Clutter-free gifts for all your best girlfriends
- Chocolate! Since this stuff disappears quickly, we feel comfortable calling it “clutter-free”. We are big fans of Charles Chocolate, who used to call their monthly club the PMS assortment, while Vosges (inventors of the bacon chocolate bar) call theirs the Lunar chocolate (truffle) of the month club. Harry and David is another choice for automated chocolate delivery. Yes, please.
- Challenges: “the gift of experience” provides inspired customized challenges for a new year (perfect for list-makers like us).
- Adventure: A service called Cloud 9 Living offers hot air balloon rides, puppy parties, and antique fire engine tours. Invent an adventure (or just book something fabulous with them). I haven’t tried it yet, but I would be happy to get this in my stocking [hint!].
- Spa: pedicure, massage, facial, scrub, anything but a body wrap! Check SpaWeek.com for deals on gift cards good at thousands of spas around the country.
- One-time class: a new type of yoga, beer-making, knife skills. Whitney would like a class at The Paper Source in Berkeley. Also check Craftsy for affordable online classes.
- Wine tasting: if you live near Napa or Sonoma, make an afternoon of it. Otherwise, bring the wine party to her!
- Tickets to a show: take her to a show, concert, or just a movie. Tickets in an envelope are so exciting. Check GoldStar.com for half-price tix. All you have to do is sign up for their free email and you can purchase and print tickets to events in other cities.
- Lift tickets: Promise to take a snow day together.
- Your time: Be her challenge buddy (“let’s run a 5k” or “let’s walk every Tuesday to the cafe roundtrip”).
- iTunes Credit: provide the credit and bring the ice cream for girls’ night in with shows like Mad Men or Friday Night Lights.
- Coolness: help her stay current and discover new bands with a Spotify subscription or playlist made by you.
- Kindness: Sponsor a goat or flock of chicks from Heifer International; help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. No livestock will come to your door.
Clutter-free gifts for another rookie mom
- Babysitting swap: but you have to really do it, not just say you will. If you’re not really going to do it, give a gift card to UrbanSitter.com, so she can arrange for a sitter herself, your treat.
- Excellent Family Photos: Offer a gift card from your local photographer for a professional family portrait (tip from The Organizing Diva).
- Food delivery: Fill her entire freezer or bring over dinner for tonight. Purchase a DIY kit, like Blue Apron or Plated.
- Hug coupons. Ok, I’m kidding. But if you can score “no whining” coupons from your toddler, those would be priceless!
A few words on shopping for your wife
She might actually like clutter. And she probably doesn’t want to stuff her own stocking. If so, you can check out a list of our best ideas for gifts that are things.
