I’m due with my second baby girl on my daughter’s second birthday, and between working, having a difficult pregnancy, and moving into a new house, there’s a lot going on in my life at all times, to say the least.
If there’s one constant in my life, it’s my need and ability to plan – I’ve had my hospital bag packed for weeks, had my husband put the finishing touches on the girls’ room, and created four months’ worth of daily lesson plans for my maternity leave.
The final pieces of the puzzle will be to plan on having a cleaner come to the house while I’m at the hospital and to have our home stocked with the essentials, so when we come home with our newest little munchkin, we can focus on settling into our new family instead of having to run out to the store for this and that.
Buying in Bulk Before Baby’s Arrival
Convenience of bulk buying
Overall I like to keep “things” in my house to a minimum, but that doesn’t apply to staple pantry, personal care, and baby items. There’s nothing worse than when it’s the dead of winter in Chicago, you’re all settled in for the night, and you realize you’re out of diapers. There’s really no way around that.
By stocking up on essentials and keeping your stock organized (read: not hoarding), you’ll save many tireless trips to the store, because honestly, making those quick errand trips isn’t so easy with little ones, am I right?
One way to buy your items in bulk is to find your closest Sam’s Club and head on over; what’s cool is that you can print a guest pass to try it out before becoming a member, and I also love that you can buy online and conveniently pick it up in the store, or when you can’t make it out, with certain baby items you can buy online and have it shipped! Nothing easier than that.
what to buy in bulk before baby’s arrival
Diapers & wipes: Since I’ll soon have two kiddos in diapers (but hopefully not for long!), and since I KNOW how many diapers newborns go through, buying bulk diapers is my first essential. I bought the Colossal Pack of Huggies ® Little Movers diapers to have a two-month supply on hand. Yup, it’s the #biggestpackever that will save my husband several trip out to the store.
Healthy snacks: When you come home from the hospital, you want to have plenty of snack options ready (especially if you have breastfeeding hunger), but instead of reaching for your child’s Goldfish or fruit snacks, why not have a selection of healthy snacks to fuel your body?
My tops picks to buy in bulk: Lara bars, Kind bars, whole grain cereal (add fruit), nuts, dried fruit or fruit chips, popcorn, frozen fruit for smoothies.
Toilet paper & pads: It’s not glamorous, but we all know the needs of a post-partum momma. Make sure to have plenty of soft toilet paper and pads on hand (thin, overnight are the best).
Laundry detergent: Your family’s laundry needs are about to increase, so make sure to have enough detergent on hand. You’ll want to wash those spit up burp cloths and blowouts immediately.
Toiletries: I always like to have my bathroom closet stocked with extra essentials – large bottles of shampoo and conditioner don’t take up much room and can replace multiple bottles; toothpaste; “good” body wash (because you deserve to pamper yourself every time you shower).
Lasting thoughts:
Buying in bulk will save you time, money, and stress before your baby arrives. Make sure to stock up early because no matter your idea of a birth plan and due date, everyone knows you’re not the one in charge.
What items do you like to buy in bulk for convenience?