A Place to Rest with a Kind Bassinet

This post is written in partnership with Dock-A-Tot. They’ve created a sustainable bassinet option that is both affordable and practical. More importantly, they have done so without comprising good design or function. We have been gifted their Kind Bassinet to try, along with a nursing pillow and swaddle set. All opinions herein are my own. I receive no commissions for any of the Dock-A-Tot products shall you choose to purchase from my links after reading this review. I simply believe in the product and want to share what Dock-A-Tot has made. As always, thank you for supporting the companies that support this space.

A road of sleepless nights and parental unrest lies before us, or so we are told. Preparing for a newborn is much like preparing for battle. Make sure you’ve got the right gear, good training, a general idea of what you’re up against, and comrades to back you up. We are still stuck on the gear part. When it comes to gathering baby arsenal, let me be the first to say that we are of the pared-back type. It may not be your cup of tea. You can judge for yourself by looking at our curated baby registry list. However, there have been a few items that we wanted on hand right away. One of which was a place to rest. Dock-A-Tot recently released their Kind Essential Bassinet, and it fit the bill of sustainable, simple, safe and slow.

Kind to Earth

Dock-A-Tot’s Kind Essential Bassinet is fully sustainable. It is made of responsibly harvested corrugated cardboard (WHAT?!) that folds flat for portability. The light-weight allows petite mamas such as myself to carry it around the house and on travels effortlessly. Plus it ships for less! The cardboard acts as the frame of the bassinet, and a Sorona foam core mattress lies on top of the cardboard base. It comes with a machine washable, OEKO-TEK standard 1 certified cotton sheet as well. Shipped in a box that doubles as a carrying case (reuse, recycle), this bassinet is as easy to stow away as it is to assemble. Plus, with each bassinet purchase, a tree in planted on baby’s behalf.

Things I like about the box. It is fully recyclable. Simply remove mattress and sheet, and place box in recycle bin. But not so fast! A better option is to up-cycle the box. This could serve as a toy bin, doll crib, pet-bed, and more. Store their favorite books for easy reach. Use it to corral their toys. I would even consider using this as an organizing bin inside the closet or pantry. With boxes, the possibilities are endless.

Kind to Mama

With this bassinet, we can walk down the street to grandparents’ house and have a place to rest baby and mama’s tired arms. That is, without lugging more stuff that would require a car or wagon. It is also easy to move from room to room. Sometimes, mama just needs her space. Being able to put this bassinet in the living room so that someone else can have baby duty while mama gets some shut-eye is heavenly. Bonus points for the fact that any of the grandparent’s can lift this, too! The bassinet weighs a total 5 pounds. Look, in my fourth trimester, I am not planning on carrying ANYTHING, if possible.

Kind to Baby

The Kind Bassinet is a safe space for baby to sleep or nap. The cotton sheet is super soft and the mattress is water-resistant. The sheet is washable in case of accidents during those early months of life. I know baby will be comfortable on the Sorona foam mattress, which by the way is made up of 37% plant-based recycled fibers! Producing Sorona® uses 30% less energy and releases 63% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of nylon 6. At the end of the day, the product you get is a firm, flat surface on which to lay baby down while being mindful of your impact.

The Kind Bassinet is compliant with US standards applicable to bassinets and meets children’s product safety standards. Just ensure that it sits firmly on the floor, and has no additional products inside while baby is sleeping. Of course, this works best in a pet-free home. Curious critters may want to snuggle along with your babe, so always keep an eye.

Kind to Our Wallet

As a frugalist, I always talk price. The price of the Dock-A-Tot bassinet is at a mere $119, thereby making it one of the more affordable bassinet options out there. Sure, it isn’t fancy. It doesn’t rock or wheel. But it is space saving, and in an urban, minimalist tiny home, that is the exact thing we need right now. It stores away quickly and well. It moves. The thing is, when it comes to adding a member of the family to a home, the question of space and whether there is enough of it will come up. This was the FIRST concern both of our parents had. But small living is a choice many young people make, because frankly, it is financially savvy. Any product that provides function given a small footprint is a winner in my world.

Final notes:

The Kind Essential Bassinet was designed well, in beautifully colored prints that engage baby’s imagination during awake time. There are many prints to choose from, all of which keep the home looking stylish. We chose to go with the Strawberry Thief print, to match my Dock-A-Tot nursing pillow (La Maman Wedge). However, I also liked the Willow Boughs print for a woodsy vibe. The prints are sealed with a non-toxic protective varnish that makes clean-up easy. Cute pedestal feet add stability and ornate detail to this cardboard box. Tool-free assembly takes me less than 30 seconds. Simply open the carboard box, lay down the base, followed by the mattress.

As we will both be partly working from home (me with the blog and dog-sitting, and him on a hybrid schedule), we need a place to set our loved one down nearby. This bassinet can be at the foot of our desks, by the couch, near the bed … anywhere else for that matter.

Bottom line: baby stuff is required for such a short period of time. Anything we can do to reduce the waste for 6 months of life is something worthwhile. I could croon all day about design and beauty, function and fit, but let’s be real. The sustainability that this bassinet option provides puts what we are doing as parents into perspective. Babies of the past have thrived on waaaay less stuff. Forego the most complicated bassinets that add to the headache, the bulky cradles that require an upgrade in living space, or the expensive tech that forces you to pick up additional work days. Your baby simply wants to be near you. You want them to have a safe space. And you want rest. This Kind Bassinet provides.

A most curated baby registry

Well, the baby shower is done and over with. After months of debating with ourselves over what a baby needs and doesn’t, it’s nice to finally be past it. Since we’ve made the decision to stay put in our small space, we were excruciatingly mindful of our list of wants. I have the confidence that we’ve developed enough decluttering skills to eschew our own stuff to make room for our baby’s things, so that wasn’t what was causing stress. Rather, it was the knowledge that loved ones were pooling their resources to help get this little one’s life started. And we did not want to be wasteful of their efforts. Because not having enough space is the main reason families upgrade their homes when adding a new member, I wanted to share the items that we’ve decided were essential in our curated baby registry.

Our criteria for a curated baby registry:

Neutral colors – a recurring theme I have is sticking to a strictly stream-lined palette, which deceives the onlooker of space and calms the body and mind.
Tiny footprint (in terms of real estate) – minimalist design that stows away nicely is the best descriptor!
Multi-functionality and longevity – I like things to have variability of use. Too much specialization leads to clutter.
Essentials limited to the first twelve months of life – we did not ask for items that would be irrelevant until further down the road. We figured, by then we can declutter the newborn stuff and trade in toddler items.
High quality brands – a requirement that addresses sustainability
Less is more – when in doubt, do without.

A most curated baby registry

Travel

Nuna Infant Car Seat – despite the fact that the baby will need an upgrade in 12 months, we prioritized safety.
Uppababy Cruz V2 Stroller – This stroller adapts to our infant car seat but also has a toddler seat of its own and can last for the first few years of baby’s life. A stroller was essential for us, as we love to be outdoors and walk dogs. We felt that Uppababy had better maneuverability compared to the Nuna.
Nuna Car Seat Adaptor for Uppababy – to use the stroller with the car seat.
Chicco Alfa Lite Travel Play Yard – The play yard doubles as a place to sleep when we are away from home, as well as a play pen at a relative’s house. We also like that we can set the baby down safely when we are boarding bigger, playful pups.
Baby Bjorn Carrier Mini – Another travel must-have. I am not sure I would want to take the stroller in and out of the car as it’s pretty heavy. While baby is young, I would much prefer to carry him this way. Plus this carrier is perfect for hikes, grocery shopping, or whenever strollers would be a pain to maneuver.
YogaSleep Rohm Travel Sound Machine – a portable sound machine for long car rides and travel.
Product of the North Elkin Diaper Bag – The diaper bag we chose is a backpack instead of a purse so that either parent can carry it. It also works well with the carrier, as a single person can wear the backpack in the back and the carrier in the front. This diaper bag is on the smaller side, which we like! It comes with a travel changing pad and the top handles allow it to hang from our stroller as well.

Nursery

Baby Bay USA bassinet – this bassinet allows us to sleep in the same room without having to sleep in the same bed. There are so many reasons why I love this bassinet, all of which I outlined in my blog post review!
Hatch Rest+ 2nd Gen – this was something Mike wanted to have on the registry but I have heard mixed reviews. It serves as a sound machine and a night-light, but we already have the portable sound machine which I believe will suffice. I think it is an over-priced gadget that claims to train kids into a sleep routine.
Crane Top Fill Humidifier – I like the clean look and that it holds a lot of water and fills from the top. It also doubles as a night light.
Lalo Play Gym – Mike’s dad gifted us this play gym for Christmas. He is just so excited to play with baby. I actually got a play gym handed down to me from by high-school BFF that is tinier and more minimalist. But I will likely be bringing the Lalo along to grandpa’s house. Everyone recommended the LoveEvery play gym. But I found it to be big, bulk, and an eye-sore. While I understand that brain development is crucial to a growing child, I also believe that play gyms are not what we should rely on. I would love nature to be his true play gym, so that’s why I felt like my friend’s minimalist one will do. Also, we really didn’t put any toys or books on the list. That was an intentional choice. I figured the library will provide a million reads, and toys would come by way of regular stuff lying around the house. In the end, we got them anyway as gifts.
This baby camera – We went with the Wyze V2 Pan camera instead of the more expensive Nanit. Our friends validated our decision. The Nanit requires an additional yearly subscription which adds to the high price point. Also, baby must wear something in order to use the sleep monitoring function, which their baby can’t sleep with. They literally use it as a camera. On the other hand, my cousin has the Wyze camera for both his kids and it does the job monitoring if they are awake or asleep in the nursery. Sometimes, simpler is better.
Crane Baby’s Cotton Crib Sheet – I put ONE crib sheet on the registry. After the baby shower, we decided to get a second one in case of late-night accidents.
Vitruvi’s Glow Diffuser – I got this as a present within the first few weeks since Casey’s arrival and I had to add this to the list. It is so useful for night-time feedings and sleep training. The soft glow prevents the exposure of baby to harsh lights, making it easier for him to fall asleep. It also keeps mama grounded and zen, which keeps everyone in the family calm.

Feeding

Stokke Clikk High Chair – One advice I got from a current mama is to get a high-chair that doesn’t have fabric. We actually got a free hand-me-down high chair with fabric on it but we gave that to my mom and dad so that we don’t need to bring one around between houses. Another girlfriend really recommended the Stokke Tripp-Trapp high chair, but it was a bit bulkier and had a higher price point. Plus it was heavier too! I fell in love with the lightness and portability of the Clikk High Chair. It is the perfect option for us travel-nerds, as it deconstructs into just a few pieces that is easy to carry around. If you want to see it in action, there are plenty of awesome videos on YouTube for this chair. Of course, I chose white, but I very seriously thought about breaking my cardinal neutral color rule for the blue.
Nanobebe Flexy Silicone Bottle – We just needed a few bottles and this just happened to catch my eye. I want to try nursing 100% but am prepared for it to be a nightmare. Reality remains to be determined.
Lalo First Bites Full Kit – We only wanted to buy one dining kit for the babe. Some people buy a bunch of plates, bowls, cups, spoons and forks. One of each was fine by us!
Oxo Tot Bottle Brush with Stand – We learned from our hospital that you should have a designated bottle brush for baby stuff, so that’s what this was for.
Hakaa New Mom Starter Kit – Since I plan to nurse, a fellow mama said this was a life-saver for those leaky moments.

Bathing

Frida Baby Soft Sink Bather Bundle – We don’t have any bathtubs in our home. But my best friend used this for the first six months of her baby’s life. We have three bathrooms and have designated the guest bathroom sink as the baby’s new “bath tub”. I love how it is easy to assemble, dries quickly, and once again, is perfect for travel!
Lalo The Bath Tub – We added this to the registry for when the baby outgrows the sink. We will have to use a shower area in the guest bathroom downstairs for bath time.
Towels, washcloths, bath products – Of course, essentials. One towel, a few washcloths, and starter packs.
Burt’s Bee’s Baby Wipes – We bought wipes to make diaper changing easier. We also bought a wipes container after the registry. Our best friends said they cut the wipes in half to reduce waste and stored it in a container since stuffing it into the original wipes packaging was impossible. I think this is a wonderful frugal hack, and well worth the $10 container!
Esembly’s Full Time Diapering System – I wrote about our wish to use cloth diapers here.
Dekor Diaper Pail with Esembly Pail Pouch – the pail pouch is to hold the cloth diapers until laundry day. The dekor pail was voted best and is compatible with Esembly’s pail pouch.

Other

Dog Gate (for dog sitting) – This was a must because I plan to continue our dog-boarding side-hustle.
Frida 3-in-1 thermometer

Of course, with gratitude, we received more than what we listed on the registry. Big surprises included baby clothes, a full-sized crib, sleeping sacks, blankets, toys and books. We also received non-essential-but-usable items such as glider, baby gate, bottle drying rack, pacifier sterilizer, bottle warmer, disposable diapers and more.

*This blog post contain affiliate links. Shall you make a purchase via my link, TheDebtist will receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting this space.

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

Baby Bay Bassinet Meets Small Space Dweller’s Dreams

lt is easier to curate a home for yourself than it is to curate one for someone else. Who am I to decide what’s right, functional, or preferable by this tiny human on the way? Yet here we are, as future parents, with that exact job. Deciding baby stuff can be overwhelming. But sticking to your values lends light at the end of a dark, long tunnel. For our home, my requirements are to live simply, choose ethically, prioritize function, and seek beauty. If you think that’s too big an ask, then you haven’t heard about Baby Bay. They provide bassinets that meet this small space dweller’s dreams.

Baby Bay Bassinet In Small Spaces

An important deciding factor on any furniture purchase for us is how much real estate something takes up. Our total square footage in our upstairs living area is less than 900 square feet. Always has been, to be honest. I am a small space dweller and I love it. But it comes with serious decision-making!

I prefer minimalist products. No bulky pieces of wood for me. My side chairs in the living room are made of wire instead of being arm chairs. My couch is low as can be to give the mirage of taller ceilings. The headboard to the master bed isn’t solid. The stools at the kitchen counter have no backs. My desk sits on rails. And our Baby Bay bassinet has slats all the way around. My rule of thumb, to state the obvious, is to choose furniture that maximizes light, air, and the feeling of space.

The Baby Bay also wins in design. It has a half-moon shape, which allows it to fit bed-side. It also fits in a nook by my desk, next to the dining table, or in the small hall by the kitchen counter. The flat end tucks nicely against a wall, counter, table, or bed. And underneath the adjustable mattress base is plenty of room for more storage or a pet bed.

Baby Bay Bassinet’s Small Footprint

When I say small footprint, I am referring to the carbon kind. The bassinets are made in Germany. They are constructed with solid beechwood that is naturally anti-bacterial. Sourced ethically, the wood remains untreated, making it safe for baby. The company also provides organic jersey sheets and takes pride that their products are manufactured responsibly.

More importantly, the bassinets are upcyclable. Meaning, there are all sorts of ways in which to turn this bassinet into alternative furniture once it is outgrown. Unlike other bassinets that remain just that, this one is multi-functional! It converts to a larger crib if you place two bays together to form a rectangular crib. It can also double as a bench for little folk by removing the rail and lowering the base. Some mothers turned the bassinet into a work desk by removing the mattress and placing a seat at the end. Lower the mattress even more and it can turn into a pet bed. Or a doll bench. Or a toy ‘box’. I could also see it functioning as a coffee or bar cart. Entertain guests with this wheelable cocktail counter! Which brings me to my next point…

Baby Bay Bassinet’s Functionality

When it comes down to it, I chose this bassinet for its functionality. I’ve already given examples of its variability, but it doesn’t come close to its function. Since I plan to nurse as best I can, I wanted a bay that was bedside. Reason being, I want to avoid getting up in the middle of the night to walk to a crib, even one in the same room. Especially in those early weeks, I will be tired and recovering. However, I also knew that keeping the baby in our bed would cause anxiety in me, as I am such a sound sleeper! This bassinet gives baby a place to sleep safely while still being within arms reach for those nightly feedings. Having him bedside will allow me to bond and nurture, without having to physically go to him.

The first few nights after the hospital, one of my main priorities is rest. With the help of my husband (who can also position the bay next to his side of the bed), I will be able to recover while providing for my newborn. My husband has the task of waking him, changing him, burping him, and putting him back to sleep before and after each feeding. Since the bay can sit on either side of the bed, it doesn’t always have to be me, me, me. Therefore, Baby Bay gives back to mamas, too!

Rest assured of this bassinet’s safety. There’s a function that locks the bassinet into the base of parent’s beds. In a state like California where earthquakes are possible, that might be the bay’s selling point. I also liked that my baby would always be within arms reach, in case of emergencies. Lastly, I can peek over my side of the bed and make sure the baby is safely sleeping.

Life After Baby with Baby Bay

This bassinet has the option to add caster wheels, making it wheelable. The portability of the baby around the house gives us more flexibility. So many parents say that they can’t even shower or use the restroom because they’re too afraid to leave their baby alone. With Baby Bay, we can bring the baby close to the glass shower stall, where we can keep an eye. Actually, we can bring them anywhere in the home!

The wheels give me hope that, in due time, I will have a remote part of my previous life back. I don’t want to be a parent tied to a baby monitor, or hovering anxiously over a crib. But I also want to be near my baby. For those who say you cannot have the best of both worlds, I’d like to step up to the challenge and try.

Call it the stuff of dreams, but I would love to be put-putting around the kitchen, writing blog posts at a desk, entertaining guests on the balcony, or reading a book in the living room while still being a present mom. The saving grace of our small space is that there is a centric spot reserved for the bay wherein we can keep an eye from multiple rooms. Additionally, the living space is consolidated on the same floor. She may be small, but our space is mighty functional. I think that the Baby Bay bassinet provides solutions that mothers could only once dream of. This mum, anyway!

This post was sponsored by BabyBay USA. The minute I learned of them, I was enamored by what they were doing. All thoughts and opinions in this space are my own. I do my best in sourcing what I believe to be the best products for the personal values this blog represents. For those wishing to try BabyBay (highly recommend!), you can take advantage of my discount code SAMANTHA10 if you purchase on their site. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this space.

Family Growth in a Tiny Home

I suppose I wasn’t surprised when concerned friends and family started inquiring about what we were going to do with our living situation once the baby arrives. One of the first questions Mike’s mom asked was, “Where do you expect to put your baby? Surely not the downstairs bedroom?!”. My own mom piped in presumptuously, “Eventually you’ll need to move into a bigger house.” Mike’s dad was more concerned about how we were going to fit “all their stuff” in one room. Only my father offered to help move furniture around. But I’ve had my fair share of tiny spaces and fielding questions and comments on living in such. And we’ve decided as a couple to do as we always do, and make family growth work in our tiny home.

A history of tiny dwellings

It seems humorous to us that our own parents voiced concerns. We both grew up in tiny spaces. Mike lived in a two bedroom apartment with his dad and sister until college. He shared a room with his sister during childhood, and then with his dad in his teen years until his sister left for college when he was 17 years old. Apart from his senior year in high school, he essentially shared a room with someone until he graduated college. After which, he moved into a house with his buddies and upgraded his room to a garage. Absolute freedom.

My own story was similar. I moved ten times before high-school. While we sometimes lived in houses big enough to have our own rooms, we also lived in two bedroom apartments (thrice!). For six months we stayed at a one-bedroom Extended Stay America. The most cramped memory was when we immigrated to the United States. For about a month, all five of us slept in my father’s co-worker’s office space. My mom, dad, and brother shared a full-sized bed while my sister and I slept on the sliver of a floor between the bed and the computer desk. We weren’t even allowed to roam outside of the bedroom except for the few hours that the owner was away at work. My brother co-habited in my parent’s bedroom until he was three years old. And my sister and I definitely had our fair share of sharing spaces.

Our current tiny home

This may sound silly, but I realize that Mike and I have chosen tinier and tinier spaces. In the end, we kept arriving to the conclusion that less is more. Our first loft together was 1,595 square feet, which we rented the first year and a half of our marriage. The second loft which we purchased was 1,500 square feet. Comparable in size, but with a larger footprint downstairs, which we rented out. So our living space was slightly reduced to under 1,000 square feet. When our roommate left, we sold that property and sized down even further. Our current tiny home is 1,318 square feet. Similar to our first two lofts, this one has the secondary bedroom downstairs.

We live in a tiny home. That much is undeniable. However, I don’t find that as problematic for family growth as the layout. A split-level townhome (described as an ideal bachelor pad by a neighbor-mom who also lives in the same floor plan) isn’t exactly conducive for family living in the traditional sense. The upstairs space is about 900 square feet (or less?) comprised of the living area and the master bedroom.

My gripe is with the second bedroom. Located on the first floor, it has a tiny stand-up shower in the bathroom and is positioned right next to the front door and the garage. The walkway to neighboring townhomes looks directly into the second bedroom. As a parent, I may worry about being on a separate floor, in case of emergencies. I also wonder if it’s bad that a stranger passing by would be geographically closer to the baby than we would. The solution may be to move the nursery upstairs.

Deciding on Family Growth in a Tiny Home

In the grand scheme of raising humans, I still find this banter on how tiny a home is to be quite frivolous. In the end, we have decided to stay, for now. I have found a solution by way of a bassinet on casters that would solve for the “where to put the baby” problem. Call it stubbornness, but I find the challenge to be endearing. I’d like to rise up with creative ways to exist in our current situation.

Expansion is the American dream. The solution for most people is to buy more stuff. Quick fixes solve problems, yes, but only for a quick amount of time. Mindset shifts, which take much longer, could result in more permanent solutions. We’ve spent the past six years of our married life finding ways to cut back – whether it be on waste, spending, stuff, to-do lists, social norms, expectations or space. These more permanent solutions are what yield the temporary one for our family growth in a tiny home dilemma.

Since we’ve always wanted to dabble in real estate, we have the fall-back option of buying a bigger space and renting this one out. However, like all else in life, I want to see what ‘staying and seeing’ yields. At the very least, I want to wait until the baby arrives to see what lifestyle we want to lead. Will we both work part-time and parent part-time? Will we resume our previous career schedules and make the same amount of money? Or will we value this tiny home as a means to stay close with our child, both geographically and because we don’t have to work and be away as much?

I have found peace with our decision in the mothers before me who have navigated similar terrain.

Erin Boyle managed family growth in a tiny New York 500 sq. foot apartment which she called home until her third babe was born.
Alison Mazurek lived with a baby (and then two…) in a 600 square foot apartment in Canada until past toddlerhood.
Our neighbor Leah is raising her son in the same townhome layout as ours, and he is thriving.
My own mother managed three wild children in a co-workers bedroom.

At the end of the day, I’ve landed on the same conclusion as when we adopted our cat Theo: There is always room for loved one. Family growth will be just fine in a tiny home.

The Ever-Growing List of Baby Stuff We Did Not Buy

I think I was destined to be a list-maker. It gives me so much joy to write down a massive slew of words on paper. My brain feels lighter and my life more organized after I make lists. Plus, I get more things done by simply writing tasks down. As in, physically writing with pen in hand. (That’s the therapeutic part.) Today, I am starting The Ever Growing List of Baby Stuff We Did Not Buy.

While not everyone feels euphoria from list-making, I hope my audience has found some use from lists I have published. In 2017, I made The Ever Growing List of Things I’ve Given Up in the Name of Frugality. That was followed by The Ever-Growing List of Things I’ve Done to Get Out of Student Debt, The Ever-Growing List of Ways to Earn Extra Income, and The Ever-Growing List of Things I Have Given Up in the Name of Creating Less Waste.

Today’s list entails everything from hand-me-downs, gifts, and acquisitions to our Buy Nothing Group. I am also keeping track of products I have reviewed for this space, which I hope benefits all parents, but that we’ve been gifted for free. And most importantly, the list ends with things we chose to go without … at least for now.

Buy Nothing Group:

Crib
Nursing Pillows
Clothes
Socks
Shoes
Graco Baby Swing
High Chair
Swaddles, sleep sacks

Gifted:

Lalo Baby Play Gym and a minimalist play gym
Clothes
Books
Stuffed Animals
Crane Baby Crib Mattress Sheet
Crib Skirt
UppaBaby Cruz V2 Stroller
Nuna Pipa Lite RX Car Seat
dekor Diaper Pail
Baby Bath Products
Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier
Bottle Drying Rack
Munchkin Pacifier sterilizer
Newton Crib Mattress
Nursing Blanket and Car Seat Cover
Nuna RAVA Car Seat
Lalo Bath Tub
Stokke Clikk High Chair
Baby Brezza Formula Mixer
Bottle Warmer
Bottles
Dog gate
Diaper bag

Through the blog:

Doing Without (for now):

Recliner for mama
Changing table or pad
Dresser for the nursery
A designated nursery, so to speak
Air purifier

As parents, we have the daunting task of providing for our children. And sometimes, companies use that to their advantage. The commercial market for baby stuff has really gone down the deep end. They have redefined the term “newborn essentials” to include everything that would grow the economy. Everything has become essential – or so they make it seem. Where has our discernment gone?

My own mum scoffs at changing tables and changing pads, especially those connected to large dressers that increase the price. Back in the day, our loin-cloth nappies would be swiftly changed on the bed. If you’re worried about your changing skills, placing another square cloth underneath the booty catches any accidents. I take my mom’s disdain as a sign that perhaps we can survive the first year of parenthood without a changing table. At the very least, we can wait and see how things go.

I also had a friend communicate with me her dissatisfaction with an expensive stroller she purchased for her first child. It was big, bulky, heavy, had useless functions, and was expensive. I took her advice and accepted a hand-me-down jogging stroller to start. My aunt offered it up to me even though its years old. I figured it’d be useful for our active lifestyle. These are the types of money saving tips that families need. Not only will it help families stay within budget, but it will also help allocate dollars to the REALLY important stuff.

If you are keen on family budget tips such as this, feel free to subscribe to my email list!

If you’d really like to go on a deep dive, I highly recommend reading the book Not Buying It. Luckily, I found mine at our public library. I devoured its contents in one day, as I sat painfully awaiting my 3 hour glucose test to end. The joys of motherhood!

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Photo by Jenna Duxbury on Unsplash

Less Waste: Cloth Diapering with Esembly

This post is in partnership with Esembly, an organic and sustainable company dedicated to making cloth diapering accessible to all families. As a beginner parent, I found the notion of using reusable diapers as both endearing and scary. Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure we could navigate this new world of child-rearing while holding onto our ideals of less waste. However, Esembly has put those worries to rest with their easy cloth-diapering system. I wanted to take a few moments to share with my audience what they have to offer. We now look forward to our diapering days with excitement and I hope you do too. If you wish to try Esembly, make sure to check out the 20% discount code at the end of the post (valid until January 30, 2023).

We have decided to take on the challenge of cloth diapering. Pursuing a life of less waste, we teeter-tottered between convenient and conscientious and decided on the latter. When I researched options for cloth diapering, I was dismayed to find that services available to big-city dwellers in New York are not readily so in our remote area. Luckily, Esembly has created a cloth diapering system that would work well, as long as we took to the laundering ourselves.

I figured, my two siblings and I were cloth diapered 100%, back when linen loincloths were the only option and our parents had to hand-wash whites in a drum. Paddles were used to slap the cloths clean and bleach was occasionally called upon to keep them white. Fast forward 33 years to automatic washers and innovation. Cloth diapering has come a long way! I am excited to give Esembly’s Try-It Kit a go. And to share with you guys what their well-thought-out system has to offer.

The Impact of Cloth Diapering

First and foremost, let’s talk impact. There are 11.4 million babies in the United States according to a 2022 census. An average infant uses 55 diapers a week. This amounts to 627 billion diapers entering the landfills per week. This also equates to 2,860 diapers per infant per year. Compare that to 48 Esembly diapers for an infant’s entire diapering saga.

Even if environmental impact wasn’t enough to make poopy diapers enticing, there are also dollars savings to be considered. If you purchased the cheaper brands on Amazon, it would still cost thousands of dollars to get your baby through to potty training. Shall you choose to purchase Earth-saving bamboo diapers or healthier, chemical-free alternatives, the price you’d be paying can so much as double or triple. Lastly, cloth-diapering isn’t as scary as it seems!

Esembly’s Cloth Diapering System

Esembly’s cloth diapering system is organic and sustainable. It was designed with parents in mind. The company wanted to take the edge off of cloth-diapering in general, which is stigmatized as being a hassle and downright gross. However, by simplifying the steps, Esembly has managed to make it fun and stress-free. Arming parents with the right products to turn this venture into a wild success story, Esembly has lowered the bar to access cloth diapering for people who live outside of big cities and who have had zero experience with cloth diapering in the past.

Pre-prepared bundles make purchasing easier for those wishing to cloth-diaper full-time, part-time, or simply give it an experimental whirl. Or you can take the Esembly quiz if you want a custom-fit solution. A subscription model also allows products to magically appear on your doorstep as you need them.

Additional Cloth Diapering Accessories

Multiple accessories make the laundering process more manageable. A diaper pail by way of a bag can hang from the back of a door, in the laundry room, or go directly into a sturdier option such as this Dekor Pail. A pail deoderant keep smells at bay until laundry day. Esembly users swear by the detergent and agitators that turn poopy diapers into unsoiled reusable cloths. And if you breastfeed like we plan to, the clean up is even easier as breastfed babies make biodegradable poop. However, poops must be thrown own before soiled diapers enter the pail once formula and solids are introduced.

Another thing I love about Esembly is that they are organic. Esembly diapers have less reactions than other disposable brands which may contain chemicals. Esembly also provides an array of skincare products for your babe such as rash relief cream and everyday balm. Reusable, sturdy cloth wipes are available to wipe away messes with ease.

Less Stress with Esembly

There is an argument to be had for cloth diapering, and that is one that relates to a life of less stress. With the right system in place, cloth diapering shouldn’t be too different from using disposable nappies. For fully breastfed babies, there is no need to clean the diaper at all. Simply remove and store in the diaper pail until laundry day. Wipe bums with their foaming cleanser and reusable wipes, and place a new inner. Wash all used inners, outers, wipes and diaper pail on laundry day. Just throw everything in the drum!

Another thing cloth diapering does is lower the cost of child-rearing. Forty-eight reusable diapers until potty training is all one needs. Cost reduction of child-rearing goes a long way in reducing overall stress in a growing family. Any opportunity wherein we can cut costs further enables us to work less and spend more time at home. And with Esembly’s subscription system, there is no need to run to the mart for detergent, wipes, or additional diapers!

Of course, all of this with the caveat that we are still awaiting the arrival of our newborn. But with excitement and gusto! Like all other things in life, we embrace the challenge of navigating cloth diapering. I feel much better and well-equipped with Esembly. And truly, Esembly aligns with our family’s values of intentional living, less waste, and simple living. I’ll be sure to circle around with a final evaluation in a few month’s time.

In the meantime, my audience with newborns or expecting family growth can start cloth diapering with Esembly today. Esembly is gifting my audience 20% off with the code THEDEBTIST on Esembly products purchased via my affiliate link until January 30, 2023. If unsure of your commitment, I highly recommend starting with the Try-It kit.

Intentional Living: Christmas Returns

I wanted to share the story of the Christmas gift that I purchased for Mikey last month. It was a fairly expensive piece of coffee equipment called the Ratio 6 (affiliate link should you choose to try it). It has been raved about by coffee addicts for being a drip machine that produces pour-over-quality coffee. We’ve been dying to try it for ages, but the high price point prevented us from buying it. Finally, I decided a joint Christmas/Anniversary gift would justify the splurge. However, the purchase did not go as planned.

We tried the Ratio 6 the week after Christmas. It looked gorgeous on our countertop. Easy to use, we thought this would be the perfect coffee maker for when the baby arrives. As we hope to have help in the form of grandparents, we figured that our community would involve a lot of people needing caffeine. It was a gift that we hoped would give to others.

And it made stellar coffee. Just as people said it would. However, the one part we didn’t like about it is the way the kettle poured the coffee. It splashed and gurgled due to an odd interior design. The anatomy of the spout had a lip that caused a bump during the pour. It was a mess to serve coffee from. Because of that one flaw, we decided to return it.

I don’t share this story to promote a snobbish sense of character. But the machine cost an arm and a leg, and the value just wasn’t there. In terms of functionality, it didn’t deliver the ease of use we wanted. So, we ended up trading it in for a standard Mr. Coffee machine that cost a tenth of the price. We figured that the purpose was to make big batches of joe that would sustain our community of baby helpers. We compromise by using quality coffee and water to begin with, and settle with less than pour-over standards for the sake of convenience. Plus, we saved a lot of money.

There was a time when I would have kept the machine. It would have photographed well. It would have made good coffee. People would have oohed and aahed. And I’ve been wanting it for a while. Previous me would use my want as justification enough to keep it. But I have since moved on to a more intentional lifestyle.

The power of intentionality requires that we make decisions based on value. We did not keep the machine because of a singular flaw. But for me, if it isn’t 100%, it isn’t anything at all. Some would overlook a short-coming so “minor”. I mean, it made dang good coffee at the push of a button. I give it cred. However, I saw the “minor flaw” as a reminder, as well as a relearning of a lesson. We can choose to spend our money on things other people convince us is “worth it”. But if you yourself don’t believe it to be true, have the courage to walk away. The media will sell. The group will convince you otherwise. Remember this: don’t waste your time on things that fall short. Life will not wait.

Unembarrasing Tips for Decluttering Christmas Gifts

Return for cash or credit.
Regift to others.
Resell on Poshmark or Craisglist.
List on your local Buy Nothing Group

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

New Year Changes and Expectations

I spent much of the end of 2022 hibernating. It was an intentional choice to focus on family and self during the busiest season of the year. One that paid off! Instead of feeling haggard, my eyes are well-rested and my heart feels grounded. It wasn’t easy. I said no to many occasions in order to reserve my energy. But this is kind of how it’ll go moving forward, as we are expecting changes in 2023.

In April, we have a stork scheduled to deliver us a babe. Hopefully one that’s healthy and happy, pretty and petite (for my sake!). But whatever ends up arriving at our doorstep will be well-loved by us. In lieu of New Year Goals, I instead pondered, wrestled with, and tweaked my expectations. I know it’ll be a practice, just like everything else.

As with most mothers, I suspect the focus will shift away from the “me” to the “we”. In an effort to mentally prepare, I have been repeating to myself the following mantra: “Que sera, sera”. Not entirely ready to give up goals just yet, I have made them open-ended instead. In fielding other people’s inquiries about when I will return to work and what I plan to do with raising a wee one, I’ve responded with “We’ll see”. I have hopes to breast-feed and cloth-diaper, but am open to the possibility that either or neither may work out. Down goes all my walls of structure. Up goes my fastidiousness. Cling loosely to all expectations. We have yet to choose the name.

I guess the biggest change of all (if not my pants size and my body weight), is the fact that I must let go of who I once thought I was. The defining parts of myself that exist because of my accomplishments, my career, my past … Instead I myself am reborn into the most base part of me. When the world stops spinning, you are only left with yourself. And that’s kind of what happens when a baby is born, isn’t it? The world just stops.

2023 will change our lives, that much we know. I’m just grateful to have good people around me for support.