Baby necessities: recap of the first year

I've been working on this post in my head for months now. And, now that a new bunch of friends are pregnant, I thought I should stop thinking about this list and actually write it down. (Well, type it down.)

So, there are a lot of things I just had to have that we didn't use much. And things that I scowled at that ended up being critical. Here's a list of big must-haves for a baby's first year, according to the Kroboths. And by big I mean, keep it under control and not let your house be overtaken by baby stuff.

• Fisher Price Cradle n' Swing - Worth. Every. Penny. Go used if you can.
• Rock and Play Sleeper - Seriously, best invention ever. Folds up and can slide behind a piece of furniture. Keeps baby elevated and cozy and safe. Skip the bassinet; go with this. Target has super cute new fabric print.
• Jumperoo - Yes, it's big. But it's awesome.
• Bouncy seat - We had several. The cheapest ended up being Asher's favorite by far. Make sure it can fit on your countertop so that the little one can be in the kitchen with you. This went everywhere with us. (While I'm thinking about it, grab a couple sets of links. You'll be hanging toys from everything. Including this bouncer.)
• Resist the urge to get a high chair right away. I just had to have a certain one and it turned out to not be the right fit for us at all. We now use a booster seat that can also travel with us.
• Rocking chair. Make room. You'll be glad you did.
• Snap and go stroller frame. This will be plenty for the first six months or so. You will have time to then pick out your other strollers. (We have the Chicco Liteway for around town now. It's sturdier than an umbrella, but the size of an umbrella. I love it. We also have the Baby Trend jogger. Affordable and so far, doing great.)
• Play gym. This was a life saver for us. (Don't get a tummy time mat or any of that extra nonsense.) Folds up.
• Nursing pillow. Extra cover.
• Infant tub. Infant sling in this one is awesome. Grows with the kid.
• Pack and play. Any 'ole one will do.
• Safety gates. We have these from Regalo. They are affordable and very sturdy. (Eventually you'll need outlet plug covers. That's really all the baby proofing we've had to do thus far because the gates keep him in the baby-safe area.)
• Walker. We got a large walker and put pillows under it when he was younger and it doubled as an exersaucer. I think, though, if you're short on space, go with the jumperoo. 
• Push toys. We've been handed-down a fabulous selection. But the walker above can turn into a walker, so it performs double duty. Other favorites are shopping carts and little push/ride toys.

My skip list would include:

• Bumbo chair (I thought he always looked uncomfortable. You'll know later if your kid will need/enjoy one. Until then they just take up space.)
• Wipe warmer (You can't take a warmer everywhere you go. So just skip it.)
• Diaper genie (Have one. Never use it. Just take out the trash regularly.)
• Full size high chair.
• Full size bassinet.
• Travel system car seat/stroller combo. Just get the seat and the snap and go.

Side note: I found this list to be really accurate for overall baby needs (versus wants).

Tip: Borrow from friends when you can. Or buy used in good condition. Babies are all different and what works for one may not work for another. If you borrow or buy used, you are not losing as much money if something doesn't work. Also, borrowing is awesome because then you don't have to store things. You just return the item with lots of thank-you's!

What's on your must-have list and skip list? I'm sure I'm forgetting something(s), but this is a good start. Happy baby shopping!