Friday Frivolity - Baby Items You're Better Off Without

It's time for this week's edition of Friday Frivolity - the blog party for all things fun, funny, hopeful & happy!

Just wait until you see what we dug up for this week's theme...




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At last week's party, we shared things NOT to say to a pregnant woman (unless you want to get it, right in the kisser!

This week, we're listing stuff you might get for your baby, but will probably never use:




Diaper Genie




Granted, we were never going to use one of these in the first place because we cloth-diapered, but I've heard from SO many other moms who said having one of these was more hassle (& more expensive!) than it was worth.


Wipe Warmer



Hey, guess what? If you hold the wipe in your hand for approximately 7.2 seconds, it'll warm up all on its own.

And maybe your baby will actually like the soothing coolness of a regular wipe on his or her little bum.

You could also forgo the store-bought wipes completely and make your own, washable system like I did


Diaper Stacker




There are just SO many other options out there (under the changing table, ON the changing table, in a drawer or heck, just sitting on the floor in the diaper box is probably pretty practical, for how often you'll go through the things!), plus I can't imagine taking all that time to stack them up in this thing constantly. I'm sure they don't hold a full box-full of diapers, anyway.


Diaper Bag




Oh my word.

Apparently, you can spend as much on some fancy-schmancy diaper bag as we did on everything we got for baby Gv, total!

I say, just use something you already have - a backpack, a purse, even a reusable grocery sack. 

And you really don't need to lug everything around with you everywhere. Set up a minimalist diaper bag like this one and then keep a bag in the car for all those things you might need while you're out, but don't need to lug around on your shoulder all day!


A Super-Expensive Baby Carrier




Actually, a Lillebaby like the one above, a Boba, Tula or Ergo are pretty comfy and convenient, but I'm talking about the craziness you'll hear within babywearing circles like "stash" and "fluff" and "OMG, I just had to go without groceries again this week because I could not pass up this pattern - guys, it's just too cute and who cares if I already have the item in 15 different colors..."

Now, if you have the funds for it, there is nothing wrong with collecting cute shoes, or purses, or carriers, but if you're trying to save money, this is one baby item trap you do not have to fall into.

This Infantino Carrier is pretty much just like the fancier brands, but $100 cheaper! 



Or, you could do like I did and create your own baby wrap for less than $5!


Baby Monitor




Unless you live in a mansion (we do not, in case you were wondering), I don't really think this is something that's necessary.

We actually got a hand-me-down of a really nice one from a co-worker (so grateful for all our hand-me-downs!!), but we never used it.

My advice? Just put the baby down to sleep near wherever you're going to be, or in a central location that you'll constantly be passing by while he or she naps.

Or babywear, because then you get a nice little workout and never have to worry about doing that whole the-baby-fell-asleep-and-now-I-want-to-lay-her-down-without-waking-her dance!



What was the weirdest thing you got for your baby, or thing you got that you thought you'd use, but never did?



Now, on to the link-up! 


The Hosts:



Host, Lisa, Friday Frivolity Superbowl / Football Memes Edition! (Sort of, Not Really...  ;P) Plus the Friday Frivolity LINKY PARTY - the blog link-up for all things Fun, Funny, Happy, and Hopeful!

  Lisa is an awesomely hilarious and authentic writer who marches to her own drum on her blog Syncopated Mama, providing an "un-labelly spot" for all the happily off-beat folks out there who have been wishing to find kindred spirits. She shares her adventures building a natural home, teaching her adorbs daughter, establishing and refining positive communication skills, camping, creating, cooking, and so much more! Lisa's latest post is a hilarious and awesome list of Stocking Stuffers from A-Z... you've gotta check it out!



Friday Frivolity Host Sarah Eliza from Devastate Boredom


Sarah Eliza is on a mission to Devastate Boredom by living life with laughter and intention! Her blog is your spot for Capsule Wardrobe how-to's and inspiration, humor, encouragement, life-hacks, Read / DON'T Read book reviews, and more!  Stop by her blog for winter Capsule Wardrobe inspiration -- mix-and-match outfit inspiration in burgundy and olive!




Host, Audrey, Friday Frivolity Superbowl / Football Memes Edition! (Sort of, Not Really...  ;P) Plus the Friday Frivolity LINKY PARTY - the blog link-up for all things Fun, Funny, Happy, and Hopeful!
Audrey is a wonderfully eclectic blogger, who not only can cook up a storm over on That Recipe, but also writes at Munofore - "MUsings NOt FOod RElated." Munofore touches on humor, parenting, crafting, holiday ideas, tutorials, and more! Audrey's most recent post reviews Classic Games for Family Fun -- awesome recommendations for holiday gifts, or game nights through the year!



Jessica is an amazingly funny and smart blogger from Wales who writes at Babi a Fi on a whole range of topics -- from entertaining vintage nostalgia, to technology tutorials, to book reviews, to raising her adorable munchkin, and so much more! Her latest post, a review of the Meryl Streep film Florence Foster Jenkins, is filled with comedy and pathos!





Calling all bloggers looking for an upbeat and supportive group of pals to join in hosting the weekly #FridayFrivolity par-tay!  We are hoping to add to our ranks of dedicated hosts and co-hosts, and would love for you to consider joining the fun!  Co-Hosts are welcome on a temporary basis (usually a month), while Hosts make a more ongoing commitment.  :)  Swing by here to express interest and ask any questions! 


Featured Post from Last Week:

In a fun twist, since we have four hosts and co-hosts we will also have FOUR FEATURES.... but you will have to go check out the other three blogs to see if you were featured there!  ;)     


The featured post for Syncopated Mama this week is........


If Newborns Were Named What They Look Like, We'd All Be Called 'Alien" 

 OhMyGoodness, this post was SO hilarious, you guys!  Seriously, every single one of these comparisons Jenny shared was spot-on.  



Now, the new stuff! 


This a link-up for all things funny, fun, encouraging, hopeful, and happy.  That includes free printables, giveaways, and other fun stuff to make us SMILE and start the weekend off on the right foot. 

If you're just here to have fun, skip the rules and start clickin'! 

Bloggy buddies, thanks for coming to par-tay! You are welcome to link up to 3 posts, and old posts are always welcome!  To improve traffic to your site, try to link posts we might not have seen in a while... keep it fresh!  :)


There are three rules only: 








We're so happy you're here! Let's have some fun!



What fun do you have planned for the weekend?  I'd love to hear!  Either leave a comment below or email me at lisahealy (at) outlook (dot) com.

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12 comments:

  1. YES Andrew and I were browsing at Babies R Us just to see all this stuff people kept saying we needed, and by the time we left we had already talked ourselves out of the diaper bag and diaper genie... I was still iffy on the baby monitor so maybe I'll just hold off on that too and see if we decide we want it depending on where the baby ends up doing most of her sleeping. Smart tips, off to check out that emergency diaper kit...

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  2. I had a diaper genie for about a week before I realized how utterly gross they are. From that point forward, I tied up the diapers in a bag and put them in the outside trash can! And cold wipes on a baby's butt really just build character for adulthood!

    Shelbee
    www.shelbeeontheedge.com

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  3. This list is so on point! The wipe warmer, while a good concept, is a big waste. None of us are really traumatized by cold wipes as babies, right?
    I also have an aversion to baby monitors because they kind of creep me out. Nothing is scarier than hearing or seeing something creepy on your baby monitor. Eeek!

    Happy Friday! Thanks for hosting!

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  4. I used my diaper genie for YEARS I love it so much we actually had two; one for upstairs and one for down.

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  5. I agree with you on everything but the diaper bag...lol I loved having a diaper bag. Thanks so much for sharing at Together on Tuesdays :)

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  6. You are so on point with this post: new parents can easily do without all of the items mentioned here. It's so easy to get tempted into buying the latest gadget and too many of them are way too expensive. The only item from your list that we used was a diaper bag, and it was an inexpensive but attractive one from Walmart. Babies need the investment of our love and time and caring. Much of everything else is just window dressing. Oh, and hand-me-downs are wonderful: most items, including clothing, are gently used and receiving them from others and/or sharing with others when your baby has outgrown the item is wonderful.

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  7. All good tips! My eldest daughter got that wipe warmer for her first baby. Seriously - it wasn't used much after the first week!

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  8. AWESOME post! So true. I've never even thought twice about purchasing such silly things. Great read, thanks for sharing!
    #TrafficJamWeekend

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  9. Wonderful list, in fact With online shopping becoming the much preferred option, we do seem to end up buying so many things that are not actually of use its like just a click away and the moment we set our eyes on them we begin buying them. You have rightly mentioned these unimportant things we could better be off with
    Menaka Bharathi - The Bloggers Pit Stop Crew

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  10. I actually have the least expensive baby carrier and it's still holding up after 3 kids, and it's comfy too, so I totally agree with not having to get the expensive ones out there. :)

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