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Register. It's every shopaholics dream!
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After reading an article about how to register in the fall/winter issue of What's Up? Weddings, I felt ready. (If you don't already have it I recommend scooping it up.) I was prepared with my choice of two-to-three varyingly priced stores, I was prepared for the number of gifts I'd be encouraged to register for (50% more than your number of guests), and I was prepared with an idea of what to register for. So, like a kid on Christmas, I plopped down in the chair of a major department store, and with my pull-out list (from the magazine), my biggest grin, and my fiancé in tow, I told the consultant in the registry department what I was there for. I couldn't wait to get that scan gun in my hands.
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Six hours later, I was not prepared to still be in the kitchen department.
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"Register for nice towels... for nice pots and pans.... my favorite gift was my mixer..." I thought I'd done all the right things in asking my married friends and family what specific items we should be sure to scan. I'd even made notes on my checklist! The mixer I found came in 23 different colors. Twenty-three. And towels? They should hang a color wheel on those shelves. There are at least two different kinds of pots and pans, and countless ands. The options and combinations are endless. After two stores, two full days, hours I don't care to count of registering, and months of "we-still-need-to-finish-registering" conversations and contemplation, I have newfound advice of things to do before you go.
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1. (This is the big one.) Understand your style.
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If you are already in the home you plan to be in for the foreseeable future, this should be easy. But if a move, a home purchase, or a home makeover is in your near future, discuss.
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What colors will the kitchen be? What will be the style? Do you prefer the modern, industrial look of stainless-steel everything? Do you subscribe to a the-more-colors-the-merrier theory? Will your kitchen be country warm? Maybe you'll be sticking with your current kitchen for now, so you'll register for the pot holders to match, but opt for the style and colors that will match the makeover imminently in your future, for the more expensive items you don't plan to replace, like that mixer.
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On that same note, what about your bathrooms? Do you already have a color scheme you're working with, or are you going for a new look? The number of shower curtains from which to choose from might shock you. The same goes with the other rooms in your home.
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You will be faced with a lot of color and style options when registering, and having an answer to these questions in advance will save you a lot of time. Talk with your fiancé in advance about the look and style you hope to achieve. It’ll make the click, click, click of that scan gun much more efficient.
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2. Do your research.
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I am new to the kitchen so while I knew I desperately needed new knives, I didn't know the first thing about quality ands, or what to look for in selecting pieces that will last forever.
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Also, does the chef in your home (you, or your fiancé) prefer stainless-steel pots and pans, or non-stick? (And trust me, there are more options that). Undecided? Look it up. Plastic spoons and spatulas, or stainless steel? (Hint: don't mix stainless-steel spoons with non-stick pans, or you'll have non-stick-with-some-streaks-of-stick pans.)
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The same goes with bedding: what thread count do you think you'll prefer?
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Research, research, research.
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And check the reviews. You'd be surprised how many stores' websites have reviews, good and bad, under each product. You don't need to check everything, and certainly don’t ban everything with one bad review. But for things like pots and pans, and your everyday dishes, it’s nice to see how other buyers are faring. (We registered for beautiful dishware, only to come home and find 30-some negative reviews about how quickly they chip.)
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Now that the holidays are over and the stores are a little less hectic, we plan to venture out for round three soon. Hopefully, with a little more efficiency.
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Have you registered yet? Discover any tips or tricks? Let us know!
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