When people plan on attending a wedding, they often expect you to have some sort of wedding registry. Yes, while these gifts are optional, most are going to want to contribute to your special event. Before you start with your bridal registry, though, there are some important things to know so that it stays clutter-free.

Evaluate your Space

Before you even consider going to the store to start scanning items, it’s important to write up a list of the things that you need. Sure, it’s great to add that cool rug on your list, but do you really need it? Put things on the list that you know you will use once you’re done with your wedding. You wouldn’t want to spend money on a gift for someone, only to find out that they didn’t use it down the road, would you? Keep the word “need” in mind when creating your wedding gift registry.

Focus on the Quality

When you buy cheap things, they don’t last long. A common mistake that many soon-to-be brides make is by thinking about quantity and not quality. Thinking about quantity will only mean a higher price tag for those who are buying for you. For example, a set of ten high quality bowls will cost a lot more than just buying one bowl. Again, touching on the point above, do you really need ten bowls? You probably can get by with just one or two. Remember, people aren’t coming to your wedding to drop a few hundred dollars on your gifts.

Lots of Options

Opening up a registry to only find ten items is a real pain for most people. Many people love the thought of getting you something that you truly want. While people don’t mind giving money, most would rather give you that physical item. That way, when you use the item, you will think of the person that bought it for you. Again, don’t just throw a hundred things on there so that you have it. Instead, make sure that you have enough items for people to give you. Remember, it’s okay if you have a few things left over on your registry after your wedding date.

Donations

If you feel that you don’t have enough items on your list, don’t worry about it. Instead, a great alternative is to either create a charitable donation page or even a page that can help contribute to your honeymoon. There are some cool websites online that allow your guests to buy things on your honeymoon. For example, on guest could buy your hotel room for the night while the other can buy a horse ride on the beach.

Time to Replace

After the wedding is done, there are going to be a lot of new things that you’re going to throw inside of your home. This is your time to take the new things and replace them with the old. So if you get a new set of silverware, there’s no reason to save the old set. Donate all of your older goods to a charity so that you can make room for the new stuff in your home.

By taking your time to set up a registry with things you need, you will quickly find that when the wedding comes, you will only have a pile of goods that you can use. By being organized and clutter-free, there’s no reason to have an item you have to return or keep stashed in the closet.