Clutter Free Gifts~Guest Blog Post by Sara Bereika & Amanda Scudder

No one gives a gift with the intention of inconveniencing the recipient, yet inevitably some gifts are going to be things that the recipients either don’t want or can’t use. When this happens, many people feel obligated to keep the gift. In my experience as a professional organizer, gifts are something most people get stuck on when trying to de-clutter their homes. They worry that if they give away an unwanted or unneeded gift, they will hurt the giver’s feelings or be perceived as ungrateful. So rather than let the items go, they end up with tables they can’t use for meals, closets they can’t use for linens, garages they can’t park in, family rooms they can’t relax in, and so on. For this reason, I recommend giving or asking for consumables, experiences, services, or savings. Here are some gift ideas in each of these categories:

Consumables: · Food—a gift bag with ingredients for their favorite meal, home-made or fancy brands of jams and preserves, local honey or other regional specialties. · A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription for fresh fruits and vegetables in the summer is a great clutter-free gift that also benefits the local economy.

Treats—gourmet chocolate, coffee, tea, cookies (make sure you are aware of any dietary restrictions or preferences—I’ve coached people through giving up goodies that they were given years ago but couldn’t eat) · Stamps and stationery · Seeds for the garden · Herbs and spices · Cash/gift card for things they will need to buy anyway, like groceries or gas, rather than for stores or catalogs that sell clutter

Experiences: · Museum membership · Movie tickets · Performances—ballet, symphony, play, concert · Restaurant gift card · Picnic lunch or day at the park · Massage, facial, or manicure/pedicure · Digital music, books, and movies · A star named for them

Services: · Car wash · Lawn/garden care · Baby sitting · Pet sitting/walking · Photography session · Help completing a project or craft · Digitizing VHS/cassette, print photos, etc.—this doesn’t just prevent clutter, it reduces it · Subscription to a junk mail reduction service such as http://www.41pounds.org/impact/ ·Apps ·Organizing services

Savings: · Savings bonds · 529 plans · IRA contributions When you absolutely must give a tangible item, think about things that help cut clutter, like a high-quality scanner or shredder or a Kindle or Nook. Remember that gift packaging and cards have the potential to become clutter, so keep it as minimal as possible—for example, write your message on the wrapping paper instead of including a separate card and put goodies in a gift bag instead of a basket or tin. When you give any gift, you can also share the sentiment that you are giving it with no restrictions—should the recipient not have a place for it for any reason, give them the gift of knowing that you don’t mind and want them to pass it along to bless someone else.

 

Sara Bereika, Co-founder of Abundance Organizing, is a Certified
Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic
Disorganization®, and ADD Specialist who has appeared on A&E’s series,
“Hoarders.” Amanda Scudder, Consultant with Abundance Organizing, holds a
Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and has
appeared as a guest blogger on Unclutterer.com. Sara and Amanda are members
of the National Association of Professional Organizers and the Institute
for Challenging Disorganization. The Abundance Organizing team specializes
in chronic disorganization, hoarding, home and small business organizing,
relocation, speaking and training.