Q: Hey guys!! I find that I often look to you all on things DIY related, but more often than not, on things life related. I would love to hear items in or around your house that you are so glad you own because it helps with the day to day. I really enjoyed reading about how you saved money with Clara (what items you skipped out on or decided to go back and buy) and how you saved money with your wedding. I am getting married next June and it would be super helpful to hear what things my fiance and I should register for (and what we shouldn’t). You guys are my favorite! – Tyne
A: Let’s do this. We thought it would actually be fun to search our brains to see if they would even stretch back to 2007 and remember what we got, what we still love, what we regretted asking for, and what we wish we’d asked for. Because friends and relatives can be amazingly generous (and at least in our family really seem to appreciate a list of things you love so they don’t have to guess), so it all comes down to thinking long and hard about what you actually will use and love for the long haul. No pressure, right?
Registry items are definitely one of those personal preference things (some people might love that they registered for formal china, while other folks like us are happy to skip it) but in general we think the key is to know how you live and what you will actually use/need (registering for a Kitchenaid mixer when you don’t cook/bake is probably not the best idea). So try to toss out romantic notions of who you “should be” someday (ex: don’t picture yourself as “a grown up” hosting a giant formal 20 person dinner if this won’t actually happen – not everyone grows up, gets married, and does that).
Instead, try to focus on how you live now and how you realistically think you will continue to live and entertain over the years. Whether you’re a casual couple or are fancy and formal, embrace who you are and think about what you’ll truly use and love. Chances are you’ll still be who you are in a few decades – you might evolve a little, but you probably won’t become a completely different couple with a completely different personality and lifestyle.
Also, trying to choose things that are classic never hurts, just so that if your tastes change over time, you won’t be completely over a bunch of style-specific stuff that you once loved but now loathe. It can be pretty expensive to re-buy everything instead of going with something timeless – and you can always add personality later with inexpensive and easy to switch out items, like patterned cloth napkins, table runners, etc. See? White dishes, clear glasses, and basic silverware can be dressed up a whole bunch of ways:
We also learned that it helped whenever possible to choose things that are attractive enough to be left out (ex: a nice stainless steel toaster or blender) because you never know what you’ll leave out for convenience’s sake. So skipping something in a crazy color that might clash with your future kitchen curtains or forgoing something super cheap that you’d never leave out in favor of something that looks a little more elegant is usually the way to go for lazy folks like us who tend to leave the blender out for three weeks after we make smoothies.
But enough chitchat, we thought it would be fun to share a list of the stuff we registered for and still love to this day, a few things that we regret putting on our registry, items that we passed on (and why), and items that we wish we had added to the list. So without further ado…
Kitchen Stuff We Registered For And Still Love:
- Basic silverware from Crate & Barrel
- White cloth napkins
- Basic white dishes that go with everything (we’re still loving that they’re classic and they’re not too precious, so if one breaks we won’t cry for days)
- Good serving bowls and serving ware (three salad/chip bowls, three large platters)
- Stainless blender & toaster (we also have a griddle)
- A cute strainer (ours is bright yellow)
- Chunky wood cutting boards (two, since we leave them out on the counter because they’re charming and use them all the time)
- Simple and small (easy to store) can opener (we didn’t want a giant electric countertop one)
- Cute clear pepper corn and sea salt grinders (classic, yet kinda fancy since they grind)
- Basic glass pitcher (we definitely tried to go for timeless basics)
- Stemless wine glasses (they’re more versatile, so they can also work for oj or smoothies)
House Stuff We Registered For And Still Love:
- Two Dolce lounge chairs from Target that we still use today (they’re in the guest room of this house)
- Two basic glass based lamps that lived in our first house’s living room and this house’s bedroom/entryway
- Organic bed sheet set (in white) and four nice bed pillows and cases
- Gorgeous large leather photo album that we used for all of our wedding photo strips
- Fluffy white towels (which we still use to this day, both in our bathroom and the guest bath)
- West Elm daybed (from John’s way too generous Godmother)
- West Elm parson’s desk (from my way too generous BFF Cat)
Stuff We Got And Later Regretted (all our fault – we wish we had chosen more wisely):
- Hepa filtered vacuum (regret: we registered for a cheap one that didn’t hold up very well, so we later upgraded to a Bissell Helix Bagless Upright)
- Set of knives in a knife block (regret: again, totally our fault, but we chose a cheap-ish set that we have since had to replace, but our current one is by Paula Deen from HomeGoods and we like it)
- Basic white mugs (regret: we didn’t think about scale at all, so the set that we got is so small it was sort of like teacups – we’ve since replaced them with larger mugs that actually work for tea and hot chocolate without feeling like you’re at a kid’s tea party)
- Cordless hand vac (regret: we wish we had done more research before randomly choosing something, since ours bit the dust pretty fast – we later replaced it with a Dirt Devil Kurv)
- A few basic pots and pans (regret: they weren’t great quality and got scratched and beaten up pretty fast – we later learned about Greenware pots and pans, which are eco-friendly and teflon free, so we asked for them for Christmas in 2009 and have been enjoying them ever since)
Stuff We Passed On (mostly specific kitchen gadgets after we realized we just wouldn’t use ’em):
- Coffee maker (we’re a tea household, and even when coffee folks stay with us we all go to Starbucks)
- Kitchenaid mixer (as much as I’d love to buy one in a fun color, it would totally collect dust)
- Monogrammed towels and robes (we’re not robe people and basic white towels sans monogram did it for us)
- Espresso machine (same as coffee maker, just wouldn’t get used)
- Ice cream maker (didn’t think we’d ever use it)
- Toaster oven (after thinking it through we decided a stainless steel toaster and an oven were all we needed, and five years later we’re still happy without one)
- Rice cooker (much like the ice cream maker, we just didn’t think we’d use something so specific)
- Panini press (ditto)
- Waffle maker (ditto)
- Martini glasses (ditto)
- George Foreman grill (ditto)
Stuff We Have Since Bought (if we could turn back time, we’d have registered for these too):
- Nice set of wood spoons and spatulas for a caddy next to the stove (get things in sets whenever possible, our old ones were all mismatched and later we updated to a matched set and appreciated how much better they looked)
- Immersion blender (we didn’t miss any other gadgets but we did end up yearning for this one – and we use it often enough to warrant storing it)
- Cute “Cucina” soap and lotion set from Anthropologie (so charming on the counter in a kitchen or bathroom)
- More specific things as rooms evolved and our taste became more clear (ex: green cloth napkins, J & S mugs, metallic holiday glasses, etc)
- Sonicare toothbrushes (wish we had thought to register for these guys)
- Two big clear glass containers for cereal, flour, sugar on the counter
- Clam shell fruit bowl from ZGallerie (it has been our fruit bowl for years)
I’m sure we forgot a few items (it was five years ago!) but that’s a pretty good idea of what we registered for, what we regretted/replaced, what we skipped, and what we wish we had added. And after compiling that list it made me want to poll some friends and relatives to hear their five favorite registry items (you know, because I’m nosy) so here are their responses. It’s so interesting to see who loves what the most (and it definitely reinforces that knowing what you will love and use is more important than putting too much stock into what works for someone else (like slacker chefs and non-coffee-drinker like us, haha).
- My BFF Katie: white dishes, white platters, white towels, stainless toaster, and basic silverware
- My other BFF Cat (you’ve seen her wedding here): basic white towels, a silver goes-with-everything serving platter, everyday dishes (colorful Fiestaware bowls, plates, and serving dishes), a brightly striped ceramic pitcher from Crate & Barrel, and a cute bowl set from Anthropologie.
- My friend D from All Things G&D: my crockpot, a good set of knives, good pots and pans, an Aerobed (air mattress) and G’s heavy bag (for boxing – it was his “guy” gift from all of his groomsmen).
- My friend Heather (you’ve seen her wedding here): everyday dishes, a blender, nesting bowls, picture frames, a Rainbow vacuum cleaner. Things I never use: martini glasses, electric knife, cake stand, and ice cream dishes (why did I register for special ice cream dishes when basic bowls work even better?!).
- My friend Cody: plush white towels, a 9 x 13 baking dish, a throw blanket, a welcome sign wall hanging, and of course white dishes.
- My friend Kristin (you’ve seen her awesome house here): white everyday dishes, knives/cutlery, small electronics like toaster/hand mixer, serving platters that don’t go out of style (plain but nice), and basic glasses. All boring kitchen stuff! But I have friends who got married 8-10 years ago and registered for trendy everyday ware (in a specific color and style) and are now replacing it all since they no longer like it!
- My friend Lisa: a nice set of knives, pots and pans, flatware, and an ice cream maker (we’ve been married 13 years, so nearly everything else has been replaced).
- My brother (who’s officially Doctor Dan, not Almost-Doctor-Dan – woot!): basic towels, a good knife set, simple flatware, a coffee maker, and picture frames.
- My sister-in-law Katie: coffee maker (still going strong after 9 years!), casual dishes, stainless steel silverware, serving dishes that match our casual dishes, Wustof knives (we surely would have put pots and pans on this list but we already had those before we got married, but those are still going strong too).
- My mother-in-law Kathy: wow- who can remember?! Haha. Crock pot, hand crank ice cream maker, big woven basket that we use as a laundry basket, glass canister set, and a beautiful bowl. We were very practical and did not register for fancy china.
So there you have it. A whole lotta registry loves and a few shoulda-woulda-couldas. What are your favorite registry items? Anything you got that you wish you hadn’t? Or that you later purchased and wished had made it onto your registry? Hindsight is 20/20, huh?
Gennea says
We did not register for “everyday china” we ONLY registered for fancy china and it is what we use everyday!
I got the idea from my best friend’s mom who, in her 50s, started using her wedding china everyday. She said, “I realized it was silly to have two sets. Make every meal special by using your wedding china.” Best.Idea.Ever!
After 7 years of marriage we still use our wedding china for every meal (we just made sure to choose dishwasher safe kind) and it always makes me smile when I plate our meals.
Gwynne from {So Original} says
Great blog post guys! Really enjoyed the round up from others. I’ve had family register for board games and camping gear. And love the idea of the Amazon registry.
While I’m nowhere near a marriage proposal, I’ve ogled a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for years although they’re quite expensive. I’ve even told my parents I don’t care if all my aunts go in on it together. Between my mother’s kitchen habit and my determination to buy quality over quantity, I’ve already got a stocked kitchen and have replaced most of my college wares. When the time comes, I may just register for some fancy china salad plates to compliment clean white dishes. There’s no need to request dozens of glasses (have too much already!), china, silverware or crystal. Think about what you’ll really use, what’s practical and what will make you happy. Like those 600 thread count sheets. Oh yes!
Anyway great post! Loved it! By the way, where did you guys get your dishes?
YoungHouseLove says
They were from Linens N Things, but we hear the ones at BB&B are really similar!
xo,
s
Shar says
Love this post! Just found your site today and have been reading through page after page.
I did the wedding registry long ago and I had no idea what I was doing and picked out so much stuff we didnt need.
Looking back my most important items to have on a registry are the following, of course theres more, but these were most needed and useful.
Good quality pots and pans
Good quality stainless steel silverware
(I got the top two in 1993 and Im still using them today!)
Glass Pyrex dishes, casserole dish, square dish, round dish
Nice large skillet with lid
Ill be sending this blog to any friend that announces they are getting married. :)
Ilse says
Hmm, I’m not familiar with this tradition and I don’t really get it.. You just make a list of what you would like to get as a gift and people buy it for you? How do you make sure everybody doesn’t buy the same things?
YoungHouseLove says
They keep track of it in the computer. It’s this crazy high-tech system!
xo,
s
eileen marie says
There are so few things we regret registering for (3 years later)-we went really classic except for bright red & orange Fiestaware that I’ve wanted since I was born. We had the clever idea of keeping a posted list of things we needed starting when we became engaged (we were living together with a mish-mosh of hand-me-downs/college items), and instead of buying those things, we registered for them. I am proud to say we have used nearly everything. We returned our wine-chiller, and I regret the clothes steamer (b/c they don’t work). Also, we have the betamax of pod coffee makers -the Tassimo -wish we had gotten a Keurig, but we didn’t know. Post a list on the fridge, and every time you say, “D’oh I wish we had a_______ (cherry-pitter, garlic press, griddle)!” -add it to the list. We stayed away from nearly all frivolous items knowing we wouldn’t need them. (We did get one Lladro Nao cocker spaniel figure in wedding garb that looks just like our dogs, but come one, we HAD to. It was only on the registry 10 minutes before I took it off, and in that window my sister saw it & bought it -we love it & still have it on display.)
Lauren says
I wish that someone would have taken the time to give me a more personalized gift. I have a wedding to attend and I saw an idea on Pinterest, metal stamping forks for the bride and groom’s first bite of cake as a married couple. I put “I do” on one “Me Too” on the other with their wedding date. One thing I wish I would have registered for would have been a sweet cooler that I really could be using for family picnics this summer.
Leslie says
I am getting married in 2 months and my fiance and I combined houses a year ago. I admire everyone who didn’t register or asked for charitable donations instead – we talked about doing that too. However, in both of our families, the bridal shower is an important tradition, and our mothers were horrified at the idea of NOT having a registry. I can’t imagine how many crock-pots I would have received from well-meaning relatives.
Also, we have a lot of mismatched, hand-me-down, college-era odds and ends in our kitchen. Going to Macy’s and Williams-Sonoma together and picking out the things we both liked made me so happy to be starting a home and family together. I love to cook, and I’m excited to have matching dishes and serving pieces for hosting holidays and parties. (And to all of the naysayers… I’ve been hosting parties for a long time with red Solo cups and mismatched plates. I feel like I’ve earned my Fiestaware and Le Creuset!)
Kai says
We also requested a set of classic white dishes and stainless cutlery (both from Crate and Barrel) and LOVE them.
I do wish we had registered for a nice set of pots and pans (I love the Greenware line as well). Instead, someone randomly picked up a cheap (quality, not price) set that has already fallen apart!
Alison says
Wish I had read this post 5 years ago when I first got married. I registered for stuff that is still in boxes : (
Being an avid thrifter now….what a waste. Still a great post! I think a great idea would be to include any animals in the registry…for instance food bowls for the family dog. Cute, right?
Enjoy the day.
Ashley M. says
Oh, I love this post! So funny to see how different everyone’s “must-have’s” are! I wanted to see what everyone recommended for the all white dinnerware set!? Crate and Barrel? Pottery Barn? Walmart? We’re coming up on five years (yay!) and I wanted to replace our Asian inspired grey dinnerware (my registry regret). I’ve been looking at white dinnerware, but suprisingly there are lots of different choices. What do ya’ll love/hate/adore!? Thanks!
Tiffany C says
My husband and I are expecting our first child….you should put together a registry for baby shower:)
YoungHouseLove says
That has definitely been requested a bunch so that would be fun!
xo,
s
Meg says
Great list – I just have to point out that I love you went for the stainless toaster and not a huge toaster oven. We got a toaster oven we DID NOT register for. Hubby is so glad my grandmother decided not to stick with the registry, while I can’t stand how it takes up SO much more space on the counter!
jessica says
does Z gallery still sell your clam shell fruit bowl? Im’ in love with it =)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, it’s the large one (not extra large). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Deborah says
Since my wedding registry was 37 years ago my list was quite different from the young marrieds of today. We registered for fine china, waterford crystal, and sterling silver flatware. My husband and I were working at the time and I already had an apartment with some basic things. Now you are probably saying “thoses things…for what?” But here is the rub to that story. As I have written before I was a product of 11 ft of Katrina water with all my belongings destroyed…but…get this… the fine china, crystal, and silver were all I was able to rescue, unbroken, unchipped ,just needing major cleaning!! We now use it, use it, use it every day…so I guess I registered the right things!!! LOL You just never know!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome Deborah! I’m so happy for you!
xo,
s
Darla Harmon says
The best advice I received when registering was to register for 12 or more of each of your everyday dishware , cutlery, and glassware. I thought it was crazy then but I am so glad that I followed that advice. We are now a family of 4 and when we have family in or a casual meal with friends we have enough pieces without having to mix and match. You won’t regret it!
Kate says
My husband of 1 year and I dated for 8 years and lived together for 5 years prior to getting married, but as recent college grads, our stuff was a lot of hand-me-downs and “cheap” stuff that we could afford during school. I remember registering for stuff at BB&B and getting pretty close to having a nervous breakdown…I had a really hard time justifying registering for NEW things when we had things that worked just fine.
My then-fiancee, on the other hand, was wild with the scanner and kept telling me that we needed to register and “upgrade” to the best quality products (within reason). Really, when else do people want to buy gifts like that for you? And really, getting the higher quality stuff really does last longer.
I’m quite happy with our registry list; we selected bone china for everyday use, but it’s dishwasher and microwave safe, and has some neat detailing that can dress it up for dinner parties or the holidays too.
Beth says
I had a similar experience. Tried to go for things we would use. No major regrets. Sort of wish we’d gotten a combo panini press/grill/waffler instead of just waffle iron but we use it. Though do now wish we’d done stemless wine glasses. Love that we just got regular china we can dress up as needed.
Love our dyson vacuum.
Once caution: sets of pans. Unless you are blessed with a ton of storage, probably best to think of what you will really use and buy separately.
Sue C says
Can you tell me where you got your wood cutting boards?
YoungHouseLove says
I think from Linens N Things, but maybe try Bed Bath & Beyond?
xo,
s
Bridget says
My husband and I registered and received all of our fine china, Waterford Kilbarry platinum, Waterford Lismore crystal glasses and his family silver pattern, Chantilly by Gorham. Some people might think they are impractical, but we use them at least once a week and in a small condo in an urban area where we live, it is nice to have “fancy” dishes and glassware to use. My mom always served us take out Chinese or pizza on her fine china and I do the same. Besides that, my favorite stuff is our everyday china, Nantucket by Wedgewood and Frond stainless steel silverware by Nambe. It’s pretty enough to be for entertaining but timeless and classic. I also love anything monogrammed that I received and a Waterford celtic cross the my mom’s best friend gave us. Maybe some people don’t entertain, but we do and we actually use our “good stuff” on a daily basis. The cross just catches light beautifully and makes me smile.
Bridget says
We also had a charity registry for the organization I volunteer as a mentor, Higher Achievement Program. It was awesome how many of our guest donated in our honor! Especially friends who began mentoring there because of our involvement and posting on our wedding website…
YoungHouseLove says
Love that!
xo,
s
KarenDF says
Love your site & love this post! My fav registry items were Magnalite anodized aluminum cookware set, Crockpot & white Corningware set, food processor & bed tray (the kind that has collapsible legs so it can be used flat or over someone’s lap). The last two things were eventually replaced. Don’t underestimate that bed tray … great for breakfast or dinner in bed, for toddler’s coloring & snack sessions, teenage slumber parties & as a lap desk.
That taupe Pfaltzgraff dish set? … sold the whole lot to a local resale shop over a decade later, bought Crate & Barrel white dinnerware & never looked back. Pfaltzgraff is great quality. But, I was always lukewarm about the set & discovered that Pfaltzgraff patterns are so. NOT. me. & I’m the one that chose it!”. LOL!
Verdict’s still out on the formal china … love the pattern; but, would I buy it if I could turn back time … I dunno.
KarenDF says
For those that love to cook, there’s nothing better than choosing utensils at a brick & mortar store to see if they deserve a place on your registry & in your home. Some items in excellent materials will last a lifetime:
– Stainless steel cooking utensils (tongs, spatula (slotted & solid), spoon, turkey baster)
– Wood utensils (spoon & spatula) and cutting boards
– Set of glass or stainless steel mixing bowls
– Cast iron cookware (grill/griddle combo, Dutch oven, large & small skillet) … no need for panini maker or quesadilla maker with cast iron skillets
– Stainless steel bakeware … bar pans are great for roasting veggies, fish, oven-fried anything
– Stone bar pan … equally great for bar cookies, pizza, biscuits, roasting veggies … no need for separate pizza stone
Guests might love a registry at Bed, Bath & Beyond (great coupons) or Amazon.com (great prices & free shipping over $25)! But, bottom-line is that it’s about joy & your life together, breeeeathe … take your time. You may even want to hold back some items from your list to choose as a couple after you’ve settled in for a time.
Jess says
Great advice! I agree completely that the key is just registering for things you know you’ll use (not that you aspire to use some day). Some people really questioned our decision to register only for everyday white dishes (not china), but we’ve been married for over 2 years, and not once have I pined for fancy china. We use the white dishes every single day and happily use them with guests for every occasion. Fancy them up with some pretty place settings and they are the most useful thing we own.
Allison @ House of Hepworths says
Hey Sherri, I am about to buy some dishes so I’m coming back to this post to ask a few questions…
What is your favorite store(s) for buying dishes, flatware, glassware? I bought some white ikea plates and they are already scratched and I hate them. I want to buy a new set of white dishes but want to make sure I get a brand that is a good deal but also really good quality that I can use for years.
I also am in the market for basically all new kitchen eating-ware. ;) I want dishes, flatware, glasses, and cloth napkins. Any tips of stores that you love that you think are great quality would be appreciated.
Thanks so much,
Allison @ House of Hepworths
YoungHouseLove says
We got ours from Linens N Things and have had luck with it but I think the stuff at BB&B is similar. I love cloth napkins from Target and places like TJ Maxx too. And our silverware is Crate & Barrel and it has held up nicely so far. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Allison @ House of Hepworths says
Thanks! I appreciate it.
Kristen Wax says
wow, I’m surprised no one you talked to mentioned a fancy china set (or maybe no one wanted one). I didn’t really want one at the time we got married (I was 24) but my mom said “you know, this is a time in your life when lots of people WANT to get you something nice, you should think about a nice set of dishes for the future.” So I did – I picked out a not very expensive, but fancy set of china, in a neutral white pattern. And surprise surprise -my aunts, grandmothers, etc got me all 12 place settings! And now at age 33 I use them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, even fancy birthday dinners, date night, etc. Its nice to class it up.. and its nice to have a set of 12! since my everyday set is only 6 dishes (and its a fun turquoise color!) Just another perspective…
paige says
twelve years down the road and the registry item we wouldn’t want to live without: Henkels kitchen shears (~$25).
a friend who got married in her 30s and was combining two established homes and paring down instead of building up did “no gifts” with a twist: her bridal party threw a ‘home sweet home’ shower and the invitation included 5 blank recipe cards tied with ribbon that we filled out, signed “from the kitchen of:____” and brought to the shower; the bridesmaids had a beautiful wooden recipe box that they presented to the bride. instead of opening gifts, she opened, shared recipe names, and filled the box with the recipe cards. the mini-conversations that sprung up around so many of the recipes had my mouth watering in no time!
it was personal, classy, and i am forever grateful for whoever gave her ‘the perfect chocolate chunk cookie’ recipe that i got to sample as part of my Christmas gift that winter!
Lizzy says
As an impulse, I registered for these colorful cow salt & pepper shakers. My lovely aunt bought them for us. I thought it’d be silly, but I smile at them every single time I see them on the back of the stove while I’m cooking (so at least once a day). I don’t actually use them, so they might not be practical, but they bring so much joy!
Lauren says
I would definitely recommend couples register (or go out and buy) a waterproof, fireproof safe. We got ours at Target-I think it was a little over $100. We keep our important documents in it and to me the most important thing-an external hard drive with all of our photos and videos. I would be absolutely heartbroken if we ever lost those-especially of my daughter. So now, every time I add photos from my camera to my computer, I automatically back them up on my hard drive then put it back in the safe.
Kirstin says
I am re-reading this post, as we just got engaged. I am surprised more folks didn’t mention registering for suitcases. My bff just got married last summer and they got two sets of matching, high quality suitcases just in time for their honeymoon. Genius.
We have a mismatched bunch that are old and ragged and barely fit in the overhead compartment, so that is at the top of my list already.