BoujeeKidsEvery nursery list on the internet has 47 items. Ours has eight. These are the things you genuinely use, and the reasoning behind each one. We’ve left out what most guides include because they’re sponsored, not because they’re useful.
The cot: Stokke Sleepi
Stokke · Since 1972
Stokke Sleepi Cot
Oval design, European beech, converts from Moses basket to cot to junior bed to sofa. One purchase for a decade.
Check Price on AmazonThe Sleepi is the Tripp Trapp of cots. It starts as a Mini (Moses basket size, from birth), converts to the full Cot at three months, then to a Junior Bed at approximately 18 months with a bed extension kit, and finally becomes a sofa for a toddler’s room. The oval shape fits around a sleeping baby better than a rectangle. The beech wood is FSC-certified. Resale value after full use is typically 40 to 50% of retail.
The white noise machine: Marpac Dohm Classic
The Marpac Dohm uses a real fan motor rather than a recorded loop, the result is genuine broadband white noise that doesn’t have the subtle repeat cycle you get from digital alternatives. It is the only white noise machine that sleep consultants recommend by name. At £49 it is one of the better investments in a nursery.
The nursing chair: Dutailier glider
Dutailier · Since 1981
Dutailier Glider Chair
Ball-bearing glide mechanism, solid wood frame, removable washable covers. Built for the 3am feeds and beyond.
Check Price on AmazonA nursing chair matters more than almost anything else in the nursery. You will spend between 600 and 1,200 hours in it in the first year. The Dutailier glider has a ball-bearing mechanism (not plastic runners) that is smooth enough to not wake a sleeping baby and durable enough to last multiple children. The solid maple frame is replaceable if damaged; the covers are washable. Canadians have been making these since 1981.
The changing unit: IKEA Hemnes dresser + changing pad
This is the one item on the list where we recommend a non-luxury option. The IKEA Hemnes dresser at £275 is solid pine, deep-drawered, and converts from a changing table to a regular dresser when the nappy phase ends. A £45 changing pad clips onto the top. Most boutique changing units cost £400 to 800 and can only be used as changing units. The Hemnes converts. It wins.
What you genuinely don’t need
- Moses basket stand, unnecessary if you have the Stokke Sleepi Mini.
- Baby bath with thermometer, a regular baby bath and a £3 bath thermometer do the same job.
- Wipe warmers, see baby gear guide above.
- Nappy bins, a lidded kitchen bin with a liner is identical.
- Nursery humidifier, unless your child has documented respiratory issues, this is anxiety product marketing.
Affiliate disclosure: Amazon links use our associate tag. IKEA links are non-affiliated editorial recommendations.