must have baby items – Life on Route

As a minimalist and traveler I was very resistant when everyone commented on all the baby items I must have. I thought to myself, how can one little baby need so much stuff. People have cribs, bassinets, swings, chairs, high chairs, strollers, car seats, change tables and a plethora of baby clothes. I knew I wanted to buy items for LJ that would be easily transportable, collapsible and fit in a small space. Also, I didn't want to spend boat loads of money either. I put together a list of my 5 must have baby items to fit your minimalist lifestyle. I was able to pare down the baby items to the bare essentials and keeps us in the green. Buying many of LJ's items used from Facebook marketplace saved us boat loads of money. We also have a great used kids clothing store in town that I took full advantage of. Note: This article contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something using a link, we will get a small commission (at no additional cost to you). However, we only recommend products that we use. Crib A crib is an obvious must have baby item! But there are many options that will work as a safe place for baby to sleep. In lieu of a crib or even a standard Pak-n-Play, I bought the Graco Travel Lite Crib with Stages. I selected this particular item due to its small size and weight. I needed to find a place for LJ to sleep that would fit in the RV and last her for a while. The nice thing about the Travel Lite is that it has stages that provide multiple height levels to give you easier access to baby. I'll be putting together a full review of the Graco Travel Lite soon! I was fortunate to find mine on the Facebook marketplace. This particular one is difficult to find in Canada but easy to get off Amazon in the USA. Car Seat This is the one must have baby item I wanted to buy new. If you have a friend or someone you trust that is selling a used car seat that is accident free and unexpired then I say go for it! If not, then it's highly recommended to buy new! I found a good price on a Graco Snug Ride 35 Click Connect. I picked this specific car seat due to price point and weight. It only weighs 7.5 lbs which makes it one of the lighter ones available. I also took full advantage of a Facebook car seat group where you can ask for recommendations on car seats which will fit your car and also find out other users experiences. In Canada, the best group is the Seats for Kids Discussion Group, looks for replys from "CPST" (Child Passenger Safety Technicians). Also the site Car Seats for the Littles has a ton of info to help you make your best choice! Stroller I picked the Baby Jogger City Mini GT as one of my must have baby items for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons though was size. The City Mini GT has a very slim profile when folded, only 23cm in depth (or 9 inches). It needed to fit in either one of the storage bins under the RV or in the spot behind my chair. It has a quick one handed collapse as well as more rugged wheels than a little umbrella stroller. I was able to pick up a used City Mini GT in good condition for a fraction of the price but I, unfortunately, had to buy a car seat adapter new which was pricey. But I wouldn't be without the adapter! A travel system makes life so much easier! Just take the car seat, baby and all, out of the car and plonk it directly onto the stroller. Chair I was resistant to getting a chair or a swing at first and I definitely didn't want to get a high chair yet either. Eventually, I caved and bought a little chair off Facebook market place and boy has it been a life saver! LJ loves it. Now, I would consider it one of my must have baby items! We also received as a gift a Summer Infant Pop and Sit Portable Booster which will be amazing when she can sit up by herself. It folds up nice and compact and can be strapped to any chair to double as a high chair. Check out my full review here. Baby Carrier I purchased my baby carrier new during a really good Toys-R-Us sale but probably should have waited and either bought one used or else made use of my local lending library. Yes! That is a thing. Just do a search for “baby carrier lending library” + your location. If you're in Canada this site lists most baby wearing groups. I ended up purchasing a Lillebaby Complete Airflow 360 because I don't need a separate infant insert and it seemed like it would be cooler due to the mesh on warm summer days. LJ hasn't taken to baby wearing quite like I hoped but I think it's more a matter of practice. These are my 5 must have baby items that I wouldn't be without. I'm sure you'll find that everyone has an opinion on what you MUST HAVE for your baby. But listen to your gut and see what works for you! When possible, buy your baby items used and if you decided you don't love something or find it collecting dust then resell it! What are you're must have baby items? Check Out My Other Baby Posts! 7 Tips for Your First Time Flying with a Baby