Building Your Values-Based Baby Registry: Nursery & Decor
Oooh does this sound like the fun part? For some it is, for others it’s the absolute worst. Lol. I felt a bit of the pressure to get this “done” early but then had to remind myself that we don’t all need to live like instagram stars. We can make things work with what we’ve got and edit as we go. Give yourself permission to do what feels right for you!
Crib
Pottery Barn Kids Dawson Endpanel Convertible Crib $499
I was fortunate enough to receive a used Pottery Barn crib from a friend and it’s held up like a dream. Love the quality. There are a billion crib designs, so find what you’re drawn to. Many of the PB cribs are Fairtrade and Greenguard Gold Certified which I appreciate.
Crib Mattress
Naturepedic Organic Lightweight Classic Crib Mattress, 2-Stage $299
This is one of my top items. For the amount of time our kiddos are snoozin’ it mattered to me to get a good one. Naturepedic is a highly reputable brand and offers 100% GOTS certified organic items. If you opt for a different brand, I’d recommend still looking for one that has 2-stage firmness, which means it has a firmer side for infants and a medium-firm side for toddlers. (The AAP recommends babies sleep on a “firm, flat surface”.)
Crib Mattress Pad (1-2)
Naturepedic Organic Waterproof Baby Crib Mattress Pad $69
I realize this is kind of a lot to spend on a mattress pad. I ended up only getting one of these and then got another less expensive one to rotate out to when needed. I really wanted the surfaces that our daughter would be touching most-often to be non-toxic.
Crib Sheets (2-4)
Mebie Baby $24
These Mebie Baby sheets are so soft and cozy and also cute as hell. Find sheets you like and consider throwing a few options on your registry because there may be nights (or days) where you rotate through two or even three. In a pinch we have used a normal sheet tightly tucked but that is definitely not advised.
Bassinet
I bought one of these beautiful handwoven basket bassinets. It was one item I really wanted. Our baby slept in that thing for maybe 8 weeks before she seemed too big for it! We still wanted her to sleep in our room so we switched her to a Pack’n’Play before eventually moving her into her crib in her own room ~3-4 months.
Different people have different experiences with bassinets but this would definitely be an item I’d either try to get from a friend or used. If you decide to buy new, my personal rec would be don’t spend a ton of $$ on it. I thought “oh, I’ll use the basket for something else when she outgrows it” but honestly it’s just tucked in our storage room.
Bassinet Pad & Sheets (2)
Burt’s Bees Baby Bassinet Sheet, Fitted 2pk $20
Coldwind Waterproof Organic Cotton Fitted Cradle Sheet Set 2pk $15
These 100% organic jersey cotton sheets worked well for us and fit our bassinet perfectly. I would absolutely recommend having at least two sheets and two mattress pads. My girlfriend also gifted us these waterproof changing pad liners that we used in emergency situations if we ran out of our waterproof bassinet mattress pads. (Not everyone runs into these situations, but clearly we did!)
Rocking Chair
Pottery Barn Dream Swivel Glider Recliner
Things to think about for a nursing chair: comfort (of course!), cleanability (most come with performance fabric now that can be easily cleaned), whether you want it to rock and/or swivel, height of the back (my husband is 6’3” so we wanted an option that would work for both of us) and long-term style (is this something you’d want in your house post-nursery year?). Pottery Barn has some BEAUTIES but they are definitely an investment piece.
Note: If you’re looking to save space you might want to consider a recliner vs. a chair + an ottoman.
Book Shelf
Wayfair $180
You’ll definitely want a spot to keep your kiddos books. Having them visible makes it easier for your little one to point or grab the book they want to read as they get a bit older. If your nursery is small like mine, every added little nook for storage is a blessing.
Note: this particular option is made of MDF, which wasn’t my preferred option, but we went with it based on the cost/style/size. Give and take!
Dresser
Nurture& The Dresser $1,349
This is a great option to give some new life to an old dresser! We swapped out the knobs on an oldie and it works great. In general, using a dresser as a changing table has worked out well because we didn’t need to get a separate changing table.
Sound Machine
Hatch Rest Baby Sound Machine & Night Light $69
I’m sure there are a number of great options for sound machines. We liked the functionality and aesthetic of the Hatch. I’m also hopeful that as our daughter gets older we’ll be able to use the “time-to-rise” alarm clock.
If you don’t want/need the Night Light option you could always just opt for a standard sound machine.
Humidifier
Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier - $39
I chose this bad boy for two reasons: reviews and -can’t help it!- the lewk. So many humidifiers are just so darn ugly. I was also trying to find one that was easy to clean. This one suggests sterilizing with vinegar/water once a week. Since we only really use it in the winter that hasn’t been too annoying to accomplish.
There is a dim nightlight element to this humidifier so if you’re an anti-light purist, that might drive you nuts.
Laundry Basket
Parker Baby Nursery Storage Basket $34
Baskets are the best! A friend “wrapped” her gift in a cute llama basket for one of our showers and we use that as our daughter’s laundry bin. I couldn’t find the exact one but this cotton option from Parker Baby Co. looks almost as cute. Ha! Can double as a basket for blankets/towels/whatever if your little one outgrows it.. or needs one with a lid like our teenage boys do!! ;)
Baby Monitor
We bought an expensive “Low EMF” monitor and ended up kind of hating it. Neither of us liked having the video feed exclusively on our phones. Made us feel like we were constantly picking up our phones “just in case” and felt very distracted by it. Since it was connected to our wifi it also was a bit of a pain to easily bring with us on-the-go.
We swapped it out for a super cheapy analog sound-only baby monitor which also happens to be low EMF. Our bedroom is across the hall from the nursery so we only really turn it on if we’re going to be out of earshot. Wish I would have just started with this one!
Other things you may decide you want/need:
Drawer organizers [The Container Store 4” Dream Drawer Organizers $10-18]
Closet organizers [The Container Store Simple Division Closet Rod Organizers 12pk $12]
Artwork - I’m always going to suggest finding some real art vs. Target/Hobby Lobby reproductions. Etsy is a great place to start. If you’re looking for options on a budget you could always buy a children’s book you love, like Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, cut the pages out, frame them and create a little gallery wall.
A Mobile - “They” say not to put one over the crib, but if you have a spot to hang one over your changing area, I’ve heard that can be a nice distraction for a sometimes-unpleasant moment! [Crate&kids Origami Baby Mobile $39]
A Rug - a cozy rug always ties the room together. Lots of nice options from West Elm, Rugs USA, Target, etc.
A Lamp - A lamp for nighttime books is always nice. I’d recommend getting a dimmable one to to set a relaxing tone for bedtime.
