city dwellers in small spaces - essential baby gear

HandJsFirst

Hi - long time lurker, rare poster, but today I have a question for the city dwellers and others with small spaces. My DH and I live in a 2 bedroom condo, just under 1000 sq feet, along with our 60 lb puppy. I'm getting really nervous about fitting in all the baby stuff we're told we'll "need." I keep telling DH that babies seem to come with more accessories than barbie!

So, beyond the nursery items (crib, dresser, changing table), which we have room for in the second bedroom (once we find storage for all the junk we throw in there now), what are the essentials for common areas? Swings, bouncy seats, bassinets, pack n plays, etc - it seems overwhelming! What are some of the must have items and what could you do without? Since the two bedrooms are only about 5 feet apart, could we forgo the bassinet? I know these are all personal decisions, but any advice/suggestions appreciated! Thanks!

TheFannins729

we had a fisher price 3 in 1 swing.  it was an infant seat/swing and now a rocking chair.  highly recommend it.  for later on, you can get a high chair that just straps on your normal dining chair and later becomes a booster seat.  i wouldn't get a bassinet, although we did use a pack n play, which was nice for when we visit family.  and, we could put it in our room for the first few weeks/months.  the key is finding items that can have multiple purposes and/or are easy to store.  for instance, we had one of those floor gyms for ds, but we could fold it up and push it under the crib. 

teenybean

Agreed, multipurpose items, don't buy into the hype and don't register for much. Our place with our first was 1 bed only 750 sq. feet. Get a dresser that has a flat top for changing. We had  the smallest PNP you could buy which had a bassinette in it (even flo minisuite, had to search for it). We had a small portable swing and didn't buy our high chair until we needed it. As for gym time baby blankets and a few small toys work great as tummy time is essential since they all sleep on their backs now anyway. Sleigh cribs are HUGE look for one with a very streamlined design. Other than that the most important item was a sling and an ergo, our favorite baby products by far, and after that we didn't have much else. You don't really need it all.

manda26

my place sounds similar. We are getting a lot for free from my sister, but I don't think we will need a pack n play in here. I do want a swing, one of those low seats that bounce a little, and I do want a bassinet (but this is also something I am not buying, my sister has a really compact one bc her place is even smaller). And our chairs aren't compatible with one of those high chairs you put on another chair so I am looking for one that doesn't take much floor space up so I can put it to the side when not needed.

SusieBW

Thanks for posting this.  We live in a rural area, but our house is a 2br ranch with just under 1000 sq ft of living space on the main floor.  Fortunately, we also have a half-finished basement with another almost 1000 sq ft for storage, but still.  This is our first, so I also appreciate the advice from the veterans!

We're getting a lot of our baby stuff second hand from my brother and sister-in-law, so I'm happy to take whatever they are willing to part with that way, and I'm not at all picky about it.  For whatever they don't give us and we're going to be buying new, we're also hoping to be able to get items that multi-task or that grow/change with the child.  And I wasn't planning on a bassinet for our room, since the baby's room will be right across the hall.

babyjaq

I can say from experience with DD, when I had her I was a single mom, living in a small 2 bedroom with 2 roomates, and 2 kids that stayed for their weekend visitation.  I never had a pack-n-play, or a high chair, or a bassinet, no changing table.  We did just fine with one of those fold up chairs that you strap to your regular dining room table, we did have a walker, and when I changed her I put a blanket down either on the couch, bed or floor.   Sure, some of the extra's might be nice, but I wouldn't know because I never had them.  DH and I disagree now on what is needed and what is not because I'm fine doing with only the necessaties, however, he comes from a spoiled family that wants it all!

hisaak

manda26:

my place sounds similar. We are getting a lot for free from my sister, but I don't think we will need a pack n play in here. I do want a swing, one of those low seats that bounce a little, and I do want a bassinet (but this is also something I am not buying, my sister has a really compact one bc her place is even smaller). And our chairs aren't compatible with one of those high chairs you put on another chair so I am looking for one that doesn't take much floor space up so I can put it to the side when not needed.

Phil and Ted's makes a chair that attaches straight to the table ... so no chair needed.  It is great for small spaces, and for travelling as well!

Other than that, sounds like you have already received some great advice.  Really, babies don't need much!

joleneandbean

Thanks for posting this! We're also in a 1 br, <1000 sqft. At this point, I think we're going to go with a pack 'n play instead of a regular crib, one of those foam changing pads instead of a changing table, probably a swing, and maybe a bouncy seat. I'm sure this list will groooooow.

And I have dreams of covering every open inch of wall in the apartment with shelves, but that's another matter  

Ikea has small, super cheap high chairs that seem to get good reviews, and the legs come off. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30069724

The real challenge will be finding out what to do with the loads of stuff we're bound to get from friends and family. I'm very nervous about seeming rude on that front, but we just don't have the space for a bunch of plastic crap! 

alcammor

I was in NYC with my dd, and we definitely learned some tricks. You really don't need a changing table, but you can buy a changing pad and put it on top of your bureau. Also, like another poster said, just put a towel down to change them in the living room area. One thing that worked for me was to make a changing basket. It had a changing pad, diapers, wipes and cream. I left it out, but cleaned it up when people came over.

 Also, although this is something else to buy, i found it easier to deal with all the stuff by having an area that was designated for baby crap. I put down the foam pads (this is when they are bigger) (skip hop has some that are great put expensive) and had all of her toys and stuff there. By having it in one area, that was clearly kid like, it helped it stay organized.

I definitely used my ergo all the time, and a great playmat (my dd used hers until she was like 9 months old). If you are in the city, the one thing that does matter is the stroller. We didn't have a car so our stroller was what i went grocery shopping with, to the store, through the park, so you need sturdy wheels.

 good luck!