66 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas
And how to ask for them.
Whether you’re interested in getting off the consumerism treadmill, want to reduce waste in the landfill, or just don’t have the space in your home, clutter-free gift giving has many benefits, including the potential to improve your health and well-being, so check out this guide to get started.
In this article:
Reasons for Doing Clutter-Free Gifts
There are many reasons for giving and receiving clutter-free gifts, such as:
Lack of space
Overabundance of things in your home
Reducing clutter and visual noise
Protecting the environment from more things in the landfill
Non-consumerism, opposing excessive consumption, or valuing material possessions less
Lack of discretionary money to spend on non-necessities
Prioritizing quality time with others
Valuing experiences
Research actually shows that spending more time with family and friends can be critical to your health and happiness. Additionally, people are happier spending money on experiences and remember them longer. (Denver Health Medical Plan blog)
66 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas
Below are a ton of ideas for buying clutter-free gifts. The best way to figure out what to get is to find out what the person does regularly, what they need, what they love doing, and any future plans they are working toward and find a way to support them.
Consumables like food, sweets, and drinks. You can buy the food or get a gift card, like to their favorite coffee or bagel shop.
Gourmet food baskets or international delicacies are great because they are already dressed up to look like gifts, but you can dress up anything with wrapping, ribbon, and bows, so focus on what they like. For example, you can get their favorite foods (Costco-sized for added visual punch) and put them in a basket with ribbon and a bow.
Take it to the next level by making homemade goodies they can’t buy themselves or by purchasing a flavor of the month subscription, a winery or brewery tour, or a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant.
Useful memberships, like the gym, AAA, or Amazon Prime. The gym is great for someone who is nomadic (think RV or tiny home on wheels), unhoused, or couch surfing, so they have a place to shower in addition to being able to stay in shape.
Fun memberships, like the aquarium, museums, national parks, zoo, amusement park, the beach, the pool, magazine subscription, music streaming services like Spotify, unlimited books like Kindle Unlimited or Audible, or video streaming services for family movie night.
Activities for children, such as dance class, taekwondo, basketball, art class, summer camp, laser tag, rock climbing, or scouting.
Classes for adults, like cooking, fitness, art, dance, learning a musical instrument, or learning a new language.
Relationship activities for date night, friends night out, or parent/child bonding, such as a restaurant , concerts, theater shows, sporting events, a weekend getaway, or movies (and don’t forget to include enough for snacks).
Self care experiences, such as a mani/pedi, spa day, yoga class, meditation class, sauna, or sound bath. For partners, you can offer a personal foot or back massage.
Necessities, like a gas card, an oil change, car insurance, a hair cut, makeup, money to fill their laundry card, or a Costco haul of diapers & wipes - a beautiful sight for parents with babies or toddlers. Gas money and quarters for laundry (before credit card machines) were my favorite when I was struggling in my 20s.
Extra help, like babysitting, house cleaning, yard work, a car wash, or professional organizing (see my Small Business Saturday discount code below).
Make it personal by offering to do the services yourself. You can even just run errands for them for a day. This is a great option if you have a special skill, like repairing cars, or if you have a limited budget.
Money for something they’re saving up for, such as a car, trip to Hawaii, or summer camp for their child.
Memories loaded on a digital picture frame or updated photos for their frames.
Charitable donations in their name. Make it more specific and fun by giving a goat or something else through Heifer International. Or sponsor a child in another country in a child’s name and have them become pen pals.
I’m offering 50% off my gift cards, organizing sessions, and workbooks through Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29) with the SBS25 code at checkout.
“PRO TIP: Ask for specifics on what they use and what they like, get a gift receipt, and ask parents for permission so every gift is wanted and doesn’t become clutter. For example, not all diaper brands work on every baby. You don’t want to buy a Costco bundle that won’t get used.”
How to Ask for Clutter-Free Gifts
We’ve seen the benefits of clutter-free gifts and all the fun ideas for what you can buy. But how do you change other people’s gift-giving habits when they get gifts for you and your family?
Preventing unwanted gifts is a tough one. We want to be gracious, but we also don’t want items that we won’t use cluttering our home, especially if we don’t have the space for them.
The first step is to let people know that you prefer clutter-free gifts. They can’t read your mind, so tell them. Preface your conversation by thanking them for all they’ve given in the past. Explain that you and your family have decided to make this change and wanted to let them know.
Explain why and how much it’s important to you and your family, your values, and how you want to live your life. The more they understand the importance and how it will make you happy, the more they are likely to be supportive. Remember that most people give gifts with the intention of making you happy and want to give you what you want. Sharing what you want helps them do that.
If you’re going clutter-free because you want your family’s needs met before money is spent on discretionary items, explain this and how it would help give you peace of mind. Or perhaps it’s not a necessity, but you would like help with providing an opportunity for your child, like a school trip or summer camp. Again, focus on how this is the best way they can support you and your family. Try to find ways they can make the necessity gifts fun for the kids, like special wrapping or making the reveal an experience like a scavenger hunt.
Help them out by sharing what you want instead. Include any specifics on the types of things that would work or what your and your family’s interests are. You can share this article to give them a bunch of ideas. Consider creating a wish list, especially if your clutter-free boundary is only wanting necessities.
Set clear boundaries, if you have them. If you only want non-physical items, necessities because your budget is tight, or want to pre-approve your children’s gifts, say so. Be as specific as you need to be so expectations are clear. Connect how the boundary relates to why you’re going clutter-free and your values. If you don’t have strict boundaries, you can just suggest they switch as a way to ease them in, but be clear that this is what you and your family really want, not the other stuff.
Clarify that this is for all gift-giving, including the pampering that goes on year-round by the grandparents and fun aunts and uncles.
If necessary, explain what happens if your boundaries are broken. For example, if your reason for going clutter-free is teaching your children non-consumerism, it could be donating the item to charity.
Strategies for Parties
Have a donation drive, such as for books, food, coats, etc. People like bringing something to parties or holidays. This allows them to do that without cluttering up your home with stuff you won’t use, and you support a great cause in the process.
For weddings and baby showers, ask guests to only shop from the registry or ask you first. Explain your reasons. For example, you live in a small home and need to be strategic with what you bring into your home, especially with a newborn on the way with all the things that entails.
Use a gift registry for other types of occasions as well, such as birthday parties or house warmings.
Keep in mind, some people think wish lists or asking for something specific is tacky. However, others find them preferable to ensure they’re getting something the person wants and to prevent waste. For others on a limited or fixed income, it can be essential to getting things they or their kids need, let alone want.
Again, focus on your why and that this is how they can best support you and your family. If it’s not a hard boundary, you can make the wish list or registry a suggestion, as mentioned before.
Find a Home for Clutter Gifts
In the end, you may still get gifts that aren’t clutter-free. However, you don’t have to keep any gifts that don’t serve you or your family. Thank the person who gifted them, and then donate them or re-gift them to someone who would appreciate them. Just be sure to leave a note on them about who gave them to you until you find a good recipient.
As long as you don’t make the gift giver feel bad by letting them know, if the gift was given with the good intention of making you happy, as it should, then they wouldn’t want you to be strapped with something you don’t want. Better to find a good home than it clutter your closet.
