Clutter-Free Christmas Gift Ideas
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Looking to cut back on clutter this holiday season, but not sure what to do about gift giving? These clutter-free Christmas gift ideas show you how to cut the stuff, but not the generosity.
If you find yourself wondering how to keep gifts meaningful in our society of consumerism, these gift ideas will help you stay organized, on budget, and still find time to enjoy the holiday season.
For those of you with a good decluttering foundation, read on and enjoy the gift suggestions for all of the special people in your life. For those of you who need help laying a strong foundation of cutting out the stuff, I will have an additional post coming for you in the next few days. Take a look at the gift suggestions below, but followup with this post about how to how have a no clutter Christmas.
Quick update - The Wannabe Minimalist Show is now live! The Wannabe Minimalist Show is a weekly podcast for those of us that want to live more minimalist, but do not want to throw everything away. On the show we explore our relationship with clutter and what it means to be intentional about the stuff we let into our homes, lives, and relationships. This week we discuss this topic of how to have a clutter-free Christmas in episode 5. If you’re like me and enjoy listening to podcasts, I’d love for you to give it a listen and let me know what you think. You can listen in the player below or find it on iTunes at LittleGreenBow.com/iTunes
Clutter Free Holiday Gift ideas
I have tried to break these out into categories in order to be the most helpful and in the end settled on 11 categories. The following gift ideas are for everyone in your life - spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, co-workers, neighbors, teachers, etc. No matter what the situation, you can find the perfect gift without contributing to clutter in your life or theirs.
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Clutter-Free Gift Ideas Category 1 - Gift baskets:
I love giving gift baskets because they make a big impact and are easy to put together. Some of my favorite gift basket ideas are movie night, self-care, or gourmet food gifts. Let’s break them down.
A Movie Night Gift Basket - Include a gift card for iTunes, Amazon, or Red Box along with popcorn, movie sized candy, and drinks. Package it up in a nice box to keep clutter down.
A Self Care Gift Basket for Adults - Include face masks, bath bombs, lotions, bubble bath, a candle, and a loofah. There are so many options with this one.
A Bubble Bath Basket for Kids - Include finger paint bath soaps, a kid-friendly bath bomb, bath crayons, a bath puzzle, and a new hooded bath towel.
Gourmet Food Baskets -
Beverages - Think about the kind of beverages the receiver would like and tailor it to their tastes
Coffee - include gourmet coffee beans, chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate spoons, a travel mug, and a mug cozy.
Tea - include specialty teas, loose leaf tea with a tea ball, honey sticks, a travel mug, and a mug cozy.
Beer - include some craft brews, a bottle opener, some salty peanuts, and cute coasters.
Food - Maybe you’d prefer to give food instead of beverages
Spaghetti Dinner in a Basket - include specialty pasta, sauce, olive oil, parmesan cheese, grater, and bottle of wine wrapped in a colander and kitchen towel.
Cultural Dinner in a Basket - if you are from a culture with a rich food history, you can share that through a food basket. I’ll be honest - I would love a gift like this because we love to travel as a family an experience different cultures.
Gift baskets are best for adults or the family as a whole. They would also be good for a secret santa, family gift exchange or for your friends.
Clutter-Free Holiday Gifts Category 2 - Homemade Gifts:
The second category of clutter-free holiday gifts is filled with homemade gifts.
Homemade sweets - package these up in a cute container and get ready to see some smiles. Who doesn’t like homemade treats. If you have an awesome family recipe, now is the time to use it.
Cookies
Cakes/Breads
Candies
Mason Jar Goodies like brownie mix, cookie mix, hot cocoa mix, etc.
Homemade Savory Goodies - These are just as loved as the treats and maybe may be more appreciated as we’re all eating more than we should this time of year.
Salsa
Jams
Dips
Homemade Flavored Alcohol - “Yes, please!” At least that’s what the adults in your life will be saying.
Try this Limoncello
Or maybe this Spiced Vodka
A recipe ring made with favorite family recipes - Print out your families favorite recipes and clip them to a spatula or whisk for a cute gift.
A homemade gift like a scarf or candle - Scarves are always needed in cold weather and candles are making a comeback thanks to the Hygge craze.
You could also gift your time - Perhaps a free night of babysitting for your friends who are parents would be a much appreciated gift
Parent/Child Date Night - You could also gift a date night to your child. If you have more than one child, each parent can gift a date night at the same time or you can spread them out to make them extra special. If you only have one child, this is may also be a secret gift for your partner where they get a free night to use as they wish as well.
Clutter-Free Christmas Gift Ideas Category 3 - Electronic gifts:
Electronic gifts are perfect for clutter-free gift ideas. There is often no (or very little) physical goods to take up space with these gifts.
Kindle Unlimited membership - perfect for the avid reader in your life. They get to read tons of books without the need to store them on a bookshelf
Audible membership - and for your loved ones who wish they could read more, but never have the time, an Audible membership is a great option. They get to soak up the knowledge or be entertained by the latest best seller on the go - no matter if that’s in the car, during a long commute, cleaning the home, or at the gym.
For kids you could give the gift of Curious World or Epic! - Both are highly recommended educational apps for kids. Pair this with an inexpensive tablet or book (if you already have a tablet) so there is something for the kids to open.
Clutter-Free Gift Ideas Category 4 - Tickets:
This category includes tickets of all kinds. Think about what your loved one enjoys and find an event that corresponds to their tastes.
Tickets to the local zoo - for kids who love animals
Tickets to the local museum - for curious kids
Tickets to the movie theater - for teenagers and young adults
Tickets to a sporting event - for your sport loving husband
Tickets to a theater production - for your mom who loves musicals
Tickets to an upcoming concert - for the music buff
Tickets to a local amusement park - for kids who love thrills
Tickets to a local water park - for those who live where it’s hot
Tickets to a trampoline park or kid’s play space - for those with rambunctious kids who live where it’s cold
Tickets to a city walking tour - for your parents when they come to visit
Memberships can make great gifts too!
Membership to a local gym
Yoga class membership
Annual passes to the local museum, amusement park, or garden
There are so many possibilities here. You can’t go wrong with an experience gift, but if you want to take it over the top (especially for kids) - pair these ideas with a companion gift. Here are a few examples:
So for the zoo - include a small stuffed animal or a book about their favorite animal
For the movie theater tickets include a box of movie sized candy
With sporting event tickets get a hat or t shirt for the favored team
Be creative and they will love it!
Clutter-Free Holiday Gifts Category 5 - Experiences:
The sky is the limit here so please make sure you plan accordingly and stay within your budget. You can still have great experiences without breaking the bank.
Thrill seeking experiences:
Skydiving
Horseback riding
Circus arts class
Family Days Out:
A day skiing
An ice skating outing with a stop for hot cocoa
Relaxing experiences:
A massage or spa gift certificate
A housekeeper for a week
Lessons are great gifts too - just don’t forget the companion gift for kids
For kids
Dance lessons (companion gift here could be shoes)
Sports lessons (companion gift could be a piece of equipment like a soccer ball or tennis racquet).
For adults
Cooking classes
Language classes
Dance lessons
Clutter-Free Christmas Gift Ideas Category 6 - Subscription boxes:
Some people may think that since these come on a monthly or bi-monthly basis they contribute to clutter. I think that if you gift a box that the pairs with the recipients likes and desires, they will be used up and enjoyed so the clutter is minimal. That said, my favorite subscription boxes are ones that are craft or education focused for kids and self-care or food related for moms and dads.
For Adults:
Meal Subscription boxes
Meet Meals (use RefDeannaYates for $$$ off your first order!)
For Kids:
Little Global Citizens - Teach kids about different cultures around the world
Kid Wonder Box - Educational and craft box for kids ages 3 - 6
For Purpose Kids - Teach kids about community service and philanthropy
Sensory Therapy Play Box - Keep little hands busy and minds active
Green Craft Kids - Create crafts in a more eco-friendly way
We Craft Box - Monthly craft projects that kids will love
Clutter-Free Holiday Gifts Category 7 - Gift Cards:
Sure gift cards can seem impersonal, but everyone loves them. The trick is to make sure the gift card you give is to a shop the receiver likes to go to.
Gift card to a favorite restaurant
Gift card to a local nail salon
Gift card to a local coffee shop
Gasoline gift cards
Grocery gift cards
Clutter-Free Gift Ideas Category 8 - Travel:
Okay, I hear you saying gifting travel sounds too extravagant, but even if you are on a budget there are great ways to gift travel. It’s all in the presentation.
Trip to see family - If you were planning a trip to see family or friends, and the kids don’t know about it yet, package it up as a gift.
Flying - If you’re flying create a gift box that includes photos of your friends, prints out plane tickets, games to play on the plane, or maybe a toy plane.
Road Trip - If it’s a road trip create a gift box with the photos of your friends, a map, road trip games and snacks.
Family Vacation -
Surprise the kids - Same idea goes for a family vacation. Surprise your kids with a trinket from where you’re going.
Planned trip with spouse/family - One year, my husband and I planned a big trip to Argentina and Brazil. Since we were spending a lot of money on the trip, we skipped traditional gift, but still gave each other things we needed (or wanted) for the vacation.
Clutter-Free Holiday Gifts Category 9 - Upgrades:
This category is one of my favorite ways to give clutter-free Christmas gifts because it’s so useful. Is there something your child, partner, family member, or friend uses and loves so much that it’s time for a replacement. Now is a great time to do it. And to make the gift a bit more special, try to replace the item with an upgraded version.
A nicer headphone set or blue tooth ear buds
A nice tea pot or french press coffee maker
New shoes
Clothing
A gratitude journal and nice pen set
Clutter-Free Holiday Gift Ideas Category 10 - Photo Gift Ideas:
I love custom photo gifts, but our family loves them more. When our daughter was a baby, we started giving our families photo calendars. We did not live close to any of them at the time so it was a way for them to have new pictures of us available every month. And when I say us, of course I really mean our daughter. But, they loved it so much that it became a tradition. Now every year we give our families a calendar.
You could also do a family yearbook for your immediate family. This is something a friend of ours does and I am planning to start it as well. We take so many photos, but how many times do you actually go back through and look at them? The answer for me is not enough so having only the best of the year compiled in one place will help me look back on our favorite times throughout the years and will also remind me to take more photos when I am out an about.
And my last idea here for photo category is to book a family photoshoot. If there is a time your whole extended family will be together, I highly recommend at the very least taking a photo of everyone, printing it out, framing it and sending it to the adults. If you can, I suggest hiring a professional photographer to take photos. The last time we have professional photos of everyone was at our wedding - now eight years ago. This is something I hope to be able to get on our calendar soon. Of course everyone will gripe about it, but they will love the results so just push past those negative nellies.
A family calendar - this is a favorite in our family and requested every year
Book a family photoshoot
Clutter-Free Christmas Gift Ideas Category 11 - Bonus Gift Ideas:
Still looking for a couple more ideas. These work for everyone.
A game to promote family game night
A live plant
Flowers
Donation to charity
Okay we made it! I’ve listed over 50 gift ideas that your family, friends, and kids will love but that will also not create more clutter in your home.
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Cheers!
