My husband and I got married a year ago and I wish I knew then what I know now. It would have made life much easier when trying to pick items for our registry. So I figured that I would create a list for anyone who is struggling to search for things that they really want or need to include on their registry.
There are a lot of lists out there that are very broad and include literally everything you could possibly ever need. The problem with that is that most of those lists are more suitable for couples who don’t live together already or that don’t already have the living necessities. My husband and I have been together for almost 6 years so we already had everything we truly NEEDED long before we got married.
For us it was more so trying to come up with things that we wanted rather than needed. Which I found rather difficult, because I am the kind of person that doesn’t know what I want until it catches my eye in the store (which may require a few dozen trips to that store, lol). And yes, I did go into the stores and scan everything in site because that’s the fun of it right?! It was something that I had always wanted to do! But I ended up changing my mind after on a lot of them. So, If you are the same way, Idea #1 is right up your alley!
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1. Gift Cards or Cash
Nobody wants to ask for gift cards or cash, but lets be real here. It’s the one thing that everyone NEEDS. Everyone’s situation is different, but cash gives you the ability to spend it on experiences, home improvement projects, or even just your everyday life needs. After all, you probably just spent a fortune on the wedding and could use a little extra cash! Plus, I don’t even have to go in detail about how expensive honeymoons are, yikes.
Gift cards help in the situations where you might know you want something from a certain store like a piece of furniture but you want to be able to take the time to pick the exact style you want. This cuts out the pressure from the gift buyer and the guilt that you would feel if you wanted to return something. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!
2. Furniture or big ticket items
I know what you are probably thinking… A lot of people don’t want to include expensive things on their registry. But the truth is that you probably have a specific item in mind that you will likely buy eventually, so what is the difference? Registry sites made the group gift option with this exact worry in mind. This allows your guests to be able to put however much they want towards that item which you can later chose to receive as a gift card or purchase the item with!
3. Everyday Dinnerware Set
Totally just my opinion…. but forget the fancy china. Unless you plan on hosting family at your house for holidays or any occasions that you would get good use out of them, they aren’t worth it. Not only are they SUPER expensive, but you end up having to store them away and they take up quite a bit of room. Who has extra storage room anyways?!
I recommend just going with an everyday dinnerware set. You will be able to get more place settings and you spend wayyy less, but get to use them every. single. day. I got these from Crate & Barrel, and you get 4 place settings for the price of one fine china place setting…. ONE! That’s a no-brainer to me, unless you have your heart set on that China. I originally picked out this gorgeous Kate Spade set in the beginning, because they are suuuper cute, but I quickly talked myself out of it and I am glad that I did! You could always get the serving bowls or platters from the set you wanted because that’s something you could use often! I actually ended up getting this Kate Spade Serving Bowl and I love it!
4. Le Creuset Cookware
Le Creuset is the king of cookware. While you do have to spend a pretty penny, it is well worth it because it is something you will have forever! Everyone needs a quality casserole dish and dutch oven! Plus they have so many color options to chose from to make sure it fits your kitchen just right.
5. Knife Block Set
I never knew how much time I could save in the kitchen by having a nice set of knives. Boy, was I missing out all of those years. Some people don’t think the whole set is necessary but I have used every single knife that my set came with and I am glad that I chose to include the whole thing rather than choose each individually. Plus you get more bang for your buck, say no more!
6. Nesting Bowls
I know a lot of the things on my list are for your kitchen, but most people spend a good amount of time in there and having the right tools can make it much more enjoyable. I never knew what was missing in my life until I got this set of nesting bowls. Sounds silly, but one size bowl does not fit all jobs and they don’t take up much room!
This set includes so many different size options, and they are glass which I LOVE. They are microwaveable and dishwasher safe, which I think we can all appreciate.
7. Instapot
Instapot seems to be the new big thing. A crock pot is also a great options but I know a lot of people already have one. Plus, they aren’t always convenient. I used to love using my crock pot when I worked close to home, but now that I have a drive I’m out of the house way longer than 8 hours and it just doesn’t work.
This Instapot is a 7 in 1 cooking tool. It can be used as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, ricer cooker, steamer, sauter, yogurt maker, and a warmer. Pretty much everything you could think of!
8. Coffee Maker
Everyone needs a good coffee maker. Nothing ruins a morning quite like a bad cup of coffee, am I right? The Ninja coffee maker that I got is pure gold. This is your time to get the EXACT coffee maker that you have always dreamed about so don’t cheap out. There’s a reason some of the coffee makers are so expensive. I didn’t believe it until I got one!
9. Luggage Set
You are going to need a stylish luggage set to jet off to your honeymoon, right?! Perfect way to start every trip off on the right foot. This luggage set has great reviews!
10. Bed Sheets
Whether you want new bed sheets, a second pair for in-between washes, or extras for the guest room, they are always good to have. I have heard a lot of amazing things about Brooklinen sheets. They are spendy but they seem to be worth every penny!
11. Cards Against Humanity
Game night, anyone? I don’t know about you but we love to play card games, and cards against humanity is a great game to play when you have friends over.
12. Kitchen Mixer
A mixer is always a great tool to have in the kitchen. I know that all of you may not be extreme bakers but there are multiple kinds of mixers you can get. For the people who love baking, the KitchenAid mixer is a MUST. But if you just want to have one around for those times you may need it, like the occasional holiday when you are put on dessert duty, hand mixers are a great alternative! You can go with a stick mixer or this hand mixer, both options are great and are easy to store!
13. Cookbooks
I love the Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook that we got. Here is another great two person recipe option! You are going to need some good recipes for your future date nights in!
14. 4-Slice Toaster
This was literally the only item that my husband requested and he loves it, lol! We got this Cuisinart toaster and it works great! Why wait your turn to toast your bagel when you don’t have to?!
15. iRobot Roomba Vacuum
This one right here is a LIFE SAVER. It is so hard to find the motivation to clean after work and when you do finally have the time (maybe) on the weekend, it is the last thing you want to do. Sherman is the name of our robot vacuum, and Sherman makes our lives sooooo much easier. The iRobot Roomba Vacuum works on hardwood and carpets and there is no programming required! Easy peasy! Having a dog means that we have to sweep and vacuum our floors a lot more often and this makes it totally manageable! I highly recommend it!
I specifically chose these 15 items because they are the ones that we are still using, almost every day, a year later. Make sure that the items you choose are exactly what you want so that you can enjoy them for all of the great years to come.
Let me know your thoughts below! What were some of the items you received that you still love and use to this day? I would love to hear from you!
