Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Clutter-Free Gift Giving

It's another Works-For-Me Wednesday. I've talked about this idea before around Christmas time, but it's an idea that works for me throughout the year! For more works-for-me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

I love giving Clutter-Free Gifts! Clutter-free gift giving is the act of gifting that does not add more stuff (often unneeded) to the recipients' homes. With clutter-free gift (CFG) giving, you can make the move away from the "materialistic focus" of gift-giving to a "love focus".

I divide the ideas into 5 sections:
  • Experiences (family weekend at a water park, a day with grandma and grandpa at the zoo and a movie, a romantic weekend away with your spouse)

  • Donations (give to you local food pantry as a family, sponsor a needy family during a holiday, make a donation in honor of a recipient)

  • Consumables (gift cards, fruit of the month, certificate for cleaning services, memberships)

  • Time (offer to watch a busy mom's kid while she take a day off or does some Christmas shopping), start a family night)

  • Expressions of Love and Gratitude (letter, photo books, home-made calendar, coupon booklet)

If you like the idea of giving and getting less stuff, talk with family and friends about the ideas. What are you favorite CFG ideas?

I have shared over 100 CFG idea in my free guide book, Clutter-Free Gift Giving: Giving Love, Not Stuff.

Find out how you can get your copy here!

Check out my Countdown to Christmas organizing ideas.

3 comments:

H-Mama said...

Time and consumables... Great ideas. ;)

Kate said...

Oh I know what you're saying...after Kaydn Rye was born we significantly cut down on the gifts. It just gets to be too much stuff in my house. And we additionally started donating toys to one of the shelters in town before holidays and birthdays. That way some toys leave the house before more come in. Works for us.

Creative Junkie said...

I love gift cards for Christmas - no fear of getting someone something they hate or that doesn't fit. And I love it when we get restaurant gift cards as well!

Post a Comment