Today’s question is from Ann Marie:
My wedding is in January and we are beginning to make a list of items for our registry. While traditional items like china and vases would be nice, I am more interested in registering for items that will help us save money and make running a household easier. For example, a chest freezer, but that is pretty much the extent of my brainstorming. To those who have so much more experience than I do, what household items would you recommend for a registry aimed at reducing future household costs?
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We got surgical stainless steel cookware and it was the best stuff we registered for. You don’t have to worry about being careful when you clean it.
A local furniture store also allowed us to register and people could just go in and put money down. This got us our beautiful kitchen table where we spend most of our time. If you live in a small town, you may be able to find a place that does something similar.
I wish when I registered, I would have realized how fast time would fly and that I would be cooking for a family rather than just a two-some. Some of the stuff I use the most I figured I’d only use once a year or so around the holiday. Little mouths eat a lot.
Quality, quality, quality as most people are saying. Don’t feel indulgent to register for good stuff rather than cheap stuff. You want your wedding gifts to last a lifetime (or at least to you 20th anniversary).
PLEASE request a Shark Steam Mop, this saves you so much money, cleans thoroughly, and does not use any harsh contaminants. If someone or a group can splurge and buy you the model with attachments for carpet and deep tile cleaning, all the better! Enjoy and may you and hubby have many blessed & happy years
Thanks Saskia, I saw several people suggest a steam mom so I am adding the Shark model to my list!
Definitely quality cookware. You will end up spending more later replacing cheap stuff. Also a good chef’s knife. These items will make it easier and more enjoyable for you to cook at home.
I do not think that anyone has mentioned curtians a few neutral colored ones. depending on if you have a home already or if your looking you could pick colored ones to match. You could put on a couple sheer curtains to go anywhere. I ended up buying shower curtain and a TV with the money we recieved. Neither one of us had a TV when we got married and my hubby was in the army. we arrived to our house on base before all our stuff did. He went to work and I stayed home. all day with nothing to do. they clean the houses b4 u arrive. so TV was a must.
register for pantry and staple food items, someone if not more than one person will run with it as a gift basket idea, same goes with cleaning. We also registered for camping equipment. Since you registered for a chest freezer, I’d recommend a food saver.
Are you adding up how many times Crock Pot is listed?
I have 3 different sizes I use and I tend to use my Crock Pot at least once a week. Its a time & money saver.
Food Saver.. I wouldnt bother with the cheap knock offs, I’d go for the best. I have saved more money with this one device than any other. A pair of trout I Food Savered were still good after being in my freezer for 4 years. That is near miraculous.
An immersion blender. I had a cheaper one first but it started leaking oil into my food (EWWW) so I bought a Cuisinart Immersion blender and I love it. It wasnt too terribly expensive & its so handy.
I bought my daughter a Magic Bullet set when she had her first baby, and she said it was a lifesaver to her.
I also have several different size Cuisinart food processors. I have a coffee grinder, an herb grinder, and 2 size processors for different type/quantity jobs.
Another good kitchen tool that really helps is a good quality mandolin.
It slices food uniformly and quickly. I wish I had gotten one years ago when I was newly married.
A turkey fryer is awesome! We steam mussels in it, we fry turkeys & fish & anything else that needs fried, I water bath can in it and we use ours a lot.
If you plan to preserve food, canning jar sets.
If you’d like to save money on fruit & herbs, I suggest a food dehydrator.
You can dehydrate all sorts of foods and make jerky and fruit leather too. A really good one is the Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator.
If you’re a yogurt eater, a yogurt maker is awesome too. Tribest Yolife Yogurt Maker – YL-210 is the one I have and its awesome!
A really nice set of steak knives, I agree with the rest..
A good vacuum cleaner, such as a Dyson. I have one too & love it.
I also have Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I love it to pieces. If you watch on Amazon during the winter & check all the color codes, you can often find GREAT deals on them there.
A few other things in the kitchen I wouldnt do without are
1. A GOOD set of Stainless Steel pots & pans. Again, Cuisinart has excellent sets. I would Stay far far away from aluminum and teflon/non-stick
2. a nesting set of stainless steal and also a set of nesting glass mixing/salad bowls.
3. Pyrex mixing/measuring bowls & Corning casserole/bake ware
4. A set (or two) of Corelle Dinner ware. It lasts forever & has a great grantee. Its inexpensive but tough enough to last thru 5 kids mostly unscathed.
I’ve heard people refer to some of these items as “Status Brands” but know that its not the status about these brands that make them worthwhile.. Its that they are all EXCELLENT QUALITY brands and they stand up to the test of time.. Most will last a lifetime and you wont need to buy them ever again unless you’re just looking for an updated version.
I moved out of my parents home 32 years ago and these are the things I’ve found I wish I knew about when I was much younger.
Wishing you a lifetime filled with good quality items and people!
Godspeed!
Register for a vacuum sealer and rolls of extra sealing bags (which can be quite expensive) – you will be able to take advantage of sales and bulk pricing on meats, as well as freezing in-season veggies and fruits. The price difference when you’re buying bulk and in season can be considerable, and a vacuum sealer – unlike some of the smaller crock pots and appliances you use when you’re cooking for 2 – is one gift that can grow with your family.
You can take advice from a thousand people and still not end up with what you need. I think what you need to do is figure out how you want to run your household and go from there. Do you want to coupon and stockpile items when you get the best deal? Then register for metal shelving units. The chest freezer is a great idea. (Wish I had one) What types of things will you be making for your freeze ahead meals? Maybe you’ll need a biscuit cutter to make/freeze breakfast sandwiches for those crazy mornings. (Use the biscuit cutter to cook the eggs in a circle shape even if you use canned biscuits) How about a system to catch rain water so you aren’t paying to water your vegetable garden? I never thought of any of these things before I registered because I didn’t really think about how I would run my house. I just registered for the stuff people told me they used all the time. And sad to say, some of those things sat in a drawer unused for years before I finally sold them off in a garage sale or gave them to good will.
Register for white dishes..ours are from Crate & Barrell – but just any standard white dish. Then you can use these for any occasion and change the look through decorations, placements, etc. No need for china…mine just sits in our cupboard!
I’m not sure if this has already been mentioned, but rechargable batteries in a variety of sizes and a charger. Batteries can be really expensive, and our house takes more than we would have ever imagined, especially now that we have a child and so many toys take batteries!
I would say go around your home and look for things that could make your life easier…having trouble organizing get organization stuff, cooking appliances looking shabby then invest in some new ones, etc. Also make sure to pick a few items that you want just for fun for weddings are supposed to be fun too.
Congratulations! This was a fun post to read through.
Loved my Bed Bath and Beyond registry; hated the Target registry. I agree with the comments about reading product reviews. Amazon was great. In fact, I wish I had registered with them.
I have been married six years and this is what I find most necessary:
Bread maker
Quality dish towels, and lots of them
Quality bake ware (cookie sheets, muffin tin, etc.)
Quality silicone spatulas
You can never have too many ice cream scoops, wash cloths, and dish towels
Large SQUARE glass food storage: fit better in your fridge
Small glass food storage containers from Crate & Barrel. They come in a set of twelve for $20 and have plastic lids. AWESOME!!
Vacuum
Use my $1 plastic cutting boards all the time.
Didn’t register for fine china or silver and I don’t regret it.
I have a low cost silverware set. It’s no sweat off my back to toss the spoons in the trash every time one gets dented in the disposal.
High quality can opener
A beautiful footed bowl by Mikasa. It was a splurge item & I love it.
Comforter that you and fiance both love
Folding step stool
drill + drill bits
tools
Small ceramic dipping bowls that I didn’t register for. I use them everyday!
Oversized glass cutting board. In our apartment, I did all my food prep on it. Now the receiver for the sound system sits on top of it in the entertainment center so it doesn’t overheat! <3
What I don't recommend and hardly ever use:
Iron & ironing board
I regret registering for a cheap blender/food processor. It's a two-in-one, which is why I liked it, but that thing is LOUD!! And if you want to have kids, you can't use a loud appliance during nap time, the only time you can get things done.
I registered for heavy red dinner ware. Waechsterbach or something like that. Food looks gorgeous on them & they're great for the holidays, but the finish has chipped on a lot of them and they are so freakin' heavy to get out of a cabinet! I like thin, lightweight plates better.
George Foreman grill
food scale
placemats
ceramic butter dish: takes up too much fridge space
table runner
cake stand… it takes up a lot of room, I don't bake round cakes that often, it wasn't even the one I wanted, wish I had just returned it.
fancy tea set that I didn't register for
fancy wine bottle opening set. You're marrying a man, right? So let him use his muscles with the cheap corkscrew opener.
A collapsible colander would fit in my cabinets much better than the hard plastic kind.
Best Buy has this:
https://www-ssl.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17226&type=page
It’s a gift card that people can contribute to, for appliances and the like.
If you really want that chest freezer, you might consider opening a registry at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I’m not sure if there’s a way people could make individual small contributions toward the freezer, but if they knew what you were saving for they might get you gift cards that you could use toward the appliance of your choice.
Sheets and towels.
Put away as set so you can have nice new ones to pull out when yours get all shabby.
Gardening tools, household tools, a garden hose….ask your fiancee what you’ll need to maintain your home..
I do think it’s nice to have a nice set of dishes-not china necessarily, but some you’ll enjoy eating off of.
Good knives, cereal bowls….
Keep in mind a lot of people won’t shop from the registry (you’re inviting them for their company, not presents
), and some people don’t like to get practical things-so register for some things that are useful but pretty and include lots of price ranges.
If you are going to get a chest freezer, register for plenty of airtight containers to save money. I’d recommend at least 30 or more. Don’t rely on ziplocs or other disposables because you will have to subtract the cost of those items from any money you saved from buying in bulk! Not to mention doubling the amount of dirty dishes if you plan to just microwave the food.
Also pay attention to how many containers actually come in the box. A 24-piece set is probably 12 containers and 12 lids.
I would ask for cloth napkins, rubber maid or other type reusable containers to avoid buying napkins and plastic bags. These containers can be used for left overs and lunch containers. Bath towels and kitchen towels are great especially if you get more than you currently need, save these for future as you will need them after years 2 or 3.
Here are a few more practical ideas: down comforter, electric toothbrush-like a Sonicare, a bicycle (or two), camping gear (I had friends register at REI).
Everyone’s pretty much covered what I would say. Just ask yourself what do you really need. I needed everyday dishes and silverware and that’s what I asked for and that’s what I got. Even though I asked for everyday dishes my grandmother still bought me really nice expensive ones. Also if you don’t need anything ask yourself “what do I really want?” and that can really help.
I guess asking for money or gift cards is considered foux pas XD
This is not a registry item, but one fun idea for a wedding shower is to have a pounding. This is an old tradition where guests give you a “pound” of something. The idea is to give nonperishable food and cleaning items so the newlyweds don’t have to go broke stocking up their first place.
For the registry, I would think of all the things you don’t want to have to pay someone else to do for you: sewing machine, haircutting set (clippers), lawn mower, leaf blower and edger, carpet steam cleaner, shop vac. I also would think of a portable clothesline if you’re interested in that, fans for summertime and space heaters for winter, humidifier/dehumidifier if applicable where you live.
I’ve been looking at the Ooma Telo Free Home Phone system. It’s worth checking out.
My mother told me once that she thought it was weird that her grandmother gave her a hammer for her wedding/bridal gift (?), but that it was one of the most useful and wisest gifts she ever got! She said she never would have thought of a hammer for a gift but that she used that darn thing for EVERYTHING–all those pictures and shelves, etc. that she had to hang up, etc. So…as strange as it sounds…I’d say a hammer!
LOL
I also do NOT recommend the larger spice jars (ESPECIALLY not a large garlic powder one) b/c w/ the garlic powder, it doesn’t take long before it starts to cake on you and then you can’t get it out of the jar (wasted money and total frustration/irritation/stress)! >:( With the other spices, it’s still not a good idea in my opinion to ask for the larger jars b/c they don’t stay fresh very long and then you are stuck for YEARS w/ expired, stale, bland, nonscented, nontasting spices (waste of money, your food tastes awful then making you look like a bad cook when you really might be a great one, and the larger jars take up WAY TOO MUCH ROOM/SPACE cluttering up your kitchen! :O I recommend the smaller containers. That’s my 2 cents’ worth (scratch that)–er–my 2 dollars’ worth (inflation and all…). LOL
I agree w/ all of the ladies above w/ their recommendations, so…instead of repeating them, I will mention some ones not mentioned that I think are just as valid/crucial:
- Mattress encasings
- Boxspring encasings
- pillow encasings, etc.
[These encasings prevent dustmite allergies and are EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE to pay for on your own].
-Air (room) filters [ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE to pay for on your own if you are starting out, so better to have a bunch of people pitching in as a gift to help you out to prevent allergies/indoor pollutants such as: dustmites, pollen, animal dander, molds, mildews, etc..
- Under-the- counter cabinet organizers for under your bathroom sink and under your kitchen sink. These were LIFESAVERS for me in keeping things more organized (cleaners, hairbrushes, hairdryers, shampoos,etc.), helped them be more accessible (pull-out drawers instead of them being crammed way in the back behind a bunch of crud that you had to pull all out to get to! [Pain in the butt!]), and it helped me to utilize more of the space (by using the vertical space by the shelving, etc.). They even have some that can fit around a sink pipe if that is your obstacle! How cool is that?! {One of the best inventions ever made…}.
Drawer Organizers (can prevent your drawer from becoming a huge pile of mixed of socks and underwear all tangled together =a pile of chaos). This can maybe spare your husband and you some stress or arguments. It can neatly separate each pair of socks nicely and neatly.
=Harmony/bliss/peace. 
Some Organization/Decluttering/Cleaning books/tools/websites/CD’s,etc. from:
-Sandra Felton (the Organizer Lady) or www. messies.com
-the fly lady or www. flylady.net
-Emily Barnes (Christian lady who teaches about tea parties and house organizing,etc.).
[These can all help aide in a newly-wed bride in the practical ways of becoming a Proverbs 31 woman in keeping a lovely home to bless her Lord, husband and children (and herself)]!
[After all, it's better to PREpare than to REpair, right? I wish I had known these tips and skills when I was younger]! Darn. LOL Better late than never though…
OOOOH! I just thought of some more essentials (this is getting fun thinking of all these)!
Here they are:
-Filing Cabinet outfitted w/ hanging files, tabs, file folders to go inside, etc. ( A MUST for filing/keeping track of: bank records, tax records, medical records, utility bills, etc.).
-a Shredder (to prevent identity theft–the last thing you need to deal w/ as newlyweds).
- Crown Financial Ministries books (Christian/godly/wise/seasoned counsel on dealing w/ finances from a Biblical perspective that can spare you a lot of pain and heartache later on).
These 3 financial ideas are very important in cutting down on the financial stress that can occur in a marriage. A lot of marriages are strained from financial arguments, stress and mismanagement. Hopefully, these can be helpful in preventing these misfortunes from happening.
- A Rubber Hose for watering your yard’s grassy lawn or garden or for washing your car (that is, if you will be living in a house. An apartment might be a different story where you may not need one).
Digital timers (I prefer them over the egg timers that you turn b/c I have found that those twisting/turning egg timer kind RARELY ever work! I have burned SOO many things b/c they did not go off, but the digital ones did resulting in many saved dishes)!
Whew! [You wouldn’t all that work to go to waste now, would you)? 
LOL
If you are looking for gifts that will help you save money, I recommend a water filter. Either the type that goes on your kitchen faucet or the pitcher type. Also, a food saver vacuum system. That way you can buy/cook in bulk and put it in that new chest freezer! Other suggestions are the same as previous posts: kitchen aide mixer, crock pot, baking stone.
Congrats!
I use this DAILY – leftover containers!! And go for clear or glass ones so you can see what you’ve got sitting in there! The majority of mine are freezer safe, so I can have serving sizes of leftovers, toss them in the freezer, and grab it and head out the door to work! But seriously, go with something you can see thru!!
Register for things you will use, not things you won’t because they are traditional registry items. But it’s also helpful to register now for things you may not use everyday but will use for special occasions in the future, like serving platters, turkey roasters, etc. Also, you can add furniture and other things to your registry on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Target.
And since your post reminded me of this, there is a wonderful blog about called A Practical Wedding http://www.apracticalwedding.com which I think you may like.
In addition to registering at the normal stores, I also had my husband register at Sears for tools. He got lots of great things at a couple’s shower my maid of honor hosted, and it was great getting so many practical gifts.
Tools for working on cars and house. Even if neither one of you are handy/skilled in this area, a good basic set will come in handy at some point. GOOD set of pots/pans, and I’d go with glass or stainless steel for baking (or stoneware). I have been known to do up a BIG basket of pantry items such as ketchup, mayo, salt, pepper, etc. that were always well received (I think a couple were more excited about that gift than anything else). Forgo the fancy smancy stuff unless you are really into that. They will take up precious space and just sit there.
Basically I’d go for good quality stuff that’s going to last and what you will actually use..from sheets, towels, dishes and small appliances.
Admittedly, I didn’t read all the pp, so I am sry if this is repetitive. My suggestions: blender for smoothies and (eventually) baby food and shelving units or storage boxes for ur couponing stockpile.
Oh. This may sound silly, but I ended up without salt shakers! Not expensive to buy on my own, but I wd hv registered for them if I had thought of it.
we love our registry at depositagift.com it’s a cash gift registry, so 100% practical. we only wanted to register for what we really needed/wanted and since we live together we have most of the regular home stuff. most of what we wanted you couldn’t register for at the store, like bedroom furniture, a flatscreen, a grill and honeymoon activities. it’s been one of the best finds of the wedding and i highly recommend their customer service.
Some great things for a wedding registry:
High quality cookware (not teflon coated except for frying pan. . .it wears off eventually) like stainless steel. I use mine nearly every day.
High quality bakeware (glass pans; heavy-duty cookie sheets. . .I buy them at a hotel supply to give as gifts with parchment paper, hot pad, etc)
Kitchen-aid mixer
Tupperware bowls that nest (saves space!); also water/juice pitchers that seal tightly
Fiestaware or Corelle (plain white round). . .you can replace if broken unlike a boxed set of a non-descript type dishes
Towels (I still have new ones from my wedding over 20 years ago. . .I sent some to college with my daughter)
Sheets (neutral color)
Tablecloths/Placemats
Serving dishes (I still remember a lady who gave me a small relish dish that I still use; also a cake stand which has multiple uses including decorating)
Immersion blender (I use mine frequently. . .less dishes; takes less space)
Stay away from:
Cleaning supplies
Toilet paper
Junk appliances: egg poacher or things that just do one thing or you’ll use infrequently. It will end up at your next garage sale because you don’t want to store it. Think ahead!
Nearly 20 years later, I like to think of the person who gave me the gift for our wedding. So think of that when purchasing something.
A clothesline!
We are in a similar situation because we have all of the small household items but need a new refrigerator, espresso maker, dining room table, kitchen island, etc.
We found this really cool wedding registry site that allowed us to register for these items and split the cost of each item up into more manageable gift amounts. The site is http://www.simpleregistry.com/wedding
We’ve had a great experience with it so far!
When I got married, my sister in law bought me 5 different types of cookbooks, and it was one of the best gifts I received. I use them weekly and some of the older ones I have are a great reference when freezing or canning food. I would recommend registering for a variety of cookbooks, like The Joy of Cooking or Better Homes and Gardens and then specialty ones, like one for a crockpot or for desserts.
Also, I would recommend to register for LARGE canisters or containers to hold flour, sugar, pasta, corn meal, instant milk & baking mixes (like bisquick, but you make yourself) – to make pancakes. Then small canisters or containers to hold salt, baking soda, baking powder etc. I know that Bed Bath and Beyond has some that are air tight that keep out bugs etc. But I am sure where ever you register will have some options. These canisters help so much when buying in bulk. I just bought some more from the Family Dollar store, they are not air tight containers, but they work really well so far.
I haven’t read the other suggestions, but here are mine. We got married two years ago and these are my favorite registry items:
Dyson DC25 ball vacuum – super easy to use, excellent suction, saves time, and you never have to buy those bags, plus the filters are washable (no one bought it for us, but Macy’s has a 10% registry completion discount, and I waited until I had one of those 10% coupons for home items and the nice cashier let us stack the discounts. I saved all the Macy’s gift cards I received, put returned some other items that we did receive but didn’t want, and they all paid for the vacuum).
Crockpot/Slow Cooker with a timer – I put one on the registry, but received one without a timer. Doesn’t work when you work outside the home all day. So, I’m now saving for one with a timer. Saves a lot of time (and money, since you’re less likely to eat out when you’re tired at the end of the day).
Blender for smoothies (if you tend to go to Jamba Juice a lot) or coffee/espresso maker (if you spend a lot of time at Starbucks)
Quality sheets and towels that you won’t have to replace in a couple of years
A good flatware set that you LOVE and won’t need/want to replace. I bought mine at Crate & Barrel probably 10 years ago and I still love it.
A good knife set that you can sharpen yourself (and knife sharpeners)
A quality set of pots & pans
Tools
Shark steam mop (love mine!) – you just keep washing the cover, super easy
Cloth napkins, microfiber towels (I use them on spills and also in place of disposable Swiffer cloths)
I would say to make sure to register for quality products that will last you a long time. Also, think about what YOU will use, rather than just what people say you will need. For example, I know the kitchenaid mixer is the most popular registry item but I don’t bake so I have no idea what I would use it for! On the other hand, I stir fry evvverything and chicken stir fry is our favorite meal, so we registered for a nice wok and let me tell you, I use it at least twice a week (usually more!).
Another piece of advice is to really do your research, read reviews, and find the product that suits you best no matter where it’s from. I ended up registering with five different stores but I used http://www.MyRegistry.com to combine them all in one place. This made it easy for me to keep my list organized and it was a lot easier to tell guests one place to look instead of five!
I’m sometimes forget what these are called… power savers maybe? Anyways you plug them into a wall then plug your big appliances (washer, dryer, etc) into them. They block the energy that goes into the socket when the appliance is not in use. They reduce the monthly power bills alot!
If you are new to cooking a basic cookbook like Better Homes And Gardens New Cookbook is invaluable! It has everything from how to fry an egg and bake a potato to how to make a souffle. The charts of what herbs go well with what foods, how to roast/broil various meats, and the sections on freezing fruits and veggies are still staple go-to’s for me 11 years later! I’m not sure if I can include links in comments here, but I’ll try. Here is the link to the book on Amazon so you can get a visual of it. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=better+homes+and+gardens+cookbook&x=0&y=0&sprefix=better+homes+and+gardens
I have really saved money by eliminating things that require constant purchasing, such as:
- paper towels (cloth napkins and microfiber cleaning cloths will clean up anything you would use a paper towel for)
-swiffer cloths (invest in a mop with a microfiber cloth that can be washed)
-household cleaners (we use Shaklee Basic H)
-body soap, hair soap, hand soap and dish soap (we use a gal. size Dr. Bronners and dillute as needed for all kinds of things)
-plastic food containers (they wear out over time and should not be microwaved, so we invested in glass containers with bpa free lids)
-if you will be buying pantry staples in bulk you may want to invest in bpa free OXO pop containers or Lock & Lock containers to organize your food
-a crockpot has been invaluable for saving time!!!!
Hope that helps! So wise to think ahead like that! Happy registering
In addition to all the really great suggestions given, I would add:
*a Bosch mixer/food processor – my mother-in-law uses this and thinks it is the best out there. It would be similar to a KitchenAid mixer but bigger and with all the similar attachments available. I believe a KitchenAid only does a couple loaves of bread at a time.
*a food mill or grinder – if you’re really interested in baking a lot, especially making your own bread. I have a lot of friends who have one and use it a lot.
*plenty of cloth towels, dish towels, wash clothes, dish clothes, rags, napkins; also good quality plastic or glass storage containers. You go through paper products so fast and the cost and trash adds up! You can never have too many towels or storage containers!
*don’t hesitate to get the large size cooking things (pots & pans, roasting pan, 2-3 of each size baking dish), especially if you think you might have a large family or have people over very often. At the very least it will allow you to cook and bake in bulk or occasionally freeze something in its baking dish.
*try to get the highest quality possible of the things you do get. We tried to save our guests money by registering for kitchen gadgets at Wal-mart and those things have not lasted very long.
*maybe just a few pretty things to make your family feel special, brighten up your day, or use for a special guest or holiday. For me these were things people just bought me I didn’t necessarily ask for and I’ve appreciated them. But it seems the “pretty” things are always the first to be bought off of a registry list!
Congratulations and Best Wishes!!!
KitchenAid mixer
good knives, at least a large chef’s knife, a paring knife & a bread knife (so you’ll never have to replace them)
a good set of pots & pans (not teflon)
It seems you’ve alreay gotten a ton of responses but I was excited when I saw your question because I had the same problem when we got married last year. We had almost doubles of everything when we moved into our small house and I dreaded the thought of a 3rd toaster, microwave etc (we had over 2 dozen wooden spoons). I think it is going to become more and more common as couples are getting married after they’ve been living on their own for a while and not just starting out.
I’d suggest things that store easily and will wear out. Sheets, towels, dish towels, blankets, cloth napkins, food storage containers and also things to store all this stuff in-totes, label maker, space bags (my favorite invention ever), shelving units etc.
Home depot registry was a nightmare but Sears was very helpful. We registered for some new tools, a lawn mower, weedeater, gardening supplies, painting supplies, a ladder etc. These are the things we needed for maintaining a house when we both had apartments before.
Also, I just went ahead and registered for the practical stuff. I know it isn’t classy and some people wanted to get something nice that would remind us of our wedding day for years to come, but there were plenty of close friends that knew how much a block of TP would mean to our frugal hearts. I registered for detergents, paper products, ziplock bags, cleaners, etc. Anything other than food that had shown up on our grocery list in the past 6 months went on the registry. Storing it all has been a little ridiculous but it has saved me so much time and money. I love it.
However my favorite gift was from the parents. We told them a chest freezer. One set bought the freezer and the other bought a butchered cow and half a pig to go in it. I’m tearing up now thinking about how thoughtful and generous that gift was. They got us exactly what we needed.
In summary, register for what you want. That is the point in registering. There will be people who still buy you vases or a 4th set of dishes but if they’re looking at the registry, they’re asking what you want so you might as well tell them.
I agree that asking for $ is taboo. While it can be helpful, people like getting you something and seeing you open it. It also can be like taking the easy way out. Recently, I went in with others on a gift. We all went to school together so we did an inside joke, and by combining our $, we were able to get two items on the registry, and a few gift cards. For wedding and baby showers, a good thought is date night. We got a sears gift card for things missed on the registry, and a restaurant so they could either go out or order in one night.
Another shower gift I did was laundry themed. They asked for a hamper, and I filled it with clothes pins, bleach, detergent, dryer sheets, free samples like fabric softener, and one of those mesh bags.
I really liked the spagetti dinner idea that was posted above too!
This sounds really weird but I really appreciated getting a haircutting/buzzer kit for my wedding. It came with a DVD that showed me how to do some simple cuts so I learned a thing or two and we haven’t paid to cut my husband’s hair in our entire 7 years of marriage!
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