This Is How to Create a Stress-Free Baby Registry
Here’s how to streamline the process of creating a baby registry
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In addition to registering online, Pross recommends registering at a local boutique. That way, people can touch and feel items, and you’re supporting a local business.
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How do you make your wish list?
Try thinking in categories, Pross suggests. “Organizing into buckets gives you a much better picture and helps you prioritize. For example, nursery furniture can have a ten- to fourteen-week lead time [for delivery], so it’s best to get the big items ordered first,” she says.
And while it may be tempting to add tons of items to your list—every single adorable outfit and every might-be-helpful product—Pross suggests a better strategy is to keep your list focused. “If you have everything on there, guests may end up buying things that you don’t need immediately,” Pross notes. It can be helpful to create a private section of your wish list—that only you and your partner can see—to save items you’re considering and to track the items you’ve purchased yourself, Pross suggests.
Safety is an important consideration as you add items to your registry, says Joe Shamie, president of Delta Children. “Parents should check that the products they are interested in are Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association-certified,” he advises. Products with that certification meet the standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as ASTM International, which develops standards used around the world.
And don’t shy away from practical essentials, says Liz Jeneault, vice president of marketing for Faveable, and a Philadelphia-based mom of a toddler. Diapers, she says, are especially critical (since you’ll go through so many) as well as baby laundry detergent.
