Peace of Mind Organizing

Gift-giving mash up

18 December 2009

I haven’t managed to write a post this year about holiday gift giving, so I thought I’d do it today before it’s really too late. I started looking back on the posts I’ve written in the past about gift giving (this is my fourth Christmas as a blogger) and realized that I’ve written some pretty good stuff. So rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to point you to some past articles as well as some stuff written by others.

With any luck, your shopping is finished and you won’t need the info. But if isn’t, take a gander and you might find some low-stress, low-cost, and low-clutter ideas among these posts.

• Mindful gift-giving. In 2008 I presented some ideas for giving special gifts that won’t cause clutter. Among the ideas: give fewer gifts, give the gift of time, create a one-of-a-kind gift.

• Keeping the clutter out of holiday gift giving. Not too dissimilar from the mindful gift giving post, in 2007 I reprinted a 2006 newsletter article about clutter-free gift giving. (I’m a good recycler, aren’t I?)

• Give the gift of flight. My husband flies motorless aircraft. Last year I wrote about how you can give the (clutter-free) gift of flight by ordering a gift certificate from the Silvercreek Glider Club (or, presumably, a glider club somewhere else).

• Can you give the gift of organization?. Is buying a gift certificate for professional organizing services a good idea? I discussed the pros and cons last year. (A 2009 addition: a low-cost option to help someone get organized would be to give a gift certificate to our Declutter Happy Hour e-course!)

• Handmade goodness. If you’re not familiar with Etsy, you’re missing out. It’s a marketplace for handcrafted items. My friend Bobbi Nesladek of Downzipper is my favorite Etsy purveyor. Her zippered pouches are beautifully crafted, made of fun fabrics and make a very practical gift. I have two of them. They’re perfect when I don’t need to take my whole purse. (Scroll down in the linked post and you’ll see some Downzipper items I own and love.) While you’re checking out Downzipper, take a look around at other shops. There are lots of ways to search and you can lose yourself in the awesomeness.

• Adopt-an-Animal programs provide clutter-free gifts. My friend and fabulous blogger Jeri Dansky had a wonderful post earlier this month about Adopt-an-Animal programs that allow you to help animals and give clutter-free gifts. We’re not talking about adopting animals into your own home, but rather donating to organizations to support individual animals.

• IttyBiz 2009 Gift Guide. In last year’s mindful gift-giving post, I mentioned the holiday guide that Naomi Dunford of Ittybiz posts every year. You’ll find unusual gift ideas. Buying them helps the little guy. Everybody wins.

Tagged with: bobbi nesladek, etsy, gift giving, jeri dansky, naomi dunford, silvercreek glider club

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