This post was sponsored by P&G but all opinions are my own.
Making your baby registry can be fun, but also a little intimidating! I remember having the thought “how am I supposed to know what to register for when I’ve never had a baby before?!?”
Two babies later, and I’ve learned a thing or two about registering for baby showers and beyond.
If you are in the registry-creation stage here are some tips to help you prepare for baby!
Just one registry
Resist the temptation to have multiple baby registries at a bunch of different stores. While it’s fun to register several places, it can get confusing both for you AND people shopping your lists. If you have more than one registry and someone is in the store shopping they might think you’ve left something off your registry and purchase it, not knowing you had registered for that item at another store. I recommend heading to Target for your registry because they have EVERYTHING you could need for your baby. It’s easy to get away with just one registry because they cover it all in-store and online. If they don’t have something you want, just use the Universal Registry button to add it from another store!
Save money
When you register at Target they give you a FREE welcome kit with $50 worth of coupons, and tons of free samples. This is so useful because it gives you the chance to try out a few different styles and brands of items before you decide which things to put on your registry. Not only do you get all the coupons for future purchases but they also give you a 15% discount to “complete your registry” if you purchase everything that is left over on the registry after your shower. This could save you a LOT of money, even if you just use it to get a discount on diapers (Because you can NEVER have enough Pampers!). Bonus – You can get 20% completion discount after baby arrives if you have a Target REDcard!!! The savings just keep coming!
Get advice
Ask a few trusted friends questions about your registry. I found that “what did you register for but end up not needing” was a more useful question than “what should I register for”. You get more out-of-the-box answers that way and find out handy little details about what to look for when registering for certain items.
For example, I learned to NEVER get a high chair with a cloth cover. It SEEMS like that would make life easier, because you can just toss the cover in the washing machine when it’s dirty, but the reality is you have to do laundry every day to keep that thing clean. Instead, opt for a high chair that is plastic, wood or vinyl so you can easily wipe the chair down with a wet cloth after each feeding.
After you get advice from your friends, Target registry has you covered in this area too. With features like “mom picks” and “fun facts” built into their registry, it’s like having a more-experienced best friend walk you through the process and help you pick the things that will be right for your baby. Did you know that newborns go through an average of 320 diapers in the first month? I bet that’s a tip that even your best friends might not remember from their days with a newborn.
Go to the store
There is nothing like walking through a store creating your registry. It’s such a sweet moment picturing your baby in different outfits and imagining what that car seat will look like in your car. It’s so much fun and it really helps to see everything on the aisles so you don’t forget anything. When you get home, you can easily browse Target.com and add a few things you may have forgotten or select alternate colors/models that may only be available online.
Don’t over register
While all those baby clothes are adorable, try to focus on ESSENTIALS for your baby first. While fancy little outfits are fun, you want to be sure to focus on the practical side first (and then you can go nuts with the adorable non-essentials if you are able to later). Focus on car seats, feeding, and diapers first and then add in the rest as you have time. Target already kick-starts your registry with a few of the essentials, like Pampers diapers. Seriously, they make it SO EASY!!!
The Target registry will even help with group gifting, which comes in handy if several of your friends want to go in together and buy one of the larger ticket items from your list.
Trust me, you’ll be spending a LOT of your time from now on wandering the aisles of the Target baby section, so you might as well get familiar with them now as you create your fun, registry!
marylyn wooters says
i have been trying to find my grandaughters baby register and it will not bring it up. i live in Bella Vista ar. and she lives in Greenville il what do i have to do to find it ????????