Registry...when you don't want typical stuff from typical stores? - Page 2

[gardenmama76]

I registered at myregistry.com, and I did 3 years of research (while we were trying) - contacted companies and I made lots of notes to myself about important info about each item and where I found it in the notes on my registry. This is accessible to anyone to see, and we also put a little note on our welcome page about avoiding things made of plastic or made in china. I'd be happy if someone took a look at it to make all my hard work useful for someone else! Just go to myregistry.com
Hope you get some good ideas, regardless of where you register for them!

P.S. - all my friends gave me props for my green registry, and because we didn't use Target or any alternate popular registry (even though there were items from Target on there) - I got PLENTY from the registry. Some gave diapers, I got some of the toys and teethers, all the carriers and slings, all the bedding and furniture...I'd say maybe 5? people did not shop from the registry - it was great! If you let people know in a kind way (our welcome page) that these are the sorts of things you really need, they will generally comply

Edited by gardenmama76 - 1/2/12 at 7:47pm

[akbarnard]

Thanksmama.com has great cloth diaps, etc and you can set up a registry through them!

[moonjunio]

Yes, absolutely try the Amazon Universal Wish List. You can use it for their baby registry tool as well. Most people are comfortable with amazon. Ideally try to stick to just a few sources, however, so people aren't paying a bunch on shipping from various websites.

I agree however that many people are just bound to buy what they see as "cute!" I explicity asked for "no pink please" and I got mostly clothes, about 60% of them were pink and another 25% were almost as unbearably girly. I never should have admitted we were having a girl! Also, the 3-6 month size range seems to be the most popular one to buy. I did get a good amount of needed gear from family, but acquaintances that your mom can't resist inviting are more likely to go generic. The clothes got used for the most part but a good chunk went straight to the domestic violence shelter.

If you are sending out a list, include plenty of stuff that you imagine your particular guest list -might- actually buy for you. Save the nursing pads and whatnot for your personal list ;-)

A word on blankets - register for big ones. The standard 3-pack "receiving" size is absurdly small and will not cover your baby after just a few months.

[ComplexOphelia]

Originally Posted by jenofur

Go to http://myregistry.com/ you can make a registry for anything you want and pull things from whatever website you want. Its great. Friends of ours did it for their baby shower and they were able to get such cool gifts that you can't find in those other stores.

This is what we're doing! Already registered for the Sloomb cloth diapers that we love and are looking at other things. You can also set up a "cash gifts" account to go into a Paypal, which could be really helpful if you've already got a lot of stuff but people want to give you something.

[Nimali]

I was in a similar situation, and while I had a few things registered on Amazon, I knew that most people weren't going to spend more than 30.00 or 50.00, and the main things I needed were at least 100.00 each. So my friend who hosted my baby shower included in the invitations an informational sheet that said, "Nicole is registered for a few items on Amazon.com, but the main items that she needs are a car seat, baby carrier and cloth diapers. She has found just the items she wants and would be very appreciative of contributions towards these items." I know some people think it's tacky to ask for money, but my experience is that the majority of people understand and want their money to go to a gift that is truly needed. This worked for me - my incredibly generous friends and co-workers contributed enough money to pay for the majority of these three items (that I'm still using to this day, nearly 2 years later!)

[capsgirl08]

I am using http://www.alternativegiftregistry.org/ to be a sort of place holder for ideas that come to mind when we think of welcoming our next baby.

Some of the things we would like when our newest one arrives are visits from friends (to keep mama in touch with the world), papa time (friends to just hang out with DH and go for a run or ride bikes), and previously loved clothing for DC2. I also had some things in mind for DS1, and wanted to clarify those things with a few more side notes.

Can you indicate this kind of stuff with other sites? Our baby isn't due til March, so I haven't had any feedback as to the navigation and ease of alternativegiftregistry.org/.

[CZodar]

We're using myregistry.com also! It makes everyone soooooo much easier and less confusing, instead of having 3 different registries we combine whatever we want into one!

[Breastisbest2008]

I like this one registry website!!!! Why didnt they have that when I was pregnant!!!

[lookingforabluesky]

I used alternativegiftregistry.com too, recommended by my sis.

I really liked it! It was a good place to keep a list, and my close family members spread the word for me. Of course, most people did whatever they wanted (and God Bless 'em, even if it was frustrating!). A few people used ideas from the alternative registry. Maybe it would have been more people if I hadn't also registered at BRU.

My thinking was that I wanted to give people options, but if I had it to do over again, I would've skipped BRU. Instead, I would've printed out my alt. gift list for those involved in planning my showers, and for my mom and sis, etc. so that if/when people asked, "What does she need for the baby?" they could refer them to the site or give a specific idea from the list. Cuz the people who want to give you frilly clothes/a regifted junky toy/[fill in what you absolutely don't want here] are going to do it, registry or not, right? hehe.

[JuJus]

i'm surprised that noone has mentioned depositagift.com it's the best site because it allows you to register for what you'd like monetary contributions towards. it helps with group gifts so folks can just give what they can, which is great for the big items, but also i'm glad we'll that the money will give us the resources to be free of the the likes of Target and BRU, as i'd rather support our local merchants. we're having a shower this weekend and it looks like a bunch of things have been purchased so it seems to be working here's our site if you want to see: http://babesamfrank.mydagsite.com

[phathui5]

www.greenbabyshoppe.com has a baby registry.

[JudiAU]

amazon wishlist is great, plus free shipping

you can add items from everywhere - but be forewarned, a lot of people get annoyed with a million different websites with different shipping etc. - you are better off concentrating on a few places - the things from actual amazon will go faster

also, some places like Jillians Drawers have cloth diapers plus alot of other goodies.

[camprunner]

Originally Posted by nixnc

http://www.weelittlechanges.com/

this is local to my area, but they ship all over. i am registering here when the time comes.

Thanks. It will be nice to have some place local to shop from this time.

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

I didn't do a registry with ds and wish I would have I got way too many of some items. This time around I plan to do one just because I really need specific items but more of the bigger and crunchy items I will probably leave off the list. Eventhough I don't need a lot there are many small regular items I need like nail clippers,bibs,hangers,washclothes etc that I will put on a list so I don't end up with dozens of onesies like last time. I may put a sling and an extra boppy on there but will leave off breastpump and really large items and cloth diapers. I will probably register at target of course money is always nice, with ds I know I got close to 200$ so that would take care of one or two of the bigger items I need.

[HeatherB]

I have been maintaining a baby registry at Amazon, largely as my own shopping list. I haven't and don't expect many people to buy from it, but I do know my family likes shopping from Amazon (including extended family), and since I do, too, it made sense. I also love being able to add ANYTHING from ANYWHERE to that list.

While there is almost nothing at BRU (especially in stores!) that I want or need, I have made a registry there because it's where people are more likely to shop - and someone has actually volunteered to do a shower for us. This is #4 and we haven't had one since #1 so that's a surprise! I think I have a smallish registry at Target, too, for the same reason.

On any of these registries, I've also includes links/mention of *other* registries with more stuff - i.e., on BRU it says I have a more thorough registry at Amazon, plus diapers at Mom's Milk Boutique, and a registry for a local store, too.

I actually went to a shower for a friend who was, I found out, ONLY registered at Amazon - for great stuff, too! But I didn't realize it until too late and couldn't get anything. :/ So that's part of why I've got stuff smattered across the board - and why I went ahead and put a few things on a local store list so if someone DOES want to find something last-minute (as I had!), they might be able to.

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

Originally Posted by ILoveMyBabyBird

I didn't do a registry with ds and wish I would have I got way too many of some items. This time around I plan to do one just because I really need specific items but more of the bigger and crunchy items I will probably leave off the list. Eventhough I don't need a lot there are many small regular items I need like nail clippers,bibs,hangers,washclothes etc that I will put on a list so I don't end up with dozens of onesies like last time. I may put a sling and an extra boppy on there but will leave off breastpump and really large items and cloth diapers. I will probably register at target of course money is always nice, with ds I know I got close to 200$ so that would take care of one or two of the bigger items I need.

Okay I change my mind, I will probably add a few cloth diapers on to a registry, have you guys checked out target.com lately? They have bumgenius, gdiapers, fuzzi bunz, and few other cloth diapers brands. I am unsure whether people will buy from the list, but I think I will just put the stuff on there just in case and that way, I will have a nice list to go on and I can order stuff if i end up with target gifts cards etc. I will also be checking out the baby section when i go to target because sometimes people return online items to the store and they resell it at the store at a big mark down.I know they aren't organic or wool or anything, but definitely not mainstream diapering. Oh and babies r us has a lot of cloth diaper options and it looks like they actually sell bumgenius and gdiapers in store. I think I will be doing a registry there as well.