Great Gifts That Aren't Giftcards Or Space-Stealing Junk

It's my birthday month so I have gifts on the brain. Luckily my family knows I've avoided "stuff" type gifts for several years now so I'm looking forward to receiving nothing more than a delicious pizza and a milkshake topped with whipped cream.

However, I think even those of us who aren't on an outspoken path towards a minimalist lifestyle have likely reached a point where we no longer have "wish lists." Every gift-giving holiday has turned mildly stressful trying to come up with things to give to my loved ones that I think they'll genuinely enjoy but that won't contribute to the shelf-clutter in their lives.

Before I get to the list of ideas I've come up with, I should address the cash/gift card conundrum. I think we can almost all agree that we would love to receive cash or gift cards. That said, whenever I'm in a position to give a gift I struggle to do cash or a gift card because it doesn't give me gift-giving satisfaction and it can feel impersonal. Additionally, I doubt anyone needs to read a blog listing out "restaurant gift cards, local museum membership, etc." because those are relatively obvious ideas. However, I have included a concise section at the end listing some various types of gift certificates/experiences/etc. in case you need it.

I think when it comes to giving useful and appreciated gifts, it's great to focus on consumable items. Unless the gift is for someone you know intimately well (such as a spouse) you're probably best to focus on things that will be used up and are pretty universally liked. It goes without saying that not every idea on this list is going to appeal to everyone. But, if it gives you one good idea and maybe inspires a couple others then I would rate this post successful.

On to my list!

1. HIGH END GROCERIES. This really hits the sweet spot because it's something people like and also something they won't buy for themselves. I think the vast majority of us shop for best price when it comes to food. Why would we buy a $5 marinara sauce when we can get the store brand on sale for $1? Sure we may love to order scallops when we eat out for a special occasion but would we really pay $38/lb. for them at the store when we can get chicken breasts for way cheaper? My step dad loooooves scallops. Every time they are an option at a nice restaurant that's what he goes for. But I'm not sure I've ever seen scallops at my parents' house before. So for his recent birthday I went to the best seafood market in town and bought him a pound of giant scallops, then picked up some asparagus and a lemon at the grocery store. He was so excited about them, thoroughly enjoyed them, and once eaten they were gone from his house. Even if you don't know someone's special food love, you can't go wrong with some upscale non-perishables. A really nice bottle of olive oil, good quality balsamic vinegar, fancy imported pasta, nice chocolates, coffee, tea, etc. If you know the person's habits well enough to be sure the shelf life is ok, you could go with fresher, perishable items like cheeses, nice steaks, lobster, or the like. NOTE: It's tempting to put these items into a basket of some sort. Don't. No one needs a random basket around. My vote is for a simple, but recyclable paper bag or cardboard box that you dress up with a little ribbon.

Try The World

2. QUIRKY GLOBAL SNACKS. Maybe fancy stuff isn't your friend's cup of tea. Or maybe you're not familiar with their preferences/tastes. If they have a quirky and/or adventurous spirit I think this "Try The World" monthly box of global eats is super fun. You can do a snack box for $19/month or a larger selection of items for $39/month. Either way this is a fun gift because it will be a surprise each month, offer a chance to try new things, and it is consumable so it meets the "doesn't take up space" requirement. There's also MunchPak which is a less expensive option. If a monthly subscription isn't ideal for your needs, you can always put together your own "taste the world" gift set by driving around to your local ethnic markets. You might even have a "global" grocery in your neck of the woods with all kinds of unique finds in one stop.

Piquant Post

3. SPICE & RECIPE SUBSCRIPTION. This is my last food-related recommendation but it's pretty great for anyone who is comfortable with cooking and who likes trying a variety of cuisines. Most of these subscriptions send you several unique spices each month along with recipes and information about the regions/cultures focused on in that month's box. It's nice because most people don't need a whole bottle of spices they almost never use, but this is a neat opportunity to try something new. Check out Spice Madam, Spice Breeze, or Piquant Post.

4. FRESH FLOWERS. I love getting fresh flowers. They're beautiful and special and not something people are always willing to spend their own money on. They'll be appreciated for a couple weeks and then they'll be gone and no longer taking up space. They are a great tangible accompaniment to a gift card too!

5. SOAP. For this one it helps if you know whether the intended recipient is a bar soap or liquid soap person, but if you don't know opt for liquid. No matter who the person is, they definitely wash their hands several times a day. Most people have hand soap in their kitchen as well as all of their bathrooms. Getting really nice bar soaps or a pretty bottle of liquid hand soap is great because no matter what, it is something that will get used. It might have to be stored for a little while but I don't think many people will mind. It's a nice thing that is needed and something they won't have to spend their own money on. If you have a Homegoods, TJ Maxx, or Marshall's in your area, those are great places to get an assortment of nice looking and nice smelling hand soaps that look and feel fancy but aren't overpriced. Personally I'd shy away from doing the hand soap/hand lotion combo. It's popular to do and easy to find and seems like a nice "set" but a lot of people are more picky about the scents of their lotions (or ingredients in general) and lotions last a really long time. I still have half a dozen lotions from past gifts or sets because for as often as I use them they last for yeeeaaars and that's just not what I want to do to someone else when I give them a gift.

6. CLEANING SUPPLIES. So obviously this is reserved for the friend or family member who won't take offense to receiving cleaning supplies... But honestly, it's a great gift! Everyone uses household cleaners and they are not fun to spend our money on. I go through so many clorox or lysol disinfectant wipes every single day. Taking a cue from from the upscale groceries idea, this is one where you can splurge on some of the swankier cleaning items. I think an assortment of Mrs. Meyers cleaning products is very giftable because they're pretty and smell good. Add a scented candle, lightbulbs, a magic eraser, and/or some Plink garbage disposal capsules and you have a pretty nice little home-care package. You do have to know your audience. Some people these days can be a little picky about the ingredient lists of their cleaners, but your average "Windex/Lysol/Swiffer/Scrubbing Bubbles" person will be satisfied with products that simply do their job.

7. UNIQUE REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS. In my pursuit of minimalism, I generally avoid acquiring or giving any "hard" goods of any sort. However, I'm making an exception for large-sized (think paper grocery bag sized), durable, reusable shopping bags. These are the kinds of things you keep in your car for when you go grocery shopping and then you bring your groceries in and forget to return them to your car. I use mine for groceries and for quick changes of clothes. I use them to bring snacks to festivals or to grab stuff for the kids if they're headed to their grandparents' house for a couple hours. They are very handy and very utilitarian. You can get a good quality set of reusable shopping bags for not a lot of money. Make them more special and giftable by working with a local graphic/textile artist to screen print a personalized design on them. I have three different friends who run side businesses doing that sort of thing. Even as someone who is trying not to have any more "things" around, I'd welcome some good quality bags that have cool, pretty, or personalized designs on them. I might even purge some of my older flimsy ones to make room!

Star Trek Forever Stamps

8. FOREVER STAMPS & ADDRESS LABELS. While most of us don't send a whole lot of "correspondence" these days, many of us still have holiday cards, birthday invitations, thank you cards, baptism invites, birth announcements, and utility bills that still get mailed through the postal service. Giving someone a stack of forever stamps (opt for several different designs that you think would appeal to your friend) plus an address stamp or booklet of address labels is a great way to offer a personal, but functional present. From history to nature to sports, there are stamps for lots of different interests and you can find some extremely cute, custom address labels/stamps. This is another great example of gifting something fun but usable so that your friend or family member can spend their own money on something else. You could bulk up the gift with a box of pretty thank you cards and a couple nice pens.

9. SEASONAL CONSUMABLES. Depending on the event, seasonally appropriate gifts can be greatly appreciated and well-used. Is your friend's birthday in the beginning of the summer? Do you need something for your co-worker for the office holiday party? Here are some quick examples of consumable items that are used seasonally:

• WINTER - Hot chocolate, disposable hand warmers, gift-wrapping supplies such as scotch tape and ribbon, baking ingredients, firewood, popcorn, chex mix.
• SPRING - Vegetable seeds/plants, garden markers, porch plants/hanging baskets, baseball snacks like peanuts and cracker jacks, ladybugs for the garden (yes, you can buy live ladybugs to help eat aphids), birdseed, egg decorating kits.
• SUMMER - Sunscreen, BBQ sauce or dry rubs, bug spray, citronella candles, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, sparklers/fireworks, fun print band-aids and antibiotic ointment, aloe vera or after-sun-spray, fun plastic cups/paper napkins/etc.
• FALL - S'mores ingredients, tailgate edibles, firewood, decorative pumpkins/gourds, pumpkin decorating kits, homemade apple butter, apple cider, yard waste bags.

10. BOOZE. No explanation needed. Unless they are sober, you can't really go wrong with some wine or nice spirits. Even if they aren't big drinkers they can have it on hand for when company comes over. Shy away from accompanying mixers or garnishes that have shelf lives.


Quick list of gift card or experience type of gifts for those that need it: Restaurants, grocery stores, home improvement stores, pharmacies, movie theaters, tickets to live theater, tickets to sporting events, tickets to a concert, amusement park passes, museum memberships, zoo memberships, cleaning services, child care services, vouchers for airfare or for airline drinks, meal delivery services, meal assembly services, professional services such as resume writing or interview coaching, skills classes like learning Spanish or how to make bread, spa treatments, salon services, car detailing, catering, family photo session, dog grooming, dog walking, landscaping, personal training, etc. I mean, you can pretty much find a gift certificate for any kind of business or service.