Give Joy: Creative Clutter-Free Gifts for Your Loved Ones

Getting into the spirit of giving at the holidays is so much fun! You get to spend time thinking about those you love and dreaming up gifts to delight them.

Unfortunately, Americans will spend $15 billion this year on unwanted gifts. This year, instead of giving unwanted clutter, put on your thinking cap and get creative!

To help you along, I’m going to let you in on my secrets for coming up with the best clutter-free gifts. This list is by no means exhaustive, but consider it a jumping-off point to spark your own ideas.

You might be wondering, what are clutter-free gifts? Aren’t they just gift cards? Gift cards are fine, but ultimately, they result in more clutter being bought. You can be more imaginative than that! Consider clutter-free gifts in these three categories:

1. Experiences
2. Consumables
3. Everyday Upgrades

EXPERIENCES
What do the people on your gift list love to do? What interest could be turned into an experience?

Entertainment Experiences: Give tickets to a concert, play, comedy show, sporting event, etc. You can give tickets to a specific event, a gift certificate so the recipient can select the show and/or date, or season tickets to make the fun last longer.

• Upgrade by combining tickets with a restaurant gift card so the recipients can make a night of it.
• Last year, my family received tickets to a spectacular magic show. It was a great gift because it was something we wouldn’t normally do and was entertaining for all ages.

Food Experiences: Restaurant gift cards are an easy idea, but here are some out-of-the-ordinary gifts for the foodies in your life.

• Food Tours: Lots of cities and towns now offer food tours of neighborhoods or popular food trucks.
• Culinary Competitions: Do you have a food critic on your list? Buy them tickets to a local food competition. Here in Rhode Island, we have RI Food Fights, which arranges month-long and one-day competitions where restaurants compete for everything from the best burger to the best cupcake.
• Cooking Classes: Basic classes are great for young people just starting out on their own. The foodies on your list might appreciate classes that involve advanced techniques or exotic flavors. There are even classes specifically aimed at teaching kids to cook.

Active Experiences: Tickets and passes to activities are fun for kids and adults, and can even be a good choice for picky teenagers.

• Adventure: Great gifts for thrill-seekers include rock climbing, ropes courses, kayaking, white water rafting, zip lines, and more.
• Scenic outings: Boat rides, train rides, duck boat tours, cycling tours, and other outdoor activities are fun gifts. Last year, I gave my husband tickets for a sunset sail in Newport harbor, something he’d always wanted to do. A friend of mine is giving her family tickets to Rail Explorers, pedal cars that ride on old railroad tracks.
• Hometown Tourism: Give gift certificates and passes to tourist must-sees that locals often neglect. Museum memberships -- great for families -- allow your recipients to enjoy your gift for the whole year.
• Special Interest Museums: Do you have a car buff or budding ichthyologist on your list? Give passes to an auto museum or aquarium. Other places that cater to hobbies include planetariums, natural history museums, and toy museums.

CONSUMABLES
Consumable gifts are things that get used up. Food, of course, tops the list, but there are plenty of other ideas out there.

Food Gifts

• The possibilities are endless! From Harry & David’s luxurious pears to homemade goodies, you can find an edible gift to suit anyone. If someone’s on a special diet, seek out treats that fit their plan.
• For cooks on your list, try a themed basket filled with ingredients for a complete meal, a gift certificate to a meal kit service, or a sentimental gift of a favorite family recipe along with the ingredients to make it.
• A farmer’s market gift card or CSA share is great for those who love to eat local and/or organic.

Subscriptions

• There are all kinds of subscription services out there offering all kind of consumables from hand-picked books to small-batch coffee. One year, my daughters received subscriptions for KiwiCo’s innovative Tinker Crates and Doodle Crates. They had tons of fun putting together a new craft or STEM project each month.

Hobbies

• Stationery and Cards: For the communicators on your list, give a box with dividers and stock it with pretty cards for all occasions -- don’t forget to add postage stamps! For someone who forgets birthdays, give a calendar of loved ones’ special days plus cards for each month. Make your own or buy a premade Month-by-Month Card Organizer.
• Sports Stuff: Athletes love to get restocked with their favorite golf balls, tennis balls, basketballs, footballs, sweatbands, golf towels, etc.
• Crafts: Crafters love kits that give them a ready-to-make project. Assemble the kit yourself (For a knitting kit, buy a pattern, yarn, and needles.) or buy a pre-made kit at a local store or online.

EVERYDAY UPGRADES
Put a little luxury into people’s daily lives when you upgrade their articles of daily living.

Household Upgrades

• Luxe Cleaning Supplies: Most of us don’t enjoy cleaning, but using lovely, great smelling cleaning products, like my favorites from Mrs. Meyers, can almost make you look forward to cleaning.
• New Basics: Towels, dish towels, sheets, vacuums, etc. are great everyday upgrades, especially if you take the time to seek out the best products.

Personal Upgrades

• Top-notch underwear makes a great gift for your special someone. There are tons of brands to choose from for both men and women.
• For a less intimate everyday upgrade, try some super socks such as Bombas or Happy Socks.
• Replace their shaggy old toothbrush with a sleek, dentist-recommended electric model (Sonicare is my personal favorite!). Some even offer replacement head subscription services for ultimate convenience.

For even more suggestions, read my big list of Organizer-Approved gifts.

What are the best clutter-free gifts you’ve given or received? Share your ideas to help others check off their gift list!

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