Buying the right gift for someone can be stressful and 2020’s COVID crisis makes it even more challenging. Whether you don’t want to wait in long lines, go to the stores, or have a minimalist mindset, you have to come to the right place for inspiration. Christmas is right around the corner and here are some favorite, meaningful, clutter-free gift ideas from KonMari organizing professionals. 🌱

Kammy Lee from Organized by Kammy:

Here's a clutter-free holiday gift idea for the loved ones on your list who haven't yet discovered the joy of listening to podcasts. Choose just the right podcast, one you know they'll enjoy, and provide them with simple instructions to start listening. It's a great gift for people who are hard to buy for, or simply don't want more things, and it's budget-friendly too.

To make giving a podcast even easier, visit this link: giftofpodcast.com (thanks Gretchen Rubin!) The site lets you download a PDF gift certificate (which you'll personalize with the name of the podcast your recipient will love and why), along with easy instructions for how to listen on iPhone or iPad, Android phone, or smart speaker.

Sandy Park from Tidy with Spark:

There is no better season than Christmas to share your love for deliciousness. Baking for friends and family during the holidays is my number one hands down best clutter free idea. It’s my go-to present and it’s really for me just as much as it is for the receivers. You see, I love to create delicious treats and it is a creative extension that is low cost, fun and won’t clutter up anyone’s home because my treats never last. Whether it’s cut out sugar cookies or easy peasy drop cookies, delight those on your Christmas list with this clutter free gift idea. Over the years I found that rarely people will remember my store bought gifts, but they always remember personalized homemade cookies. This mindful gift won’t break the bank and won’t clutter up the homes of those you love. It’s really a win-win gift idea. Try it today and thank me later.

This mindful gift won’t break the bank and won’t clutter up the homes of those you love.

Photo credit: Jill Wellington from Pexels

Aparna Sundar from Global Mindful Journey:

Ever since my family and I began our minimalist journey, we have become mindful of not only what we give to others but also of our requests for gifts. We focus more on experience-based gifts and/or those that serve the needs of the less fortunate in our communities. The idea is to cherish the memories from these experiences. When we do decide on ‘product-based’ gifts, we look at supporting local businesses, a ‘need’ that requires to be fulfilled, the versatility of the item and/or if they are sustainably produced. That being said, even if a gift we receive doesn’t necessarily “spark joy” to us, showing gratitude to the people who love and think of us when they gift us something is important. Our children will also learn from us to give relationships far more significance than to worry about what enters our homes.

Victoria Nicholsen from My Wardrobe Zen:

Photo credit: Daria Sannikova from Pexels

I love art and like to gift annual membership to art galleries so friends and family can enjoy beautiful pieces without cluttering up their homes. It’s also fun to pair a museum or gallery to the recipient, for example, science museum membership for a nephew, film museum membership for the movie buff in your life. It’s a gift that keeps giving and supports these amazing institutions.

Selina Mills from Restful Space writes:

My all-time favorite clutter-free gift are home-made vouchers and let me tell you why:

They can be handmade, simply or in artistic detail, by any member of the family.
They can be made out of recycled bits of colored paper or whatever’s lying around so are truly zero monetary cost.
They are a great creative project in themselves for children.
They are a lovely exercise in connecting with what family members genuinely treasure as individuals.
They make a super (small!) keepsake – I still have a “Kitchen Tidying Voucher”, a “Dog Care Voucher” and even a “Love Voucher” from my children. I use one under my home office cuppa.
They can incorporate a heartfelt message easily and who doesn’t love one of those.
They can be for ANYTHING!

This blog post was originally posted by Tidy Closet owner and founder Janine Morales, a professional home organizer and certified KonMari Consultant based in San Diego.

"Give experiences, not things."

"Give them the gift of less stuff."

"Connection over consumption."

I've been seeing this message everywhere lately, and it could not be more timely. At no time in human history has there ever been more stuff for us to acquire and accumulate. But do any of us really need more items, objects, or things?

Some ideas for gifts that don't add to the pile of stuff:

Gift cards (or e-gift cards)
Lessons, classes or activities (cooking, dance, languages, skydiving)
Tickets to movies, music, performance, or sporting events
Food and drink
Flowers
Time (plan a date, host a dinner party, offer babysitting or housekeeping services)
Donate to a charity in the person's name

If you're giving a tangible item, furoshiki (traditional Japanese method of wrapping gifts in squares of fabric) is big this year (thanks Marie Kondo!) It's beautiful and the "wrapping paper" can be used again and again.

I have one more idea I'd like to suggest, and it's not a "friend date" to go have coffee. Or airplane tickets. Or homemade cookies. Although all of these things sound quite nice.

Don't get me wrong, if you truly love giving gifts in the usual sense of the word, and would feel something missing without doing so, then by all means, keep giving them. And may they bring joy to both you and the recipients.

But if you find that you've simply exchanged the pressure of having to rush around, desperately seeking the perfect item for each person, for the pressure of having to come up with the perfect edible gift or "experience gift", then what's really changed?

Idea: Give the gift of being present. Give the gift of listening, really listening. Give the gift of letting them know how important they are to you. Express it in words, or write it down in a heartfelt card or letter. Give the gift of your undivided attention. Make them the center of your universe. For five seconds, five minutes, or five hours.

Blog

This mindful gift won’t break the bank and won’t clutter up the homes of those you love.