Clutter-free Gift Ideas: How to Give Stuff That's Not "Stuff"
No one wants to accumulate more clutter, but that's what a lot of
people end up with after birthdays and holidays.
If you want to give gifts that are sure to be appreciated (and not
donated in the next yard sale), consider the following five clutter-free
gift ideas.
1. Give a Gift Card. While these cards have become
somewhat equated with thinking of a gift idea at the last minute, they
are still appreciated by people who are looking to get exactly what they
want out of a present.
Instead of going for the standard "superstore" gift card, try to find a
specialty gift card that reflects the type of things that the recipient
is most interested in.
Try to find out about their favorite store or activity and buy a card
that deals with that. Look online for niche specialty stores. Or order a
gift card from an online store that will allow you to customize the gift
card, including the recipient's name and even a special message.
Here are gift
cards from Momscape's favorite online merchants
2. Clutter-free gifts need to rely on aspects besides physical
substance to have an impact. Your gift needs to have emotional
weight for the recipient. Giving a gift that will make memories for the
recipient is a way to give something that will truly have an impact on
their lives.
One of the best ways to do this is to give the gift of travel. Sending
someone you love on a cruise or paying their way on a train trip is a
terrific way to bestow a gift on a person.
Some online travel sites offer gift cards in various denominations that
the recipient can apply toward the trip of their choice.
Try
Travelocity Hotel Gift Cards
3. Help your friend or loved one make memories locally by
treating them to an afternoon or evening at a local attraction. Kids
will enjoy tickets to the movies or pass to a local arcade or bounce
house. Adults will appreciate a round of golf, a day at the spa or a
trip to a fancy restaurant. You could also treat your gift recipient to
a class in something they are interested in. Most recreation departments
in moderate to large sized cities offer classes on everything from
baking bread to balancing your checkbook. If you're going to go this
route, definitely choose the class more like the former than the latter.
You can make the experience more fun by enrolling yourself as well so
you can attend together.
We Love:
RazorGator - specializing in hard to find
event tickets.
SpaFinder Gift certificates are accepted at 4,000
spas worldwide (3500 spas nationwide), so SpaFinder makes gift giving
really easy.
Click here
for SpaFinder.com Coupon Codes
4. Ask Yourself: What would they buy anyway? Clutter-free gifts can help your friends and family members get
something that they would normally get for themselves anyway. For
example, you could give them a month's worth of the gardening service or
maid service that they already use. You could also buy them a
professional carpet cleaning. For something a little lower budget, you
can purchase prepaid credits to get their digital pictures printed.
5. For a gift that keeps on giving year-round, try a gift-of-the-month
club. Whether the gift recipient is fond of fruits or has a penchant for
red meat, there are gift-of-the-month clubs for every taste. Each month,
your gift recipient will receive fresh food or other items. In addition
to food of the month clubs, you can also find spa items, wines, flowers
and DVDs that can arrive on their doorstep every month. And you needn't
commit to a full year of gifting. Most clubs have more affordable
options that allow you to give for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
We Love:
Gourmet Gift of the Month Club
Choose from Chocolate of the Month, Cheese of the Month, Wine
of the Month, Flower of the Month, Cigar of the Month, and Beer of the
Month
Here's a coupon code
Good for $10 off any 12 month prepaid order for any of our six gourmet products
Use Coupon Code: GMC$10
See our mention of the Gourmet Gift of the Month Club on
Momscape's Favorite Things >
No matter what type of clutter-free gift you get, the recipient will be
sure to be thankful if you choose one from this list.
