I'm looking for tips on how to handle our baby registries.
Most of the big items (strollers, car seats, etc.) that we want are way too expensive to register for so we are just buying those on our own. We have registered for a few items that are much less expensive than our very large items but still expensive, like the Baby Bjorn Playyard.
But even for smaller items, the things we want are more expensive than usual, e.g. we mostly want wooden toys, organic clothing, etc. We have registered for a ton of stuff around the $25 range (some less), so it's not an issue that everything we've registered for is crazy expensive. More the problem is that people who buy off the registry will get "less for their money" than if we were registering for more of the standard items.
My mother-in-law reacted negatively to this and encouraged us to register for other items. I considered registering for items we will not want and then returning them, but I think I decided we are not comfortable with doing this. We can afford the items we want, and it seems inappropriate to register for things that we only intend to return. I am also sensitive, though, to annoying people or being judged.
Any tips for me?
Re: Tips on baby registries when you want organic items
This summer, a friend got married, and his wife only had items fifty dollars or more on the registry. We didn't want to spend that much, so we gave them a gift card. Problem solved.
Ask for what you want and ignore MIL.
Our Twin Baby + a Big Girl Blog
And with the delivery trifecra of one twin vaginal, one c-section with general anesthesia for twin B, Spencer and Sidney joined us at 35 weeks exactly on June 18.
Put your big items on your registry, anyway, so that your completion discount can be used on it.
The PPs are right, you can't just register for unwanted items and I encourage you to add the big items too, I was surprised to get out high chair and travel system at my shower!
About the green/organic items; are there any natural parenting/cloth diaper stores in your city? Because many have registries. My local natural parenting store has anything from cloth diapers to toys and their registry allows for people to pool their money with someone else to buy more expensive items like an ergo or a boba. GL!
My Blog: Naturally Mindful
Create a registry through MyRegisty.com! It is super easy and you can link existing registries from other stores to your online one. People can see what you have listed on there and then try to find better deals, say on Amazon or something! I have done this for the sprinkle we are having for our soon-to-be-born daughter (we already have a son), just to fill in odds and ends.
It is totally okay to put those pricier items on your registry! Even if people do not purchase them individually, a few friends may choose to get together to purchase a larger item, or they can get gift cards to help cover the expense.
Also, when having a baby shower, consider doing a "Green" theme. I saw a really awesome idea for this online! Have invites that are made from recycled paper, purchase a second hand outfit for the big day, use eco-friendly paperware and utensils, etc. The color of course, should be green! Encourage guests to bring gifts in reusable cloth bags (for mommy when she grocery shops!) or find other creative ways to wrap gifts! It is really important that whoever hosts a shower for you understands why you are concerned about these things and includes a brief note about how you want to raise your child... or simply that you are "Going Green!"
It is always fun to come up with a little rhyming poem to hit the point home! "Blank and blank are Going Green for their precious baby, yet to be seen! Wooden toys and woolly dolls, organic clothes/cloth diapers will line their halls!" I totally just came up with that on the spot! Feel free to use it
Best of luck!
Register for the things that you want and, honestly, most people will probably buy off your registry. Most people I know rely on registries to get a grasp on what the registrants actually need. Sure, some will buy off registry, but you don't have to keep the items that you don't want.
The things your MIL are saying are only her opinion and her feelings. That's all. Not everyone will look at your registry and think those things.