Practical Gifts for Minimalists. Every relative’s worst nightmare.
Shopping for gifts for minimalists can be tough!
When I first started thinking seriously about what I bought and owned I figured my relatives would love not having to buy me things as much. In retrospect, I’ve come to see that most people still want to buy ‘something’.
My best advice is to ask the minimalist in your life if they need something, no point in spending money on something that is both unwanted and unnecessary! I’d love people to ask me what I want or need. I want different things from different people
I tend to ask for things that are practical for my lifestyle, which for me means kitchen appliances, camera equipment, and theatre tickets. They’re things I need or enjoy and will make room for. It’s exciting to get something a little fancier than I might have bought myself!
This Post Is All About Gifts for Minimalists.
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Practical Gifts for Minimalists
Best Under $25
“I first spotted this at a swanky modern hotel room with all-white decor. I love how it hides an unsightly branded tissue box — it practically vanishes! It looks so cute with the tissue ‘billow’ of smoke and is functional too. Every modern minimalist’s dream.“
Best Value
“A glass suncatcher for the friend with good lighting — when hung in a sunny nook it will create pleasing, colorful shadows.“
Most Popular
Super useful and makes you drink more.
Best Custom Gift
You can learn how to make perfume with fragrance oils and essential oils.
Clutter-free Gift Ideas
Some people might not like the idea, but gift certificates or experiences are good. Movie theatre gift cards assure I’ll go to the movies, something I enjoy. Lessons, equipment outfitters, and state park and museum memberships all encourage me to go out of the house. And I think they’re more meaningful than an Amazon card I’ll spend on the soap.
~ EXPERIENCES ~
It doesn’t have to be expensive. It could be something as simple as agreeing that your gift to each other is that you’ll carve out a couple of hours for dinner/drinks at some point during the busy Christmas week.
- City tour
- Comedy Club Tickets
- Concert Tickets
- Dinner Gift Card
- Facial
- Family Vacation
- Manicure/Pedicure
- Massage
- Movie Pass
- Round of golf
- Spa Day
- Theatre Tickets
- Classes in something that interests you (painting/yoga/gardening/making meth). Do it alone or together
- Pottery Decorating
- Paint Night
- A meal out with the giver paying
- Guided tour of the city
I absolutely loved getting gifted a membership to my local botanical garden. May be out of the budget, but thoughtful gifts that keep giving like that really made my year!
~ MEMBERSHIPS ~
- AAA/CAA
- Amazon Prime
- Audible
- Community Pool
- Hello Fresh
- National Parks
- Netflix
- Simplify Magazine
- Gym
- Magazine subscription
My grandfather got me a National Geographic membership every year until he died. It ended up being a really special thing that continues to be meaningful when I read National Geographics. Plus the fact I received it every month really made the present last the whole year. He also got it too so we often talked about what had been in recent issues when we spoke on the phone or via email.
~ TIME ~
I’d love for someone to run errands I’ve been putting off…
Homemade Gift Certificates (IE “Good for one car wash”, “Good for ten loads of laundry”) or homemade “Relationship Coupon Book“; The kind that has coupons for things like “end the argument”, ” I pick where we go for dinner”, “foot massage” etc.
- Getting picture framed
- Taking shoes to the cobbler
- Painted and cleaned the living room
- Change the oil in my car
- Clean my car
- Scanned photos into the computer
- Make him a dinner he will love
~ CONSUMABLES ~
I would much rather they buy me stuff that I can choose to keep or gift. I’m not a minimalist because I hate the stuff, I’m a minimalist because I love it too much and it will take over my life again if I’m not careful, so I limit my purchases but having someone buy me something new and interesting is wonderful.
For his birthday I got my minimalist husband one of those water bottles with the filter in it. He has found it to be super useful and doesn’t regret having to carry it around because it means he drinks more.
When hung in a sunny nook, the object will create pleasing, colorful shadows.
My go-to gift is a Peugeot Pepper grinder. They’re timeless and replace something they already have. I’ve had folks re-thank me YEARS after the fact because it’s something they still use daily but not something they’d think to buy for themselves.
- Anything high-quality food is great for me. High-quality local options in a basket are always a winner.
- Quality tea (not just coffee!) or extra virgin olive oil if they like to cook 🙂
- Locally made products such as honey, preserves, jams, and chutneys
- Wool for knitting. Knit something for the fun of it then give it away. Digital knitting patterns are also nice for knitters.
- Practical hobby supplies (paints, glue, canvases, scrapbooking notions, bookbinding things, really nice paintbrushes you wouldn’t buy otherwise).
- Homemade food/baking. Get them to make you an assload of that chili they make that you love and toss it in the freezer. A gift that lasts all year!
- A (low maintenance) house plant! Or flowers. As a woman, I always buy bouquets for my girlfriends – they’re usually so surprised and love them!
- Candles, please, and not just from a sense of minimalism. I love candles.
- Nice pot holders, kitchen dish towels in trendy patterns, and semi-consumables for the kitchen that are nicer than what they’d buy for themselves.
- Gift cards to a local eco shop.
Check out this article, I think of doing #52 this year. https://www.becomingminimalist.com/clutter-free-gift-ideas/
People stress out so much over Christmas with gift-giving – it’s so commercialized and materialistic! I’d much rather get together with friends and family where everyone contributes something to eat or drink and we just enjoy each other’s company.
This Post Is All About Gifts for Minimalists.
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