Dawn McCloskey - NAPO Professional Organizer Cumming Dawsonville Georgia

Clutter Free Gift Ideas

Holidays don’t have to be a time for giving and receiving gifts that take up more space in our homes. Professional Organizer, Dawn McCloskey of Ultra Organized, says, “Clutter free gifts mean gifts that are actually used and don’t take up much space.”

The following are gift ideas that anyone is sure to appreciate because they don’t need to be dusted, take up space, and sometimes, don’t cost much money.

Children

Create a new interest by paying tuition for a new activity: drama, art, dance, or any sport.
Coupons for a date with Mom and/or Dad: late night movie, dinner out, going to a kids’ museum, jumping around at an inflatable “jumping” place, or teaching a skill like knitting, or model building.
Gift certificates for an activity rarely enjoyed: attending the movies, or going out for ice-cream.
Book club memberships can equal clutter, but not if your child reads the books and then passes them on to a library, school, or daycare.
If the child is a patient one who can wait for a surprise: pay for a summer camp and include a brochure of the camp in an envelope with a coupon that says, “The bearer of this coupon is entitled to one week of Summer Camp…”

Teens

Most teens own an iPod – give them an iTunes gift card to download all their favorite music.
A certificate of deposit with an enclosed note that it’s to help towards the purchase of their first car or for college.
Redo the teens’ room – new bedding, furniture, accessories and painting the room a new color that the teen has chosen will certainly appeal to a teen who has been living with a toddler room for years.
Tickets to a sporting event.
Salon or spa gift certificates for girls who like to be pampered.

Teachers, Religious Instructors, Coaches

Teachers spend a lot of their own money buying school supplies. Treat teachers to gift certificates to school supply stores, craft stores or internet sites.
If your teacher uses a reward system, provide little items for their stash box: pencils, erasers, stickers, little craft kits, or any other small item.
Gift certificates: coffee shop, local restaurant, book store, movie theatre, Bath and Body Works, nail salon or hair salon.
Homemade breads, cookies, drinks make nice treats as well as hot lunches – prepare a single serving meal and have your child deliver it to school with a note of appreciation.
Find out their hobby and provide supplies for the hobby.

Gifts of Time/Service

Take someone out for coffee, lunch, or dinner.
Prepare a meal.
Wash the car.
Rake the yard.
Run errands.
Provide some household cleaning.
Provide an oil change.
Make a video of the family to send to far-off relatives.

Give a Gift Every Month

Flowers
Fruit
Home-made baked goods
One home-made dinner
Using 12 envelopes, write one month on each envelope. Inside each month’s envelope, include a gift certificate for anything mentioned in this article.

Miscellaneous Gift Certificates

Entertainment: sporting event, movies, theater, symphony, concert, bowling, hot air balloon ride, Netflix subscription, zoo or museum membership, racetrack riding/being a passenger in a race car, flying lessons, paintball, entertainment books
Education: art classes, dance lessons, exercise classes, cooking classes, sport-type classes
Pampering services: salon or spa, housekeeping, babysitting, professional organizing
Hobbies: classes, supplies
Travel: frequent flyer miles, car rental, hotel/motel, bed and breakfast, resort

There are so many ways to give this holiday season, without giving more “stuff.”

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