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Not sure what your baby must haves will be? Creating a baby registry as a first time mom was overwhelming to say the least. There are so many options in baby gear, and I felt like I was forced to make big, expensive, lifestyle decisions based on my gut feeling instead of experience.

Here’s to hoping my experience in this first year will help as you decide what baby essentials are right for you.

The Early Days

Postpartum recovery is no joke. The first month is all about survival. I cannot stress enough the importance of comfy undies and yoga pants, Epsom salts, a big couch, and a Boppy lounger. Seriously, those are the most important things.

Your little one will be sleeping nearly 20 hours a day – albeit in 2-3 hour increments – and I truly believe this is God’s way of giving you time to recover while falling in love with your little one. Brace yourself and enjoy the sleepy infant, because the next couple of months are an adjustment for everyone.

The Basics

• Car seat – we used the seat that came with our Chicco Bravo stroller, but when Luke hit 15 pounds we switched him to our Graco Extend2Fit convertible seat. It’s much more comfortable for him and he can see out the window, which he seems to enjoy.
• Headrest mirror – there are so many of these available and they’re all virtually the same. Not only can we see Luke while we drive and he’s rear-facing, but he really enjoys looking at himself. Seriously, it’s built in entertainment!
• Itsy Ritzy Diaper Bag – initially I had an inexpensive backpack diaper bag, and I quickly realized it was too small and unorganized. The Itsy Ritzy bag is high quality and has pockets in all the right places. Whoever designed these bags knew exactly what moms on the go needed in a diaper bag!
• Owlet Smart Sock – the peace of mind this monitor gives us is a little concerning. As long as its light is green and we can check Luke’s heart rate and oxygen levels, we sleep like babies (kidding; babies don’t sleep, but we sure as heck do). We bought a refurbished one from Amazon at a discount and have been very pleased. Luke is already in the largest size sock and I don’t know how I’m going to deal once he outgrows it completely. 
• Audio Monitor – call us crazy, but we don’t have a video monitor. Between the Owlet and our audio monitor, I feel like our bases are covered. I was afraid I’d obsessively watch him on a video monitor, so now I can just look at photos and videos of him while he sleeps when that urge strikes.

Months 1-3

I’ll be brutally honest – this is the hardest part of having a new baby. It’s a major adjustment for everyone, and unfortunately your hormones won’t help. Be sure to seek proper care for your mental health and take time for yourself as much as you can. It’ll be a beautiful time, but not an easy one. The good news is, your heart will constantly feel like it’s going to explode with love, and that more than outweighs the sleepless nights and fussy days.

The items we used most during the first three months were:

• The Boppy Lounger – a less expensive, elevated version of the Dock a Tot. I also recommend ordering a washable cover, which I found on Etsy. We used the Lounger as Luke’s main spot throughout the day and we could even feed him a bottle while he laid on it since it’s elevated.
• Vibrating Bouncer – if Luke wasn’t on his Boppy, he was in his bouncer. It was very soothing when he was fussy, and it entertained him long enough for me to cook dinner or take a quick shower while he was nearby.
• Dr. Brown’s Anti-Colic Bottles – Luke was eating faster than his little body could manage. These bottles did a great job of slowing him down and keeping the gas out of his tummy.
• Inexpensive Burp Cloths – we also bought some nicer ones, but honestly I would save my money for nice bibs.
• Swaddle Blankets – our favorites are Copper Pearl (very stretchy, which helps you get a tight swaddle) and Adain and Anais (super soft, high quality muslin).
• Larger Blankets – we loved the Aden and Anais Dream Blanket. We also have smaller stroller-type blankets.
• Bodysuits/Sleep & Plays – Luke lived in zip-up bodysuits during this time. They work great as everyday around the house and as pjs. Most importantly, they’re comfy for baby and make for easy diaper changes for you.
• Lovevery Play Gym – as an infant he enjoyed staring at the black and white mat, the black and white cards, and the hanging ball. It’s expensive, but it has been our most used baby item.
• Baby Bath – we received an Angelcare bath as a gift, but when Luke came home from the hospital it was scary to put him into something that seemed so big. This bathtub is made for infants and small babies and even hooked right onto our kitchen sink; the infant sling was great!

Months 3-6

Ahh, the good ole days. The fourth trimester is over and you’ll finally fall into a groove. Luke was colicky until about 4.5 months, but once he hit that turning point it was a game changer. He started consistently sleeping through the night (10-12 hours straight) during this time, and we all started to understand each other better.

Items we used most during this time were:

• Skiphop Activity Center – Luke absolutely loves this thing. It’s been so fun watching him learn how to play with the different toys, change positions, and play the music with his feet.
• Lovevery Play Gym – now he’s more interested in the different features and textures of the mat than the wooden bar.
• Stroller – we have the Chicco Bravo and it’s a little clunky, but sturdy. I’m lusting after the Uppababy Vista for baby #2. A friend of ours has it, and it’s worth the extra money if you can swing it. Very versatile, and maneuvers like a dream. Basically the Lamborghini of strollers.
• Teethers – Luke’s favorites are:
  • Nuby Silicone Teethe-EEZ Teether
  • Infantino Good Bites Textured Carrot Teether
  • Clip on Whale Teether
• Baby Einstein Jumper – this is a great alternative to the Skiphop Activity Center. Luke loves to “jump jump” and enjoys the different toys.
• Silicone Bibs – we started feeding Luke solids around 3.5 months because of his hefty appetite. Learning to eat is super messy, but having a silicone bib that you rinse off makes things much easier!
• Everyday Bibs – once Luke started teething, the drool was nonstop. It was important to have plenty of bibs, ideally ones that looked nice with his outfit. My favorites are Copper Pearl and Aden and Anais.
• Como Tomo Bottles – as soon as Luke’s digestive system worked out its kinks, we switched from the Dr. Brown’s bottles to the Como Tomo bottles. So much easier to clean!

Other Thoughts & Suggestions

Parenthood is the most challenging and rewarding experience, and it’s wonderful how much support family and friends can offer. That being said – don’t feel pressured to buy or do certain things just because it’s what someone you know says you need to do. Go with your gut!

Word to the wise: hold off on buying baby clothes until after baby is born. Ask for gift cards instead. Luke is growing at such a rapid pace that he barely got to wear his 0-3 or 3-6 month clothes…or any of the others for that matter. People will rarely give you anything larger than a 6 month size, which Luke outgrew when he was 2 months old. Food for thought!

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TRUE LIFE: I LIKE TO BUY PRETTY THINGS…and it can be a problem.

My name is Emily, and I’m a shopaholic. I started my decor Instagram account about two years ago, and I was amazed at how beautiful everyone’s little squares were. I mean, these were REAL people living in their REAL homes…not a magazine cover. As much as I felt inspired, I also felt intimidated; how could someone like me afford to have a home that looks magazine-worthy…a home that people want to see more of?

Slowly but surely, I developed the very bad habit of justifying unnecessary purchases with the mentality “this will look great on my Instagram!”. A trip to Target for diapers quickly turned into $200 worth of faux florals, candles, and rugs. And the worst part was, it M A D E . M Y . D A Y . I was singlehandedly putting our family’s finances in jeopardy to gain a larger following on Instagram.

After a heart-to-heart with my husband and a few conversations with the Man upstairs, I realized I was finding gratification in beautifying our home with THINGS instead of MEMORIES. Like, what???!

Now that I can take a step back and see it that way, I can’t understand how I was ever prioritizing things over time and people…all for the sake of a pretty picture. There were definitely some postpartum hormones at play, but that’s no excuse for spending money we don’t have on things we definitely don’t need. And honestly, I feel relieved now that I’m no longer trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Having a Pretty House Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

Although it was a tough pill to swallow, I had really messed up. All of my bad habits had to be quickly unlearned and I had to focus on going back to my roots. How did I make my house feel like home in college, or my first apartment when my rent ate up more than half my income each month? Somehow, I had done it…and I’d had fun in the process.

Here are some lessons I’ve learned about how to decorate on a budget – and how to make it fun! Just because you aren’t spending a bunch of money doesn’t mean your house won’t look great. In fact, I’ve found I love my home even more when I truly appreciate and value the items I have instead of constantly hunting for something shiny and new.

Decorating on a Budget: 101

Take a good look around at what you have.

I’m looking at you, pile of decor in the garage that I haven’t touched in two years. (Everyone has those piles, right?? Just me?) Take some time to really assess your belongings and decide what to keep and what to give away. I’m not big on yard sales. If something is valuable ($50+) I’ll take the time to sell it online, but if not, I load up my car and find somewhere to donate my load.

I like to think about the people who will be blessed by my stuff; how they’ll be as excited to find that picture frame as I was. That makes giving my treasures away a whole lot easier.

Get organized.

Now that you have everything you’re going to keep, take everything down and start from scratch. Seriously, it sounds annoying, but do it. Once all your shelves and walls are empty, you’ll thank me. It’s hard to refresh a space that already feels finished, and having a blank canvas is so inspiring.

If you’re OCD like me, take it a step further and organize all the stuff into piles. I normally have categories like picture frames, florals, books, candles, and misc. decor.

Go shopping! At your house…from your stuff.

Here’s the fun part! Start decorating, taking it one space at a time. Since you can see all of your decor (and hopefully it’s organized) this should be quick and easy. And since you’ve got a blank canvas, you can style your home completely differently than before.

Use items that were in your living room in the bedroom, and don’t forget about those items you were storing in the garage but not using. Now is their time to shine! It’s amazing how rejuvenated your home can look just by moving items around and styling them differently.

Buy big items secondhand.

I know, I know. I sound like your grandmother. But I have seen it time and again where I’ve gone out on an impulse and purchased an end table or rug, just to see something similar pop up on Facebook Marketplace a week later at a fraction of the cost. You must be patient, and willing to hunt through the junk. But it’s worth the savings!

Treat yourself, but only a little.

All of that hard work earned you a little something right? But I mean literally, a little something. For me, I love candles and fresh flowers, which I can normally buy for $15 or less and it still gives me that excited feeling when I get home and use them in my space. Whatever that item is for you, don’t deny yourself completely. Budgeting is like dieting – it has to be done in moderation or you’ll end up on a binge . Unfortunately throw pillows are a lot more expensive than extra calories.

Final Thoughts: Don’t find value in your things.

That’s the big lesson I learned throughout this whole process. I was placing value in shopping and new purchases instead of being grateful for all the beautiful pieces I already have. Repurposing decor has become sort of like a game to me now, as well as finding and flipping furniture from thrift shops (hellooo, side hustle!).

Don’t look at your budget as something holding you back. As Tim Gunn likes to say, make it work.