Mattress

When you first have a baby, it's hard not to get swept up in the joy and excitement, and going overboard on purchases is usually a given. Granted, there are many items your baby doesn't really need, but there are a handful of products that are best to buy new. Here's what you should refrain from borrowing, or from buying used or secondhand to keep your baby happy, healthy, and most of all, safe!

1. Car Seats: I know a car seat may be the last thing you want to buy new for your baby, but here's why you should: car-seat designs are constantly changing and evolving. Older car seats may have been recalled (many are), or maybe it was in a crash or has missing parts. Even if a secondhand car seat looks perfectly fine, you don't want to take the chance and put the safety of your baby in jeopardy.

Here's what else you should always buy new.

Sleep is for the green. People want to be eco-friendly, but at what price? The Nook Pebble Mattress ($610) is ergonomically-designed to provide a comfortable, non-toxic sleep environment for baby's first few years. The 100 percent natural latex core eliminates the need for the usual metal springs and plastics, and a wool fabric weave is said to help facilitate the flow of oxygen in and around a sleeping tot – helping them sleep longer and deeper.

The sleep system's unique, washable Pebble Wrap serves as both a mattress pad and crib sheet with a eucalyptus-infused cotton that eliminates odors and repels fluids, dust mites, and other nursery pathogens. Modern nursery items like these are incredible and on lots of mama's wish lists, but how many parents can actually afford them?

As you know, daylight saving time begins tomorrow at 2 a.m., so you should move your clocks one hour ahead then. But before you go skipping away with all of your new sunlight, there's another task at hand: change the batteries on your smoke detector. You should do so at least twice a year, so it's best to just get in the habit of doing it when you change your clocks. Another thing to do this weekend is flip your mattress. To keep the wear even, you should flip your mattress both ways at least twice a year — and vacuum it while you're at it. That way, you won't have to worry about when you did either task last!

If you're low on cash for furniture, or just want to try something unique, make a daybed out of shipping pallets. You may spot some on the street, but you can also ask a local warehouse if they have any to offer or sell cheaply. Paint or spray paint a pair of them to match a cushion, and then stack them. You can either order a piece of custom foam to fit (try FoamOrder), or use a few small floor cushions or one long one as a makeshift mattress. I love how this one was painted white to blend in with the wainscoting. What do you think?

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