While we all want to give thoughtful gifts that will be loved, one of the most common decluttering obstacles I help people with is overcoming the guilt associated with letting go of gifts they don’t need, use or like.  With the holidays just around the corner, I’m excited to share 36+ clutter-free gift ideas that will be loved by everyone on your shopping list.

ENTERTAINMENT

1) Streaming Video Services 

Help pass the cold winter months indoors with a subscription to a streaming service such as  Netflix, Crave,  AppleTV+,  Disney+, and Amazon Prime.

For horror fans, consider Shudder.com.   For the Brit-loving person on your list, look into Britbox.

For sports fans, check out TSN Direct, SportsnetNOW, NBA TV and League Pass, and MLB.TV to name just a few.

Just remember to confirm the service is available on the type of device the gift recipient has.

2) Music

The music lover on your list will love a subscription to a music streaming service such as Spotify,  Apple, Google Play,  iheartradio or Tidal.  Gift cards to iTunes or Apple are great ideas too.

3) Books & Reading

For people who love reading (like myself), books are not clutter!  A book or a subscription to a book of the month club are great options.

This list put together by mysubscriptionaddiction.com has 15 different subscriptions covering kids, YA, adults, fiction, romance, classics, mystery and even a used-book subscription.

An Audible subscription is another great option, as are gift cards for e-books from places like amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Barnes & Noble or Indigo.

For younger readers on your list, a subscription to the online app Epic! is a great idea.

A digital or paper magazine or newspaper subscription is another option.  Check out this list of 14 magazines for Canadian kids from helpwevegotkids.com

4) Online Gaming Subscriptions

For gamers, a subscription to Playstation Plus, an Xbox Game Pass or Nintendo online membership are sure to please!

5) Subscription Boxes

There are subscription boxes for almost everything!  While some can end up adding to the clutter, there are many consumable and useable options that make great clutter-free gifts.

I’ll cover some specific ones below under other headings, but a few ideas to get you started included: Cookies, Healthy Snacks, Meat, Bacon, Cheese, Jams, BBQ, Baking, Flowers, Beer, Wine, Coffee, Tea, Hot Sauce, Spices or Herbs, Crafting and Art boxes, STEAM boxes, Beauty boxes, Gamer boxes and Mystery boxes where you try to solve the crime.

Check out this list organized by category of the many subscription boxes available in Canada from SubscriptionBoxes.ca.  If a yearly subscription is more than you want to spend or commit the recipient to, most offer a single box purchase as well.

6) Event and Activity Tickets or Passes 

Experience gifts are high on the list of clutter-free gift ideas and one of my favourites is a trip from Guess Where Trips. Guess Where Trips create one-day, surprise road trip itineraries that guide you to hidden gems, charming towns, and funky roadside stops.  They have trips in Ontario, Quebec. Nova Scotia, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as a number of eastern States.  I’ve done three of their trips so far and highly recommend them!

Again, I’ll share additional ideas under other headings below, but some more general ideas to get you thinking: tickets, passes or memberships to sporting events, movies, activity venues like trampoline parks, play places, escape rooms, bowling, mini golf, museums, zoos, water parks, amusement parks or a class or activity they’d enjoy.

LESSONS & CLASSES

7) MasterClass

Learn from the world’s best practitioners in arts and entertainment, scientists, writers, designers, chef’s, entrepreneurs and more with MasterClass.  During the sessions, the instructor shares his or her stories, skills, shortcuts, failures and successes.

8) Music Lessons

Give the gift of music to the budding musician in your life.

9) Art Classes 

If you have a creative artist on your list an art class, lesson or workshop is a gift sure to be loved.

10) Language

If someone on your list is interested in learning a new language, a Rosetta Stone subscription or virtual American Sign Language classes are great ideas.

11) Learning Apps

Make screen time fun AND educational with learning apps.  A couple to check out include ABCmouse.com for kids 2-8 and Adventure Academy for kids 8-13.

For kids whole are into coding, check out this list put together by teachyourkidscode.com covering some of the best apps for kids from 3-17 years old.

EDIBLE GIFTS

12) Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Bakery, Ice Cream Shop Gift Cards

13) DIY Hot Sauce Kit

Let the heat-loving foodies on your list make their own hot sauce with a DIY Kit.  Check out these 5 kits reviewed by BestReviews.com.

14) Indoor Herb Garden

This list from thespruce.com reviews some of the best options out there.

15) Gift Baskets

You can prepare one yourself or purchase one filled with the recipient’s favourite treats, beverages, foods or self-care products.

SELF CARE

16) A Gift Card to the Barber/Salon

17) Bath Gift Basket

Include soaps, lotions, bath bombs, candles and whatever else he or she loves!

18) Beauty/Toiletry Gift Basket

Prepare a basket with all of his or her favourite beauty and/or grooming products.

19) Shaving Club boxes

For the impeccably groomed men on your list look into Dollar Shave Club and Great Canadian Shave Club.

20) Biodegradable Toothbrush Subscription

Check out molr.co for this sustainable gift idea.

21) Meditation App

Healthline.com put together this great list of the best meditation apps of 2022.

22) Fitness or Yoga Membership

23) Big Life Journal

Big Life Journal offers journals and kits for kids from 5 to 17 that help develop strong social-emotional learning, growth mindset skills, gratitude, mindfulness, confidence and self-esteem.

24) Parent/Child Journals

A great way to build and strengthen connections between parent and child, these journals contain thoughtful writing prompts and entertaining mini quizzes that pave the way to discussing everything from friends and school to crushes and growing up. There are lots of options available, so finding one that’s the right fit for you and you’re child shouldn’t be hard.

HOUSE

25) Gift Certificate For A Cleaning Service

26) Subscription to Green Cleaning Products

Check out ThreeMain for this environmentally friendly gift idea.

27) Costco Membership

28) Gift Card to Task Rabbit

Give the gift of getting household to-do’s done with the help of someone from Task Rabbit.

29) Bedroom Makeover

This could be a new paint colour, new duvet or throw pillows, new artwork.  Anything really!

OTHER

30) Computer/Cell Phone Accessories 

Make working from home a little easier with some noise cancelling headphones, a new webcam, ring light or wireless charging dock.

A couple of more personalized ideas: customize a phone case with a photo, quote, logo or special image.  You can also personalize a mousepad with a photo or a child’s artwork.

31) Gift Certificate For A Photography Session

32) Gas Gift Card/Transit Pass

33) Car Wash/Detailing

34) Craft Supplies

Because these get “consumed”, I consider them clutter-free (as long as you have space for them).

35) Gift Certificate to Have Photos Organized and/or Digitized

Know someone who has piles and photos, photo albums, hard drives, flash drives and camera cards? Give them a gift certificate to work with a photo curator like Gingersnaps.ca.  Gingersnaps offers digital and printed photo organization and media conversion to help you actually enjoy your memories without all the photo and digital clutter!

36) Gift Certificate to Work With A Professional Organizer

Speaking of reducing clutter and organizing, what’s better than the gift of organization for the home or office???  If you’re in the London and surrounding area, contact me here to arrange a gift certificate.

Conclusion

The holidays aren’t about gifts, but for most people, gifts are a part of the holidays.  With these 36+ clutter-free gift ideas, you can give an amazing gift to everyone on your list that definitely won’t become unwanted clutter.

Do you have a favourite clutter-free gift you like to give or receive?  Let me know in the comments below.  For a free printable holiday planner to help keep track of your gifts and everything else holiday-related, click here.

Happy organizing!