5 baby registry must-haves for small spaces, according to a new mom

space saving nursery

The Babyletto Mini Origami Crib and Modo Dresser conserve infinite in a small plant nursery.
Lauren Paige Magenta

When you purchase through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate committee. Acquire more than.

  • A babe shower is an amazing opportunity to get a agglomeration of items you'll need when you bring your baby home. But when you live in a pocket-sized space, information technology's essential to do some research start.
  • When my partner and I found out we were expecting our first child while living in a small one-bedroom flat, we knew nosotros had to get crafty.
  • Our baby, Avery, was built-in in late Baronial, and these space-saving items have fabricated the last five months with a new infant so much easier.

If y'all've e'er heard someone say "a babe doesn't need much at the beginning" — they are lying.

Living and working in New York City, ane thing I am ever lacking is space, and that infinite is cut down even more with a infant. When my partner and I constitute out we were expecting our start child while living in a pocket-size one-bedroom flat, we knew we had to get crafty. Through the whole process of researching and shopping and and then setting up my baby registry, I realized that I needed to make some major spacing-saving decisions.

A infant shower is an amazing opportunity to get a bunch of essentials that you demand when y'all bring your baby home. The hard part is, what do you actually need — especially if you lot are looking to save space? Through my inquiry, I institute that at that place are a lot of products out there that have similar functions and narrowed it down to the most practical infinite-saving items to add to my baby registry.

These v products will help y'all relieve space when you bring your infant home:

A infinite-saving crib that is both mobile and portable

Lauren Paige Magenta / Business organization Insider

Get ready for this shocker: No, we did not become a bassinet. When my partner and I told people this, we got a lot of confused faces. But for us, living in a i-bedchamber flat, the Homebase for the crib would exist our bedroom. Instead of registering for a bassinet, which nosotros could only utilise for a few months, I did a ton of research on mini cribs on wheels before deciding on the Babyletto Origami Mini Crib.

If you live in a small space, there are two benefits to choosing a mobile mini crib over a bassinet: 1) you won't need to find a place to store information technology once your baby grows out of it in a few months, and 2) you lot will have the flexibility to move the baby around your space as you figure out all of your slumber habits with this tiny new add-on.

Before choosing a crib, it'south important to consider the corporeality of space around your flat or tiny home. My partner and I are fortunate enough to have the infinite to curl our girl into a corner of the living room correct outside our bedroom door. Y'all should also measure out to make sure the mobile crib tin can make it in and out of whatsoever doorway and around whatever corner.

We ultimately chose the Babyletto Origami Mini Crib, which measures 39.two inches by 25.vii inches by 36 inches and weighs approximately 50 pounds. The crib is made of pinewood and medium-density fibreboard and includes iv locking caster wheels. We found it easy to assemble, and every bit we bike it around our flat, it feels very sturdy and well-made.

Pros: This crib takes up slightly less space than a full-size crib and folds up, bachelor in half dozen colors

Cons: This requires yous to do a little extra research on mattresses and sheets since the mattress is not standard-size

A changer/dresser to save precious flooring infinite

Lauren Paige Magenta / Concern Insider

When living in a small space, yous need to employ every corner of usable space possible. For us, similar many others, that meant that we could non accept an boosted piece of piece of furniture similar a changing table. Then we went on the hunt for a changer/dresser philharmonic and chose the Bablyetto Modo three-Drawer Changer Dresser, which matches our crib. This piece measures 35.75 inches high, 33.5 inches broad, and 19.xiii inches deep and is composed of pino forest and medium-density fibreboard. Similar the crib, it was piece of cake to assemble.

The changer/dresser has a removable changing tray — something that's important to consider and worthwhile if you lot plan to go on using the dresser once your child is potty-trained. Instead of a regular changing-tray topper, we registered for the Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Irresolute Pad. This allows us to move the changing pad around. I work from home total time, from the living room, and so I can use this pad to change my daughter rather than running from room to room.

Pros: Multifunctional, matches three dissimilar Babyletto crib designs

Cons: With only three drawers and no costless surface expanse on tiptop of dresser, we use the top drawer for all changing table needs, which leaves but ii drawers for clothes

A sink bathtub that can be easily stored

Amazon

Most babe bathtubs are rather large, and to be honest, I take no idea where the average person in a pocket-size space stores one since the standard-size tubs do not fold upwardly.

At my baby shower, nosotros were given both a traditional-size baby tub, which merely doesn't work within our space constraints, and a compact infant bath. I personally registered for the Puj Flyte Compact Infant Bath every bit information technology fits right into my kitchen or bath sink. The product specifications say that the platonic sink size is 16 to 19 inches (left to right), eleven to 13 inches (front to dorsum), and 4 to 6 inches deep. Since information technology folds up and hangs flat, storing it is hassle-free.

This compact bathtub works for babies up to 17 pounds or 6 months quondam. This is the one product our baby will abound out of the quickest, but I felt it was a smart product to start with — particularly as we were bringing so many new products into our infinite.

Tip: We got a clip to hang it in our shower to dry, and and then once information technology was dry, we put it neatly abroad in the linen closet.

Pros: Easy to clean, easy to travel with

Cons: Only lasts until 17 pounds or nigh 6 months

A portable loftier chair that attaches to tables

Buy Purchase Baby

I fell in dear with the Inglesina Fast Table Chair earlier I fifty-fifty conceived my first child. One of my best friends came to brunch with her 1-year-quondam son and pulled this chair out of her bag. Suitable for children from 6 months up to 37 pounds, this tabular array chair makes a great substitute for a traditional high chair. It comes with 2 twist-on rubberized clamps, which make information technology piece of cake to use at home but just as piece of cake to disassemble and take with you to a restaurant or fifty-fifty grandma'due south.

Another reason I love this product is the fact that it brings baby up to your height. In one case baby starts to eat solid foods, it allows them to join the table rather than be separated. This makes it easier for parents to eat and savour a meal rather than turning away from the table to care for baby. To top it all off, Inglesina too sells an attachable dining tray which snaps right onto the arms of the chair and sits on your table — making it easier to clean upwardly after mealtime.

Pros: Doesn't accept up extra floor space, travels well

Cons: Likely won't match the design of your electric current tabular array simply comes in 9 colors

A college savings account that volition outlast all of those beautiful stuffed animals

Lauren Paige Magenta / Business Insider

Offset saving for college at Babylist

I saved the best for last. A higher savings account (or any savings business relationship, actually) is my all-time tip for new parents in full general only especially for those who live in a small-scale space. The idea is that about people in minor spaces, especially ones who are fortunate enough to take a babe shower thrown for them, don't take the space for and then many extra beautiful, little gifts. I mean, how many stuffed bears can i newborn receive? I suggest setting upward some kind of savings account for this new babe coming into the world.

I take spoken openly about paying off my student loan debt, so I felt it advisable to kicking things off for my daughter with a little funding. My partner and I opened an account for our child and linked it up with our registry. People were able to deposit through the registry into her higher fund. As parents, these gifts are greatly appreciated and and then helpful. This money doesn't take upwardly space and will be a huge investment into baby'south future.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Disclosure: This mail service is brought to you by the Insider Reviews squad. Nosotros highlight products and services you might find interesting. If yous buy them, nosotros get a modest share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We often receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does non drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. Nosotros operate independently from our advertizement sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.