The list.  You’ve seen it, or maybe you have gotten one when invited to a baby shower. The quintessential baby items.  Google “Baby Essentials”, and you will be bombarded with the expense of that new little one.  From necessity or experience, our writers have told you about many of these Baby Essentials That Aren’t.

When viewing WebMd’s baby essentials list, a changing area is mentioned.

• Changing area: This can be on top of a dresser or a separate changing table. It is a good idea to purchase a pad to lay baby on top of when changing. You’ll be changing a lot of diapers, so it’s a good idea to have a comfortable surface at a good height that won’t hurt your back. Never take your hand or eyes off baby when changing him or her, especially if your changing area is off the ground; babies can roll off the table at the blink of an eye.

Although not saying a changing table is an absolute necessity, even implying one has dresser that is clear on top for changing diapers is quite an assumption, at least it was for me.

I never had a changing table. Yes, I wanted one, but we lived in a very small cabin when my children were born, and there was simply no room for one. Sure, we could have got a used one to save money, or simply a changing pad, but it just seemed like more paraphernalia we didn’t need.

Of course, I changed many cloth diapers.  I used the floor or bed, where ever I was.  I would place a blanket down first, to protect against messes, then change away. The cloth diapers were kept in a basket that was easy to grab.

At one point, I had a play pen.  I felt I needed this after showering one day and finding my daughter had rolled under a chair.  She hated the play pen. She wouldn’t stay in it without screaming, so I couldn’t leave her in it.  It became a storage bin for toys.  It did come with a changing table type top. It had to be fitted just right onto the play pen, and as it folded in half, I was always afraid it would just collapse on my child. I did use it for awhile, but I felt the floor a much safer option.

If you are looking to slim down your costs and junk related to that new baby, I think the changing table can go.  I am sure some of our readers will disagree, but it is just as easy to change your baby on the floor, couch, or bed without having a dedicated piece of furniture just for changing diapers.

A changing table is not something that can easily be used beyond baby’s need, and toddlers in diapers are too large to lift up to the surface anyways.  If a changing table can be converted to a bookshelf, then maybe I would consider it.