Do you have a registry already? You can always put things on there and if someone buys them for you, you can cross them off your list. In my experience, close family bought bigger things (e.g., crib, crib mattress, stroller) and most everyone else went with bundles of smaller things (clothes, toys, books, etc).
If I were you, I wouldn't buy a lot of clothes, towels, etc because you'll get those. (And baby towels are a waste, in my opinion). I'd put aside money for the pnp, the carseat you'll use for the first months, a stroller, and maybe one swing/chair type thing. If you buy a swing, I'd put a bouncer chair on the registry or vice versa because you won't know if your kiddo will like it, but you'll definitely want a place to put your LO down. We couldn't live without our swaddles because right out of the womb he needed to be swaddled cozy to sleep. I'm glad we had those before he was born so we didn't have to run out and get them.
If you put things like a baby bath (you don't really need one, but it's a nice to have) and baby shampoo and washcloths on your registry, I bet people would buy it for you. And blankets. People love giving blankets, so I wouldn't save your money for that. :)