as an expecting parent. And the fact that your list of essential items will vary based on where you live and your lifestyle makes it even more challenging. Case in point: If you don’t own a car and walk everywhere, you may not need a car seat but will want a baby carrier or stroller. The best way to identify the gear you’ll actually need and use is to ask friends and loved ones with similar lifestyles what their “must-have items” were, advises Rebekah Mustaleski, CPM-TN, a certified professional midwife and compression director with Motif Medical. “Especially if this is your first baby, it’s hard to know what you really need for a newborn and what’s not necessary.”

Of course, every baby will be different, but it could be a helpful starting point to know what worked for the people you know and trust, adds Marissa Silva, toy expert and editor-in-chief of The Toy Insider. “Always ask why they like what they like or specifics about what worked so you can evaluate whether or not something might be right for baby,” she says.

Register Sooner Rather Than Later

There’s a lot to do when you’re expecting a new baby, so it’s always helpful to start prepping and knocking out your to-do list early on—and that includes creating your registry. “Registering sooner rather than later allows your loved ones to help you gather the items you desire in preparation for baby,” Mustaleski says. “People love to shop for newborns, and this will take some of the responsibility off you to purchase all the baby gear that you want to have once your little one is born.” Plus, this will enable to focus on other things later on, like setting up the nursery and preparing for maternity leave.

Pick Just One of Each Item

A lot of expectant parents put multiple strollers, car seats, cribs and other gear on their registry to give their loved ones various price points that fit their budget. While it’s always good to give your loved ones a range of options, doing it this way may leave you with “multiples of items you won’t use and that just collect dust over the years,” Mustaleski says. Instead, pick the stroller model you’re most excited about. If it’s a pricier item, consider making it a group gift or a cash fund that loved ones can donate to.

To keep the gear to one item per category while also providing various price points, Silva suggests including several types of items and categories. “Nothing is too big or too small,” she says. “Strollers, furniture, car seats are all great large items, while pacifiers and wipes are great small items.”

Register for the Later Stages of Babyhood, Too

It may feel like too much to register for phases beyond babyhood, but you’ll be glad you did. “Your baby will move quickly through stages of development, and adding items that they’ll use later in life to your registry is a great way to help you prepare,” Mustaleski says. “Time will go by faster than you can imagine and having developmentally appropriate gear for each stage will keep you ahead of the game.”

Moreover, Silva notes the “gifts tend to dry up after the first birthday,” so it’s better to register for things you’ll need later on too, like a high chair, larger clothing sizes, larger diaper sizes, feeding utensils and more.

Think Outside the Baby Box

One thing many expectant parents overlook when they anticipate baby’s arrival is that their day-to-day life will be thrown into a period of transition—and this includes household errands and chores. “Caring for a new baby is a literal full-time job, and suddenly things you used to do with ease can feel like a burden,” Silva says. Along with registering for baby supplies and your own postpartum recovery items, consider registering for things that may make errands and chores easier. “Try to think outside the box when you’re making your registry—you may really appreciate some help with caring for your pets, keeping your house clean or easy meal delivery,” Mustaleski says. You can register for grocery store gift cards; a meal delivery subscription; disposable dishes or even set up funds for household cleaners, dog-walkers and childcare for older kids.

Don’t Shy Away From Gift Cards and Cash Funds

Your parents may have taught you that it’s impolite to ask for gift cards or cash, but we’re here to tell you that times have changed. In fact, some gift-givers (and gift receivers!) prefer this to an actual item. “Some people just don’t have the time or energy or creativity to give a gift, so registering for gift cards and cash funds makes life easy for everyone,” Silva says. You can ask for gift cards or cash funds for pretty much anything baby-related: gear, clothing, toys, education and more. This will help lighten your load later on too because you’ll already have the funds saved up when baby inevitably needs something.

Utilize Completion Discounts

Sure you might not want your friends and family buying you the jumbo pack of maxi pads for postpartum recovery—but you should still add them to your registry.

Most registries offer completion discounts 60 days before and 90 days (or longer!) after your event date, which means you can buy anything that hasn’t been purchased for a discounted price, usually around 10 to 15 percent off. “Completion discounts are clutch, and registries can often serve as to-buy lists for yourself,” Silva says. “Even if you’re registering for something you know you want to buy yourself, it just makes life easier to have it all in one spot.” Many registries even allow you to mark specific items as private so they’re not accessible to others (hello, hemorrhoid cream!).

Don’t “Panic Buy” Too Early

The urge to get all the things done and get all the gear checked off your list before baby arrives can be strong, but avoid so-called panic buying, advises Mustaleski. Some people may wait until after baby’s born to send their gifts.

Remember, while it’s important to register for later stages, most of these aren’t items you’ll need right away. “In truth, all you likely need when baby is born is a car seat, diapers, a couple of sleepers and a way to feed baby,” Mustaleski says. “They really just eat, sleep and poop for the first few weeks, so don’t feel like you need to have tons of supplies at home to get you through.”

Keep Things Streamlined

A universal registry (like the one on The Bump) that allows you to get everything at once can keep you organized—and your loved ones will appreciate this too. “Remember that most people don’t want to or don’t have the time to shop around when they’re getting you a gift for baby, so attempt to put all your items on one registry rather than at multiple locations,” Mustaleski says. “Most people will only go to the first option, so you could miss out on getting other items that you want if they aren’t in one place.”