Is a diaper pail actually necessary?

No, a diaper pail is not strictly necessary. It’s mainly a convenience item for controlling odor and reducing trips to the trash.

Whether it’s worth getting one depends on your setup:

• More useful if you live in an apartment, your main trash is far from the changing area, or you don’t want to take diaper trash out multiple times a day.
• Easy to skip if you have quick access to an outdoor trash can, don’t mind emptying a regular bin often, or plan to use a standard lidded trash can instead.

If you skip a diaper pail, common alternatives are a regular covered trash can with diaper sacks, or a reusable wet bag if you’re using cloth diapers.

A couple of practical caveats: odor control can vary a lot by the type of bin and how often it’s emptied, and some dedicated diaper pails have ongoing refill costs if they use proprietary liners or rings.