When gearing up to set up our kitchen, it’s easy to focus on the “big ticket items.” You know, the blenders, the air fryers, the really nice pots & pans you always wanted.

Most of these items turn out to be pretty essential. But then there are some that, comparatively speaking, are much less pricey.

They’re arguably just as essential—if not more.

I like to call these the building block items for your kitchen.

Cutting boards, spoons, kitchen towels. There are without a doubt many more “building block” items.

Today I focus on these three. Setting up a registry? These are must-add items.

Not setting up a registry but just wanting some insight on what to buy for your kitchen? These are still must-add items.

Starting with cutting boards.

Cutting Boards: Where Do You Even Start?

I think there are three things to consider when deciding which cutting board(s) to go with.

1. Size

Do you want a variety of sizes, one giant cutting board, or a small cutting board? These are good questions to ask yourself.

To determine this, consider the storage you have and the counter space available to prep your food on. These questions will help guide your choice.

Also consider the kinds of food you’ll be prepping. Cutting big portions of meat? You’ll want a bigger cutting board.

2. Material

If you’re trying to preserve the quality of your knives, what your cutting board is made out of is absolutely crucial as some materials work to dull your knives faster than others.

Generally wood cutting boards work better to help you preserve your knives. Maple and walnut woods are among the best for your knives.

Plastic boards, while potentially easier to sanitize, can be a little harder on the knives.

3. Quantity

I have multiple cutting boards and I couldn’t be happier. As it turns out, I don’t always need the biggest cutting board I have.

In a great many cases, I use the midsize board.

Cutting mats, which aren’t quite as sturdy as boards, are nice because they’re easy to store and—my favorite part—they’re bendable.

This means that pouring your chopped up veggies into the skillet has never been easier.

Alright, next: spoons.

Spoons: Keep It Simple

I want to keep this nice and simple: just get some wooden spoons.

Wooden spoons are fairly cheap, sturdy, and the don’t melt like plastic/rubber spoons.

We’ve probably all done this where we accidentally leave the spoon on top of the pot or sauce pan only to come back to a new indentation on its handle.

Not going to happen with wooden spoons. These are what I use. I love them. Excellent for cooking with.

Last must-buy item. Here we go.

Kitchen Towels & A Trash Bin

Kitchen towels? Absolutely. No surprises here. Anyone who’s cooked before knows that you must have some kitchen towels.

Otherwise you’ll be through your paper towels in no time.

There are a lot of options on Amazon. You might want your one nice pair for “looks.” (I don’t actually do this, but I understand that some people like to have kitchen towels for show that don’t get used.)

I prioritize practicality. No need to over-spend here. It’s okay if they stain as long as you wash them.

And that’s where the trash bin comes in handy.

What do you do with all your dirty kitchen towels once you’re done using them?

Do you walk them all the way to the laundry room every time? Here’s my recommendation:

Buy a small trash bin, store it under your sink, and throw your dirty towels there. Then every other week or so, just wash the whole batch.

It’s a little trick I got from my mentor and now I pass it on to you.

Hope you find these tips helpful!