5 space-saving baby items for the minimalist mama
Alright, I’ll just come out and say it – WHY do babies have SO MUCH STUFF??
Those of you who know me know that if there is one thing I cannot stand in my home, it is clutter. Of course, minimalism and motherhood are kind of like an oxymoron…good luck keeping a clutter-free home when there is a giant colorful bouncer playing “Old MacDonald” on repeat next to the kitchen.
While pregnant, I remember re-doing my baby registry every other day in order to mentally check off where I was going to store all of the baby gear. Honestly, how does such a small person take up so much space!?
Living in a small condo in Chicago, I had to cut down from the beginning. And so began the countless hours of research looking for things that did the following:
folded easily
could be stored under bed/crib/furniture
were multi-purpose
Here are some of my favorite baby gadgets that made the cut:
Baby Bjorn Bouncer
This is one of the items that we use pretty much every day. It is lightweight, easy to fold and comes in a wide variety of neutral colors (we got it in the grey, which coincidentally hides spit up perfectly, so I will call that a win). It folds up almost perfectly flat, so you can easily store under the sofa or in the closet. A great contraption to keep the tiny human distracted while you sit at the table.
Graco Slim Spaces Compact Baby Swing
Yes, you read that right… “COMPACT” (aka, music to my ears”. There are so many great swing options out there – this one is on the simpler side, but gets the job done! It is battery operated (so you can move it around the house), has adjustable height and folds up easily so that it can be stored under your furniture. Speed can be adjusted from a dial up at the top and the best part is, our little guy LOVES it!
Jolly Jumper (with doorway clamp)
Another fan-favorite in our home! We knew we wanted some sort of stationary bouncer, but didn’t have room for any of the bouncer stands. [Introducing] the Jolly Jumper! It attaches to the molding on your doorway so you can attach and remove once you are done. EVERYTHING folds up and can be stashed away in a bag to be used later. Some minimal scratching on the molding is inevitable, but an easy trade off when you consider the space-saving aspects.
Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad + Scale
We are also big fans of this multi-purpose gadget. Changing pad is made of foam, so easy to wipe off messes. Also has rubber feet on bottom to keep it in place when on top of the changing table. Came in handy, especially those first few weeks when we were tracking baby’s weight like crazy. Just hook it up to the Hatch app. And VOILA – you have baby’s weight logged!
OXO TOT Splash & Store Bath Tub
Another one we did a lot of research on. This one is a foldable bathtub that includes a hook so it can be flattened and hung up in a closet for later use. Our son is almost a year old and we have used it non-stop since he was a newborn.
So whether you are a fellow city-dweller or a minimalist at heart, these items are sure to help you conserve that ever-so-precious real estate in your home when the little peanut arrives!
xo, Sara
