Ohhh baby registries…. At first, it seems like so much fun! You get to pick out outfits and fun gear for the new little human you are brewing. You get lost in a world of onesies and swaddles and adorable little hats. But then you realize how many things there are to choose from. Hundreds of strollers to compare… which bottles are best? Will I even need bottles if I plan to breastfeed? Why are there so many options for bassinets, loungers, bouncers, cribs? How many surfaces do I need for my baby?

You can find hundreds of lists of “5 Best Baby Bottle Brands” but most of those lists are sponsored by the products they are promoting. how do you know you can trust the information on the internet?

This is where the job of a professional baby planner comes in. We help families understand exactly what they need to match their lifestyle and budget, customize it to their style preferences, and get their registries looking perfect. But for those who aren’t interested in custom Baby Planning services, we have created the list of steps below to help get you started. You can also find some on-demand resources available in The Village to get you the rest of the way on your own and provide some additional support.

1 - Create an Account on Babylist

Why we love Babylist:

• It has a great store of products

• You can add products from any website

• It will list where you can find each product and the prices at different stores

• You can easily organize and categorize your items

• You can create private categories so you can keep everything in one place

2 - Install the Chrome Extension and Familiarize Yourself with Babylist

This extension creates a button that allows you to quickly add things to your registry from any website.

Take this time to also familiarize yourself with Babylist by understanding how to navigate the Babylist site, add/change categories, etc.

3 - Research Baby Products and Lists

Browse baby gear websites and download my free Baby Gear Checklist. Then, familiarize yourself with what items are most important and decide what’s best for your family.

• Browse the default Categories on your Babylist account and determine if you want to add more sections.

• Babylist allows you to add your custom categories and also make any categories private. This allows you to keep a single list of everything you need in one place.

• Private categories can be anything you don’t want others to see (maybe your grandma would throw a fit if she saw nipple butter on there). Or anything more expensive that you expect to buy yourself, like furniture or strollers.

  • However, this is your personal preference. Feel free to keep everything public if you’d like - most people these days understand that a registry can be a checklist and wont get offended by expensive items.

Creating a baby registry can be time-consuming, especially the research and administration of the list. If you don’t want to do it yourself, hire a professional baby planner/maternity concierge like me to help you build your registry. Baby Planners offer all kinds of services to help you prepare your life for a baby and can create a custom Babylist registry for you tailored to your unique lifestyle, budget, and needs.

4 - Start Adding Items to Your Registry

Check off the sections as you’ve completed them in your registry. Add everything you think you will need to each category. Add the most important or most wanted things to the top of each category.

I have a very specific way I like to organize registries for my clients that makes them flow and helps attract visitors to buy from the registry instead of going rogue.

5 - Evaluate What You Need, and Don’t Need

No one likes a cluttered registry. Keep it organized and simple, and focus on the things you need the most. Here are some tips:

• The Baby Gear Checklist includes clear indications and information about what are ‘must-haves’.

• Look up minimalist suggestions and YouTube videos to get inspiration for the things you don’t need and what you do.

• Scale back your expectations so that you don’t have too many things to manage, organize, keep clean, etc.

• Ask any great moms, friends, or family to tell you what you may need and review your registry for you.

Once you are about 70-80% complete with your registry, you can hire me to conduct a thorough review of your registry, customized to your unique lifestyle, to ensure you haven’t forgotten anything and recommend what to add, change, or remove.

6 - Publish your Registry

Add a picture and some introductory information welcoming guests to your registry. Create an easy-to-use link and add it to any baby announcements or baby shower invitations. Share the link with family and friends who want to help!

7 - Receive Gifts and Send Thank You Cards

Make sure someone writes down what you receive when you open gifts at your baby shower. Babylist should also create a list of who bought what off of your registry, but you will most likely also receive things that aren’t on your registry.

8 - Complete your Registry

Review what you have received and what you have left to buy and make final decisions on what you really need. If you need any help making those hard decisions or budgeting, reach out to The Baby Planner for a consultation.

Don’t want to do all of this? Let me do it for you!