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Gift giving and receiving is a wonderful thing …until it’s not. I’ve worked with and talked to many people who struggle to let go of items because they were received as gifts.
Items received as gifts become sentimental, creating stress for the receiver when they realize they don’t want or need the item. Unfortunately, under those circumstances, they’re no longer gifts but burdens.
I understand how hard it is to find each recipient’s “right” gift. Over the years, we’ve gotten better at gifting.
Use these 5 easy tips for clutter-free gift giving.
01. Avoid last-minute shopping
Waiting until the last minute to find gifts is extremely stressful. With a time crunch, it’s harder to find gifts that are specific to the recipient.
One of my greatest pet peeves is the games, bar tools, jewelry, and other useless items on display in the center aisles of department stores. While it may seem useful to have such displays as a last-minute shopper, these items are usually junk. In the end, these types of gifts take up space in the recipient’s home, increasing clutter and causing stress.
Instead, begin shopping earlier. Many people make it a goal to finish Christmas shopping before Advent begins. This plan works wonderfully because Advent doesn’t usually begin until after Black Friday.
In our home, we begin thinking about Christmas gifts during Prime Day. Yes, it’s early, but it’s easier on our time and budget.
We keep a shared spreadsheet of gift recipients to know who to shop for every year. That brings us to the next tip …
02. Make a list of recipients
Knowing who you’re shopping for makes purchases more intentional. Instead of stocking up on generic gifts like bath soaps or candles to give to anyone in a pinch, you can give something more to the recipient’s taste.
One pro organizer talked about a client who kept a storage closet dedicated to candles to give away as gifts. The problem was, the client never or hardly ever gave them away as gifts!
Shopping with the recipient in mind will save you money and storage space. Plus, the recipient won’t be faced with dealing with clutter. (Unless they honestly love bath soaps and candles. Then that’s fine.)
With a list, it’s easier to think about each person individually —their likes and interests. If after thinking about it there still aren’t any ideas, move on to the next tip.
03. Request wish lists
When in doubt, ask what someone would like to have. Requesting to see someone’s wish list is a sure way of avoiding giving useless, unneeded items.
When creating a wish list, include a variety of items or various lists for different budgets.
For example, this past year, we went to a birthday party where the birthday girl told my daughter she wanted a “Minnie Mouse phone.” It turns out she told everyone the same thing and opened four Minnie Mouse phones! (The joke was she should have asked everyone for a Nintendo Switch.)
Bonus: Request a wish list from people who buy themselves everything. It will make your life easier.
04. Participate in a Secret Santa
This year, the adults in part of our family are participating in a Secret Santa. This is a wonderful idea for two reasons:
- It’s a lot easier on everyone’s budgets.
- We’ll all have fewer items to find places for when we go home since we’ll only receive one gift.
We’ll be using Elfster this year. (I’ve never used it before, so I can’t speak for it yet.) One feature is that it has each person create a wish list to help out the Secret Santa. Hopefully, that means each person will receive something they want!
05. Use gift guides sparingly
Yes, I’ve created gift guides. But it’s important to use them only as guides. They’re helpful for finding out what’s on the market or finding new, small shops to purchase from. But many times gift guides include gifts so specific to a purpose that the gifts become clutter.
This isn’t all gift guides. But I’ve seen many that are unhelpful.
Use gift guides as a last resort or as a way to create your own wishlist.
Clutter-free gift giving starts with these tips
This year, when giving gifts for birthdays, holidays, or Christmas, follow these 5 tips to give clutter-free, guilt-free gifts:
- Avoid last-minute shopping
- Make a list of recipients
- Request wish lists
- Participate in a Secret Santa
- Use gift guides sparingly
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