Clutter Free Gift Ideas

We know about our own clutter.  Sometimes we know about a family member or close friend’s clutter.  We want to give them a gift but don’t want to make their clutter problem even worse. Since we know they will probably want to give us a gift we don’t want something that will add to our own clutter.     Christmas presents

So what type of clutter free gifts will be enjoyed and appreciated? Below is a list of ideas for both giving and receiving. Don’t be afraid to ask the person what they would like. Give them some choices from the lists below. Otherwise they will probably say, “I don’t know” or “It doesn’t matter, whatever you want to buy me”. They really do care but are afraid to tell you.

You can also make suggestions for things you would prefer to receive from your family and/or friends. Try to be considerate of the cost of the gifts and the person’s financial situation. You can either set a limit on the cost of the gifts or use the list below for clutter free gifts that cost little or no money.

Clutter-Free Gift Ideas – price: various

  1. Gift certificate for the local mall or their favorite store.
  2. Gift certificate for a movie, theater production, or concert.
  3. Gift certificate for a day spa.
  4. Gift certificate for a local attraction or activity such as the zoo, a museum, amusement park, sporting event, bowling, ice skating, etc.
  5. Candles are good gifts if you know they will use them. Otherwise they may become clutter and gather dust.
  6. Special food items they normally would not buy for themselves. This could be high quality chocolates, specialty oils and vinegars for cooking, or even a gift certificate for a fancy restaurant they would enjoy.
  7. Fancy (usually more expensive) shower gels, lotions, hair products, etc. Make sure they use these kinds of products.
  8. Ask them if there is any particular item they really want or need. At least you will know it probably won’t sit in drawer unused.

Clutter-Free Gift Ideas – price: mostly your time

  1. Create a gift certificate that can be redeemed for a service. This is a great gift for older grandchildren to give to their grandparents. Examples: cleaning the garage or basement, yard-work, car washing, special household projects.
  2. Create a gift certificate that promises someone that you will treat them to a movie, lunch/dinner, special event, etc.  Although this does involve money on your part more importantly it involves spending time with the person and sharing the activity together. If you don’t want to spend any money look for free local attractions you can visit with them.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice