A Minimalist’s View on Baby Gear

Of course I would enjoy putting my son to sleep in a picture-perfect nursery, complete with pastel wooden letters spelling out his name and a ceiling moonscape for him to dream by. Sometimes when I see a baby in a sweetly matched outfit at my mother's group, my heart skips a beat. The trappings of babyhood can be alluring.

But given the choice between spending $1,000 on a crib and matching changing table or putting that money toward books, compelling toys, and a college education, my decision is simple. As I watch my smiling son bang blocks together on the floor of his back-to-basics room, wearing a slightly faded hand-me-down romper, I know the surroundings are just a backdrop for his exploration of the world's possibilities.