Eco-friendly gifting: 9 clutter-free gift ideas

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This year I have decided not to write a Christmas gift guide because we all have so much stuff already. There is no point in buying a present just so that you have something to give. We need to try and give a clutter-free gift, rather than stuff that will sit around. Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to unwrap a gift but you don’t want to give or receive something that will just gather dust. There are also lots of amazing eco-friendly items out there and I might give or receive them. But I think it is important to move towards experiences and memories rather than giving stuff that the receiver may not want or need.

1. Membership

This year I have asked for a year’s membership for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). I am currently a member of the Butterfly Conservation which I pay for, but I love wetland birds and would really like to learn more about them. Especially as I am considering doing my dissertation on wetland birds! It is a great gift idea because it goes to charity, and you get to go to the wetland sites for free!

As a young person, it will cost £2.50 a month which is a really good deal, as well as getting quarterly magazines, the welcome pack and discounted friends and family vouchers. Slimbridge is about an hour’s drive from me, and the Bewick swans have just migrated over so I can’t wait to visit them. There are so many other options including the RSPB, Woodland Trust, and The Wildlife Trusts.

Related post: December wildlife to spot in the UK

2. Subscription

For me, cancelling a subscription is the first thing I do to save money. And while it is a bit similar to buying a membership, there are so many options. Since the rise in letterbox gifts during lockdown, there seems to be anything you could ever want. For a foodie, there are brownies, wine, tea, coffee, cheese etc. There are also loads of digital subscriptions, such as Netflix, Disney+, Spotify etc. Some more ideas:

• Newspaper subscription
• Headspace subscription
• Audiobook subscription
• Monthly flower subscription

3. An event

Another clutter-free gift idea is an event. For my birthday, my sister let me pick out a west end musical for us to see together. I saw Wicked which was so incredible, and also had the best weekend with my sister! This year for my mum’s birthday, I am hoping to get her tickets for the Globe Theatre as she has always wanted to go. Event gifts may be more expensive, but the memory lasts forever, and you know it is something they really want. Other event ideas include:

• Art gallery
• Museum
• Music concert
• Festival
• Sports game/match

4. Gift card

Buying someone a gift card always seems to have a weird stigma surrounding it. Maybe because it seems like not a lot of effort has been put into the gift? But actually, I think it is nice to give a gift card. There are so many choices, so you could quite literally get them anything!

I used to love getting an Apple voucher when I was younger to buy apps or books. A gift card for a meal out is something I think is a really good gift because it can be hard to justify eating out sometimes, so this gives you that extra push. If the recipient likes books you could get them a national book token gift card which allows them to choose which book they want, rather than you guessing. I would recommend getting a national book token voucher over chain brands because they can be used in independent shops and Bookshop.org which supports independent shops.

If you are going to get a gift card for someone, I would recommend using Jam Doughnut or Top Cashback gift cards. When you buy a voucher through Jam Doughnut, you get a % of cashback which is turned into points. Once you have collected £10 worth of points (1000) you can withdraw. I think you can get a £2 bonus if you use my code: OZX4 when you sign up! TopCashback is exactly the same, you get a % of cashback when you buy a voucher on their website. For example, with the national book token, you get 7% cashback. You can get a £10 sign-up bonus when you use my link!

Another great option is photography training gift vouchers! With this, you can pick a specific course if the recipient/you know what they want, or an amount to spend on any course they choose. It’s one thing to own a camera, but having the knowledge of how to use it properly, learning how to understand and manipulate light and recognising good composition is what will really make a person’s photographs stand out.

5. Lessons

Lessons aren’t just for children! If you know someone who wants to brush up on their piano skills or learn how to make pottery, this could be the perfect gift. You can often buy a set of lessons, like 10 driving lessons or a course on painting for beginners. Look around the local area to see what lessons are on, and support an independent business while you are at it!

Continue reading: Eco-friendly gifting -11 clutter-free gift ideas

6. Consumables

Consumables are a perfect present because they won’t take up any space, and are not something you would buy for yourself. For my dad’s birthday, I put together a hamper of food. All things that he would like, but wouldn’t buy for himself and they don’t clutter the house. Exactly what he wants! My best friend got me Tony’s Chocolonely which is my favourite brand of chocolate, and it is such a treat to receive. You could even bake some biscuits or make chocolate truffles to give out to people. Nothing better than something homemade!

7. Experience gifts

An experience gift is the classic non-material gift idea everyone first thinks of. This is a great example of another clutter-free gift idea. As it is with any gift, you must consider your recipient. While you may like to go to the spa for the day, they might not want to.

• Nature lover = a trip to a wetland centre, or donkey sanctuary.
• Foodie = a chocolate-making workshop, cocktail masterclass, afternoon tea.
• Thrill seeker = a trip to a theme park, skydiving or rock climbing.
• Crafter = workshop, classes such as flower arranging or ceramics.
• Sporty = F1 experience, paddleboarding class, yoga retreat.
• Cultural = walking tour, cooking class etc.
• Wellbeing = spa day, chef for the night, forest retreat.
• Adventure = VR, escape room, watersports day.
• Sightseeing = Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, Roman Baths.
• For children = Legoland, Go Ape, Cadbury World.

8. Something they need

Okay, hear me out! This seems obvious, but you don’t have to guess something that you think the recipient needs. You can simply ask them, and it doesn’t have to be a ‘pretty’ gift. It can be something as simple as oven gloves or a duvet cover. Giving something that they need is a clutter-free gift because they would have had to buy it anyway! For example, if someone in your family loves crafting and has run out of paint or wool, you could buy it for them. Other ideas:

• Clothes – waterproof coat, dressing gown, socks (who doesn’t love socks?!)
• Kitchenware – dishes, table mats, baking items.
• House stuff – lamp shades, curtains, rugs, prints.
• Their favourite perfume that is running out
• Calendar/diary
• Car maintenance – hail car cover

9. Homemade

Homemade gifts are so underrated! No one seems to want a homemade/handmade gift any more. You can save money by making gifts, and it is so thoughtful. Last year I made my mum a seashell frame for Christmas. I bought a frame from the charity shop and then picked up some shells from the beach. Simply glue them on (I used my glue gun) and you have made a shell frame!

Some other ideas include:

• Baked goods – gingerbread biscuits, shortbread, cake.
• Sweets – fudge, truffles etc.
• Chutney, jam, marmalade etc.
• Jewellery – gemstone necklace, bead bracelet.
• Crafts – candle, flower-pressed jar, crocheted hat, knitted socks etc.
• Kits – hot chocolate, biscuit & mug, cookie mix & cutters etc.
• Personal care – soap, bath salts, wheat pillow etc.

There are so many ideas on Pinterest, including for people who aren’t crafty!

I hope this clutter-free gift guide has given you some ideas for Christmas or upcoming birthdays.

Are you opting for a clutter-free gift this year?

Caroline ♡

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