The numbers are a retailer’s dream, but a consumer’s nightmare. The average American will spend $1,250 this holiday season on gifts, travel, and entertainment.
These numbers might be acceptable if the gifts we were buying and the possessions we were accumulating were actually increasing the happiness in our lives. But that’s not the case.
Over half of us will receive unwanted gifts this year—a staggering $16 billion wasted on unwanted gifts! Eighteen percent of gifts are never used by the person who receives them and 4 percent are immediately thrown into the trash!
The reality is that our homes are already overcrowded with clutter. In fact, the average American home has 300,000 items inside it. The thought of adding more layers of stuff on top of it? It’s all too much.
What then can we give that won’t add to the clutter problem?
99 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas:
Experiences
- Bowling Tickets
- Carriage Ride
- City Tour
- Comedy Club
- Community Theater
- Concert Tickets
- Dinner Gift Card
- Charitable Donation
- Escape Room
- Facial
- Family Vacation
- Horseback Riding
- Indoor Rock Climbing
- Laser Tag
- Manicure/Pedicure
- Massage
- Mini Golf
- Movie Pass
- Orchestra
- Overnight Camp
- Round of Golf
- Shooting Range
- Ski Lift
- Spa Day
- Sporting Event
- Theater Tickets
- Trampoline Park
- Travel Voucher
- Water Park
- Zoo / Aquarium
Memberships
- AAA
- Amazon Prime
- Art Museum
- Audible
- Children’s Museum
- Community Pool
- Disney+
- Dollar Shave Club
- Farm Share
- Hello Fresh
- National Parks
- Netflix
- Science Museum
- Simplify Magazine
- State Parks
- Theme Park
- Toy Library
- YMCA
Time
- Babysitter
- Car Wash
- Date Night Out
- Family Portrait Session
- Gas Card
- House Cleaner
- Oil Change
- Parent/Child Date
- Personal Chef
- Pet Sitting
- Prepped Meals
- Professional Organizer
- Shoveling
- Sunday Brunch
- Yard Service
Classes
- Baking
- Cake Decorating
- Coding
- Cooking
- Dance
- Foreign Language
- Home Brewing
- Improv
- Karate
- Magic
- Master Class
- Music
- Painting/Art
- Photography
- Private Coach
- Scuba Diving
- Sports
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Voice
- Yoga
Consumables
- Baked Goods
- Chocolates
- Coffee Beans
- Coffee Gift Card
- Desserts
- Flowers
- Fruit Basket
- Local Foods
- Meat/Cheeses
- Olive Oil
- Snack Box
- Tacos
- Tea
- Video Game Gift Card
- Wine
About Joshua Becker
I love this list
I had so few gifts to wrap this year I felt “guilty” of not buying enough… here were my gifts for 2019
Pizza box with gift certificate taped inside
Unlimited concert pass for the season for our local concert venue
Dinner and a movie gift card
Printed google picture of items that required selection from recipient that I would put Charles after selection was made
Wine glasses and bottle of wine
For recipients over 55, I would suggest an AARP membership. Awesome value for $16/year.
Give vouchers for meals, services etc provided by local businesses and keep money circulating in your local community.
Gr8 one!! ✝️💯😍🔥😎😉
A nice card that says:
A donation has been made in your name to the human fund. The human fund: money for people
Try coursehorse.com to find classes you never knew existed and ifonly.com for experience gifts that include a charitable donation
How about gifts to charities in their name? No waste, and it helps someone in need.
#8 says Charitable Donations! Happy Holidays and a great 2020!
I recommend gifting Curiosity Stream. It’s an awesome streaming service for any age and super affordable.
You forgot spices. I absolutely love Penzey’s spices. I have a local store and sometimes order online. Last year, I gave their vanilla sugar, hot chocolate and mint hot chocolate to teachers and family. Everyone was thrilled. Doing the same this year with “Joy of Cinnamon” boxes.
These ideas are just super!!!! Thank you for sharing the ideas that I don’t think of. Very helpful.
When my mother was unable to leave the house often, and I lived far away from her, I bought her a selection of greeting cards and postage stamps. She then had a selection of birthday, sympathy, get well cards, etc. to send to her friends and relatives when needed. The older generation still sees value in sending and receiving real mail.
I do love your idea!
I do want to mention however that giving gifts of baked goods and candies can be problematic. I have a number of allergies that does not allow me to eat foods with wheat, soy or dairy. Every year well meaning individuals give me and my family baked goods. I have tried nicely to explain the situation – few remember, and the next year we receive another basket.
I understand and I am also very grateful for their well meaning thoughts, however, I feel bad that their generosity is lost. I try to pass things on when I can, but sadly much of it goes to waste.
I guess what I am trying to say is be aware that a gift of wonderful homemade chocolate chip cookies – might not be a gift at all.
Dee, I hear you! My son has a lot of food allergies so while I totally appreciate the thoughtfulness of others giving treat gifts to us each Christmas (or other holidays), it’s always better if the treats are tailored to what he can actually eat (if it’s meant to be a family gift). I’m always SOOO grateful when people take my son’s allergies into consideration before making or buying food items for us (rarely does it happen). I try to be more sensitive about this with others too.
I think one of the points here, which applies to a lot of the other comments here as well, don’t just give something to give something. Really think about who you’re giving to and what they would like!
Yes I 100% agree with you. I used to love dairy and baked goods myself too. But over the years I developed severe allergies to whey, Milk and all dairy, which includes all chocolates, and I am quite sensitive to soy too now.
So it’s hard for my family and extended family members and friends to remember my issues…. but I have kids and a husband who can eat almost everything so they reap the rewards. Lesson learned is to be more mindful of others.
Enjoyed the list. Was sorry not to see something about making a donation in that person’s name.
#8 says Charitable Donation! Happy Holidays!
This list is amazing and a great idea! My daughter’s and their families dont” need” anything, but contrary to some posts here, I WANT to give them something, and what better things can we give but our time, and experiences that make memories! Just wish I had this list earlier in the season before beginning my shopping! Great and much needed post! Thank you!
This year, daughter requested some tickets to indoor play places she and the kiddos like where she can take the 4&2 year olds to play safely while she gets some WAHM work done on her computer and still keep an eye on the kiddos.
Her hubby requested a gift card from Home Depot to get some tools in the same brand as their neighbor has so they can share them and not have to both own them all.
Kiddos mentioned above are getting art supplies for both of them in appropriate-to-each items, and a box of Duplo Legos they can play with together (they already have some we gave them last year – broaden their abilites to build this year) and with their cousins or other friends when they visit.
Don’t need this list. Didn’t even look at it. I worked retail for a few years and it totally changed my view of the holidays. We do not buy Christmas gifts for anyone. I donated food for the gift baskets at my church for Thanksgiving and Christmas and now all I have to do is purchase food for us at home. No stress. At first, my husband was disgruntled at not having gifts for Christmas, but he’s getting used to it. The other day he asked me if I wanted something for Christmas and I said no and he replied that he was happy because he had no idea what to give me. I feel the same way about him. If we need something during the year, we buy it. We don’t spend needlessly this time of year just because everything is on sale. Oh, and by the way, did you know that a lot of stores raise their prices right before a sale and then put the items on sale?
We are the same, no gifts for each other, just angel tree and food basket gifts for needy, family checks for our children who are grown and know best what they all need.
This year I told everyone to get their favorite book from this year/ever/that they think I’ll enjoy, put their name on a sticky note in the front and wrap it up. When I’ve finished reading it, I will give it back. I have something to open and I cleared a space for the books. People don’t need to spend money, I get to try something new and different, and I don’t have to keep them forever. Win/win/win. I’m actually excited to see what people come up with.
Cool idea!
How about just not giving ANYTHING? Just get together and visit? No guilt. No clutter. Just pleasant memories of having a good time together.
Agree! On my side of the extended family there are no gifts exchanged. We have a nice dinner, with cocktails and I usually have a really nice bourbon that I know my parents like. They give my kids money instead of gifts. It’s just a fun and relaxing time.
I really like that idea!
For my birthday I asked for letters from my family.
I love the idea of giving classes as gifts, but I noticed that some can actually lead to more clutter… baking and cake decorating and candy making can lead to the person becoming so passionate about it that instead of renting the cake pans and candy molds they purchase them. With cooking classes they may have the opportunity to use appliances and gadgets that they don’t already have in their kitchen, and may go out and buy them despite having something else that may work just as well. It would require a great deal of discipline to not get sucked back into the vortex of consumerism.
Joshua! You’re coming to Ottawa to share your wisdom with our staff and students at Ottawa U.!! We’re so excited to have you :)
Yes indeed, looking forward to it. See you in January.
Cleaning house once a month for an elderly person related or not
Lawn mowing for someone.
Helping to a yard clean up, trimming trees, neighbor helping neighbor
These gifts and more do not cost you anything but time, compassion and heart.
I think each of them are included above in the list.
I have to vehemently disagree with Amazon prime. With that membership you get to buy more stuff with no shipping fees. How about Netflix instead?
Netflix is already on the list. Amazon Prime includes streaming video AND streaming audio.
I must say I agree with Claudette. Amazon is one of the biggest drivers for unnecessary consumption right now, on top of being a generally unethical employer with some terrible labour practices. It’s rather disappointing to see them promoted by a minimalist, even if your intention was their streaming service.
I think you could also look at watching foreign movies and guess what they are saying. The list is perfect for not cluttering someone else’s life.
Wonderful lists of things to give as gifts that don’t involve clutter. For me ,I appreciate gifts that are healthful. Example: I cannot afford to buy huge quantities of Spirulina. I will buy it in small amounts along with other herbal supplements , Vitamins. Its a real blessing to me when I am gifted a huge container of Spirulina. A great gift for the person who lifts weights maybe would be a huge Container of Whey / Protein Powder ? It takes up space temporarily ,will be used up, but its like wishing ad blessing someone with good Health.
Postage stamps and I bought someone beautiful ones with a locomotive 🚂…..
This is my kind of gift guide!
Paige
everyone I know already has lots of stuff, so I always give food baskets with misc. items.
Fantastic ideas! I’m a big fan of lottery scratch off tickets for those over age. They’re fun and exciting and you can potentially win some money! Though not entirely clutter-free…
Great post!
XO Steph