Archives for Gift Giving Guide

Earthquake victims in Haiti need our help

As many of you may already know, my wife Erin and I adopted a beautiful baby boy this past summer. Although our son was born in the United States, both of his birth parents were recent immigrants from Haiti.

And so we found ourselves particularly troubled yesterday as we watched cable news coverage of the earthquake outside Port-au-Prince.

Haiti is one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries. It also has the unfortunate distinction of being the only LDC in the Americas. In spite of this, things were improving there. Hopefully yesterday’s events won’t put an end to this hard-earned progress.

There are a number of reputable non-profit organizations currently doing relief work in Haiti. They will surely need our support in the coming days. Please know that we appreciate any support you can provide to these groups.

Reputable Non-Profit Organizations Helping Earthquake Victims in Haiti

Posted by PJ on Jan 13, 2010 | 21 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts the Unclutterers are giving

In our eighth installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing gifts the Unclutterer team members are giving this holiday season.

Brian: Now that our extended family is growing, we’ve agreed to limit the family gift exchanges to kids and grandparents only. We would go crazy if we had to find gifts for each sibling, spouse of sibling, nieces, nephews, and grandparents. We uncluttered out shopping list this year.

Matt: I’m baking and cooking many of the gifts I’m giving this year because I don’t feel like contributing any extra clutter to people’s lives. If you can eat it, it won’t be around long. Also, since we live in an RV full time, it’s difficult to find places to store gifts until we give them.

PJ: I’m giving movie passes this year to many people in my family. We’re a family that loves to go to the movies. One lucky person on my gift list is also getting a Roku digital video player. It minimizes the need to buy DVDs and works with Neflix and Amazon on Demand. It’s for someone who doesn’t want or have cable.

Erin: I called everyone and asked what they needed, which means that they’re all getting practical gifts this year. My shopping list is full of things like long underwear, rechargeable batteries, and motor oil. It’s not very exciting, but useful is very welcome in this economy.

Gary: I’m giving and asking for small things this year; stuff that doesn’t take up a lot of space.

What uncluttered gifts are you giving this year? Let us know about your shopping lists in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Dec 3, 2009 | 43 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts for kids

In our seventh installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing gifts for children.

I’m coming to find that creating a Guide for kids is more difficult than expected. The things we want for our son now are very different than the things he’ll want when he can pen his own letter to Santa Claus. My husband and I want practical things for him that will help us cover the expenses of raising a child — diapers, a new crib, and baby gates. By the time he’s in elementary school, however, I’m sure that he’ll want toys, gadgets, and even more toys! I can’t even fathom what will be on his list when he’s in high school.

So, instead of breaking it down by age, I’m just going to give an over-arching theme and one or two examples that might work with the category. Parents with jr. high and high school children should feel more than welcome to add ideas to the comments section as I feel that I’m not doing this age group much justice in my themes.

  • Experiences. We’ve written about these types of gifts in the past, but they’re certainly worth mentioning again. Zoo memberships, movie passes, event tickets, etc., are great gifts for the giver and receiver to both enjoy. If Aunt Jane buys a pool pass for little Billy, then the two of them can swim together on summer afternoons — or go to the zoo together or see movies or whatever the experience.
  • Gifts with storage solutions. I’ve become a big fan of gifts that come with storage or gifts that are storage. Toy bins with a new toy, video game storage console with a new game, a puzzle rack with a new puzzle, or a block set with a block box, like the one below, are examples that would work for younger kids.
    Melissa & Doug 60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks
  • Vacations. Technically, this is a subset of Experiences, but I thought it warranted its own line item. Growing up, I took a vacation each summer with my grandmother. I’ll never forget riding the train with her across the country or going on road trips to crazy roadside attractions. My cousins also have fond memories of flying to see her and spending two weeks playing on the farm without their parents. Showing children the world can be a rewarding experience for everyone.
  • What the child wants. Sneaking a peak at a child’s letter to Santa Claus before it is sent in the mail can be a good way to learn what a child plans to play with in the next few months. It’s not clutter if the object is used and loved.
  • Hints from mom and dad. If parents have created wishlists for their children (especially new parents with young children), it’s extremely kind to buy from that list. Great thought and care usually go into creating these lists, and buying from them can help the parents to provide for their child. It’s not very creative, but it is incredibly generous. If mom and dad are running on such little sleep that they can’t find the energy to create a list, pick up the phone and ask.

Please add your ideas to the comments. Also, don’t forget to check out our Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide Index Page for a listing of all the articles as we publish them.

Posted by Erin on Dec 2, 2009 | 18 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: The Six O’Clock Scramble

If you subscribe to Real Simple magazine, you can find five holiday stress-busting tips from me in the December issue. (You can also find the same tips online.) One of these tips was unfortunately truncated to save space in the print version, and so I’ve decided to highlight what was cut with an entry in our 2009 Guide.

The fourth tip, “Give gifts you don’t need to wrap and/or ship. Try zoo and museum memberships, items from Etsy.com, spa or credit-card gift cards, or dance lessons,” should have included, “and a subscription to The Six O’Clock Scramble” at the end of it.

I have a subscription to TheScramble.com, which is an enhanced online companion to the cookbook The Six O’Clock Scramble, and I love it. Once a week, founder Aviva Goldfarb e-mails a weekly meal plan to give healthy ideas for what to make for dinner. The meal plan includes recipes, a grocery shopping list, tips, nutritional information, and a nice note from Aviva. Subscribers don’t have to stress out about what to make for dinner, because the heavy lifting is already done for you. Also, if you don’t love one of the recipes, you can customize the meal plan to meet your needs. I’m a big fan, and I especially like that the recipes are focused on what is in season and plentiful at our market (at least for us in the US).

Because I’m so indebted to Aviva for keeping me sane at mealtime, I contacted her to see if she would be interested in offering a special subscription rate to Unclutterer readers. She was game and is now offering the following:

Between now and December 31, you get a special offer for subscriptions for yourself or people on your holiday gift list: You’ll get $4 off of all 6 month subscriptions (now just $25.50) and $8 off of 12 month subscriptions (regular price $54.50, now just $46.50). What’s more, The Scramble subscriptions always have free shipping and are the perfect “green” gift. Simply use the promotional code UNC09 upon checkout.

If you or anyone you know struggles to figure out what is for dinner, a Scramble subscription might be a welcome gift this holiday season.

Posted by Erin on Dec 1, 2009 | 8 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts to people you don’t know

In our fifth installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing charitable giving.

In our 2007 Guide, we suggested charities that you could donate to in someone’s honor. We continue to love this idea and suggest checking out Charity Navigator and Charity Watch to learn about legitimate charitable organizations. Giving to charities is nice because it’s completely clutter-free for the person honored through the gift.

This year, though, we want to focus on giving in a different way. As you enjoy this holiday season, consider giving a gift to someone you don’t know. It’s a way to experience the giving spirit without knowing who will benefit from your generosity. And, in some cases, you can clear things you don’t use out of your home. A handful of ideas:

  • Join the bone marrow registry.
  • Give blood.
  • Donate clothes and household items to charity.
  • Cut off your ponytail and donate it to Locks of Love.
  • Donate needed items to a food pantry.
  • Volunteer your organizing talents to a group in need.

In what ways do you plan to donate to people you don’t know? We’d love to read about your ideas in the comments. Also, don’t forget to check out our Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide Index Page for a listing of all the articles as we publish them.

Posted by Erin on Nov 30, 2009 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Ultimate uncluttering

In our fourth installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing the ultimate gift of our Guide.

In 2008, our ultimate gift selection was the Kindle (now also available with a 9.7″ display). In 2007, it was the Fujitsu ScanSnap (PC and Mac). For 2009, we’re proclaiming *Ta Da* Unclutter Your Life in One Week as the ultimate uncluttered gift. (Seriously, did you expect me to choose something else?! Nope, you’re bright. You probably predicted this the second I announced I was writing it.)

Being serious for a moment, compared to the price tags on the previously selected ultimate items, Unclutter Your Life in One Week is a steal at less than $15 through Amazon. If you purchase the Kindle version, it’s even less expensive at just under $10. Also, I truly believe it’s an amazing gift to share this holiday season, even if it was blatantly obvious that I was going to pick it.

When I wrote this book, it was with the sincere desire that it would help people to get a handle on their clutter and start pursing the remarkable life they desire. It’s straightforward. It’s not full of clutter. It simply lays out a plan for becoming clutter-free and getting organized. For these reasons, I believe it is the ultimate gift for a current or future unclutterer. (Check out this review on The Simple Dollar.)

That being said, you do have to be a little, um, sensitive with giving a gift like this. You can’t hand the book to someone and say, “You need this.” You should use a little finesse. Say that you’re a fan of the website, that you read the book and liked it, and that it’s great preparatory reading for anyone with “Get Organized” at the top of their New Year’s resolution list. Maybe give another book or two along with it, something funny. You can even say that you’re thanked in the Acknowledgments section (Unclutterer readers are thanked first, so it’s totally true). You’ll figure out a way to make it work.

Posted by Erin on Nov 27, 2009 | 12 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: The gift of education

In our third installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing gifts of knowledge.

Does someone in your life love to learn? If so, consider the following options as uncluttered gifts this holiday season:

  • Give a classic digital education. The History of the English Language, Physics, and Calculus are just three of hundreds of courses offered digitally by The Teaching Company. Lectures from the best professors in the world are perfect for anyone who wishes she paid more attention in high school or college. When I was commuting for an hour a day, Teaching Company courses kept me sane. I greatly enjoyed doing something productive with my time on the road.
  • Take a class together. Has your wife been nagging you to go out dancing more often? Register for a ballroom dancing class together and get her a CD of practice music recommended by the instructor or a pair of required shoes to unwrap announcing the gift. Have you and your friends been talking about taking a cooking class together for ages? Sign up for a class at your local culinary school, favorite restaurant (if they do such things) or cooking store and enjoy the time with your pals.
  • Give the gift of language. You may not be able to fund an entire vacation to France for someone you love, but you can get him prepared for his dream vacation with French lessons from Rosetta Stone. They’re expensive, but incredibly effective. With more than 30 languages to choose from, you can help your gift recipient experience the world.
  • Give the gift of music. Find a local music teacher and pay for someone you love to take music lessons. If you don’t know anyone locally who teaches the instrument or your gift recipient has an already busy schedule, check out sites like Homespun Music Instruction that sell exceptional training DVDs. My husband has the Great Mandolin Lessons DVD and it is phenomenal.
  • Fund a semester. If you can swing it, help a student pay for books, housing, or tuition for a semester. The recipient will always remember your generosity.

Have you given an educational gift in the past or are you planning one for this year? Give us your suggestions in the comments. Also, don’t forget to check out our Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide Index Page for a listing of all the articles as we publish them.

Posted by Erin on Nov 25, 2009 | 8 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts that reflect what matters most to you

In our second installment of Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide we’re discussing gifts that reflect your personal priorities and desires. Initially, this may appear to be a little self-serving (and, well, it is a little bit), but keep reading before you dismiss the idea entirely.

This year, we’re getting my brother a Netbook for Christmas. We found a Compaq Netbook with Windows XP for $179.00 through BestBuy’s Black Friday Deals, and decided it was the right gift for the right price.

How does a gift like this reflect what matters most to me? My family is my largest priority and being in solid communication with them comes ahead of most everything in my life. Part of this includes my son growing up talking at least once a week with his uncle, and this Netbook will make that possible across the miles (my brother lives more than 1,000 miles away). The Netbook has a webcam built into the monitor and works wonderfully with Skype, and also accesses the internet so that he can see family pictures and videos we upload to Flickr. My brother doesn’t currently have a home computer or a webcam, and so this little Netbook will make it possible for my son and brother to develop a more meaningful relationship.

(As a quick note, we considered getting him a Skype Video Phone, but the price was so similar to the Netbook that we decided to go with the device that has multiple functions. For someone like my 100-year-old grandmother, though, a single-use device may have made more sense.)

If spending time with your family is also a priority, gifts like airline tickets are nice so that the recipient can come to visit you. Create a “redeemable for one free trip to see me” coupon and then buy the ticket in the person’s name when you and the recipient figure out the best travel date. If the family member lives within driving distance, give a gasoline gift card in an amount to cover the expense of fuel for the trip. The recipient gets a vacation and you both get to spend time with someone you love.

What is on your list of what matters most? Can you find gifts for other people this season that reflect these priorities? The reasons that you use for living a clutter-free life can also help you find inspired, caring, uncluttered gifts for the people you love. Here are a couple more ideas that may work for you:

  • Monthly reservations. Do you have a friend you would like to see more often? Choose 12 restaurants you’ve been wanting to try and make reservations for once-a-month dining in advance. Give your friend a calendar with the plans already marked on the dates. Offer to pay for one or more of the dinners (Your birthday month is on me!). You can always reschedule the reservations if something pops up or you decide you want to try a different place, but if there isn’t a conflict you’re set for the entire year.
  • New adventures. For my sister-in-law’s birthday last year, we bought her a robot kit and a bottle of wine. We also bought two robot kits for ourselves. We then set a date for when we could all get together and spend the afternoon building our little creatures. A few weeks later we pretended to be engineers (sober engineers, I might add — we discovered wine did not go well with hundreds of itty bitty pieces in our kits). She had never built a robot and loved the idea of building one, and we hadn’t ever built them and loved the idea, too. Plus, we laughed our way through the entire adventure. We got to spend the day with someone we love doing something we’ve always wanted to try, and the same was true for my sister-in-law. Are there new adventures you could share with someone you love?

As we continue to post more ideas for the Guide, check out the Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide Index Page for a listing of all the posts.

Posted by Erin on Nov 24, 2009 | 12 Comments | Tweet This

2009 Gift Giving Guide: All the small things

Today we kick off Unclutterer’s 2009 Holiday Gift Giving Guide. Over the next few weeks, you can expect to read posts in the Guide about giving gifts that hopefully won’t become clutter in their recipients’ homes. Some of these Guides are for experiences, charitable giving, kids’ items, consumables, utilitarian objects, and even a deal or two just for Unclutterer readers. We’ve created an index page for the 2009 Guide, and we hope that it will be a resource for you during the holiday season and any time throughout the year you wish to give a gift.

We’re starting off this year’s Guide talking about stocking stuffers. As a child, Santa filled my stocking with cans of black olives and my brother found cans of sardines in his. We couldn’t have been happier because these were exactly the items we begged Santa to bring to us when we wrote him letters every year. (Little known fact: Santa Claus loves to give salty food stuffs.) Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, not everyone on our holiday shopping list allows us to intercept letters they have written to Santa Claus detailing exactly what they want in their stockings. We have to hunt for small items that can fit in a stocking and still be useful or enjoyed by the recipient.

Gift cards are great stocking stuffers because they are small, allow the recipient to choose exactly what they want, and are easy to carry home if the recipient has to travel. I recommend Amazon Gift Cards or Visa Gift Cards because they can be used on almost anything the recipient might need. (They’re also perfect for teacher gifts if you give such things.)

Consumables — such as artisan chocolate bars or premium coffees — are always a hit for people who enjoy a specific food or drink.

If you want the gift recipient to be able to unwrap an item, I recommend things that have high utility. The following three gift ideas are useful and extremely accessible since they perform a function and attach to your keychain:

The Swiss Tech MPTBS Micro-Plus 8-in-1 Polished Stainless Steel Key Ring Multi-Tool:

The Swiss Tech UKTBS Utili-Key 6-in-1 Polished Stainless Steel Key Ring Multi-Tool:

The LaCie Iamakey 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive:

What small, useful gifts do you recommend for stocking stuffers?

Posted by Erin on Nov 23, 2009 | 54 Comments | Tweet This

This Valentine’s day, make a change

As we talked about in the post Ask Unclutterer: How can I change someone into an unclutterer?” we get many emails asking how unclutterers can live with clutterers. It reminds me of one of those light bulb jokes: How many Psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? One, but the light bulb has to want to change.

Our clutterful light bulbs — our roommates, significant others — may not want to change. But, there is something that we can change, ourselves.

If you’re up for the challenge, what small unclutterer change or efficiency enhancer are you willing to make? If you’re stumped, think about your partner’s pet peeves. Some examples I’ve seen with couples are:

  • Dropping a jacket on the floor when arriving home
  • Leaving dishes about the house
  • Losing keys frequently

These things may not bug you, but we’re talking about our partners here — the things that bother them. As I got to thinking about Valentine’s Day this year, and realizing my husband hates gifts, I thought: how about changing something I do that bothers him? I ran the idea past him and he’s all for it. We decided that I will work on keeping the house better stocked with groceries. I’ll sit down with him and templatize a specific list of items to regularly have on hand (in addition to the staples). It’s the little things that make a difference.

Forming a New Habit

First, it takes 21 days to form a new habit. I like to use 30 day blocks, however, to be sure the habit gets locked in.

Start Small: Pick just one daily, do-able thing that you’ll take on for 30 days. For example, you commit to putting your clothes in the hamper before bed for the next 30 days. Selecting one thing will put all of your focus there, rather than trying to tackle several habits at once.

Be Clear: Be sure that you know clearly whether you’ve accomplished the task or not. For example, is your goal to file paper in your home office for 10 minutes each day or is it to file 1/2 an inch of paper each day? Near dinner time each day, mine will be to check off food items that need to be purchased this week.

Track Progress: Use a calendar, goal-setting software such as Lifetick or create a spreadsheet with 30 boxes to track your progress. A check mark or gold star means you did the task. Leaving the box blank of course means you didn’t do it.

Keep It Visible: Have your document pop up on your screensaver, set reminders in your electronic calendar or place in another visible place, such as on the refrigerator. As you’re forming a new habit, you’ll need prompts.

Be Consistent: When possible, do the task at the same time every day. This will make the action a routine and, in time, you’ll be pulled to complete it automatically. For instance, pop your jacket into the closet right away when you arrive home each day.

Begin: The hardest part is to begin. Pick a start day. Today is a good idea so that you don’t build up resistance to change. And, why wait to surprise your partner with a clean family room or an uncluttered car?

I think creating a productive habit will give you more mileage than your standard Valentine’s Day gifts.

Up for the challenge? What habit do you want to take on for 30 days? Let us know in the comments. And, if you choose to go a more traditional route, check out Matt’s post from last week on uncluttered Valentine’s day gifts.

Posted by Sue on Feb 12, 2009 | 18 Comments | Tweet This

Valentine’s day gift ideas

vdayValentine’s day is next week and some of us are probably scrambling to find that perfect gift for their loved one. Don’t let your desperation lead you to your local retailer in search of a gift just for the sake of paying attention to the calendar. We highly recommend consumables as gifts. For example, food, tickets to a performance, or an experience gift.

If you need some ideas, here area few that should make the day a little more memorable:

Dinner for two (prepared by you): If you don’t usually cook, do yourself a favor and figure out how to make one dish very well. You can surprise your significant other with a meal he/she never expected.

Movie night: Rent the first movie that you watched together, no matter how bad it was. It will bring back some memories and if it was a really bad film it will probably make you laugh.

Be creative: If you are the creative type, create a collage of photos and mementos or write a poem. If you don’t consider yourself creative, give it a try — you may be surprised at your hidden talent.

Organize: Surprise your loved one by organizing a particular problem area of your home. Try to choose an area that really gets under their skin. 

Tickets: Print out a set of redeemable tickets for back rubs, foot rubs, or chores that your partner usually takes upon themselves. Whatever you can think of can be printed onto these redeemable tickets.

These are just a handful of ideas, feel free to add your own in the comments section.

Posted by Matt on Feb 6, 2009 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: Guide wrap up

We hope that this year’s Gift Giving Guide has provided you with uncluttered inspiration. Here’s a wrap up of all of our suggestions for 2008. Remember, as you create your lists for others, to consider the impact of your gifts this holiday season!

2008 Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide:

We’re already looking forward to next year’s guide and unearthing even more uncluttered solutions. Happy Holidays!

Posted by Erin on Dec 18, 2008 | 3 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: Digital giving

This installment of the Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide explores the virtual world of digital products. In addition to the ideas listed here, be sure to check out our 2007 Online giving post for even more inspiration.

These are our 2008 digital suggestions:

  • If someone in your life has had a GPS unit for more than two years, you could offer to pay to update the maps. This is a gift that you’ll need to give in person (seeing as you’ll need the actual GPS unit to make the update), but still valuable for people who regularly use their GPS. Check the unit’s manufacturer’s website for details.
  • A great gift for a busy family might be a subscription to TheScramble. The service sends you grocery lists and then daily recipes so that you don’t have to think twice about what to make for dinner.
  • A wordsmith in your life might love the extravagant gift of an Oxford English Dictionary subscription for $295 a year, or $30 a month. (There also is a CD version of the OED for $216, but the reviews of it aren’t very strong.)
  • If you have someone in your life who loves spending time online, you might consider purchasing them an Evernote Premium account — this is an especially great idea for someone who already uses and loves the basic Evernote product.
  • Photographers in your life might love a subscription to RentGlass.com. It’s a mail order lens rental system — and would work great with a FlickrPro account that we suggested last year.
  • A high school student in your life could definitely benefit from a year’s subscription to Questia. I’d recommend it for college students, but most get access to these types of services through their universities.
  • A person you know who lives in a city and doesn’t own a car might enjoy a Zipcar membership. I know that having access a few times a year to a car would have made living without one even easier.
  • A professional association membership might also be a great idea for someone. Personally, I know that an AvantGuild membership would be a great idea for a journalist.
  • Finally, you might consider a subscription to GreenDimes for the person on your list who hates junk mail. Be sure that this person has a computer, though, because a GreenDimes account requires participation to make sure that all junk mail stops coming to a home.

Posted by Erin on Dec 16, 2008 | 12 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: Don’t let Santa go crazy

The grandparents are chomping at the bit to shower our daughter with gifts this Christmas. I just found out that my mother-in-law has purchased a motorized jeep for our daughter that will have to be stored at their house. We just don’t have the space to store it and our city street isn’t a great place for such a toy.

It can be tough to keep the influx of new toys to a minimum. To help all of the parents with children, I’d like to revisit last year’s post about gift giving to youngsters.

Consumables: Last year’s Children’s Museum membership was a great gift for my daughter. A zoo membership can also be a great gift and whomever purchases it can have something to do with the little ones while they enjoy the gift together. If you don’t live in an area with a similar attraction, you may want to plan a trip to a destination and present your child with a “ticket” to be redeemed at a later date for the journey.

Sleep over tickets at the grandparents: This is a gift that will surely be enjoyed by the parents and grandparents, as much as the children. It costs nothing and it lets grandparents spend more time with your grandchild (be sure that grandparents are on board with this idea first, of course). Grandparents also can create some tickets for their grandchild to redeem when sleeping over at their house (cookie making, hiking, etc.). The number of tickets you give is entirely up to you. If your parents don’t live close to you, this is obviously not an option unless you purchase plane tickets instead — which isn’t a bad idea, either, as there are some great ticket prices to be found right now.

Lessons: If your child is old enough that they are showing interest in dancing, drawing, or any other activity, consider paying for these lessons as a gift. Do some research for the area in which you live and check into purchasing lessons for the little one. 

Already own gifts: Reader C.D. suggests that if your children are already adults, consider giving them something you currently own. Think of it like an early inheritance. Share with your child the story behind the object, why it has been important to you, and why you want them to have it.

And finally, a reminder. This is a perfect time to take stock of all the toys your children have. There is undoubtedly a slew of toys that they no longer play with or have outgrown. Gather them up and donate them to a local homeless or battered women’s shelter (be sure to call first to see if they have a need for lightly used toys). Let your children participate in giving the toys to the charity so that they can see first hand how they’re helping others. 

Let us know of even more suggestions in the comments.

Posted by Matt on Dec 11, 2008 | 14 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: What we want, but can’t yet have

This installment of the Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide explores the not-yet-invented or completely outrageous gifts that would make our readers’ lives more organized. We asked our Twitter followers what they would put on their dream holiday wishlists, and these were some of the fun responses:

Universal power cord
This cord would work with every electrical object. Need to power your laptop, cell phone, television, sewing machine, dryer, iPod, or oven? All you need to do is grab the universal power cord!

The perfect laptop bag
The perfect laptop bag has a pocket for everything you need to carry with you, has a comfortable shoulder strap, is made to last, is professional in appearance, and doesn’t scream I’M CARRYING A LAPTOP FOR YOU TO STEAL. This bag is so perfect that you want to name your pets after it. We have found many bags that come close to meeting these requirements, but none that are perfect.

A magic wand
The magic wand empowers its user to clean and organize his or her home and office by simply waving it near disorder. If it actually existed, I would also want for it to make a pleasant chime when in use.

A full-time cleaning staff
The benefit of having someone clean up after you make a mess was at the top of many Unclutterer readers’ lists. Unfortunately, a full-time cleaning staff comes with a very hefty price tag. A cleaning robot might be more affordable.

Food tracking software
As far as we know, this exact product does not yet exist. The reader who mentioned it said that the software should have a bar scanner that reads use by/expiration information off a product, enters that data into a database, cross-references the food item to recipes in your collection, and then tells you when to use the food. I think this software should also notify you when to preheat your oven and how long any leftovers might be good for using.

What not-yet-invented or completely outrageous organizing gift is at the top of your wishlist? Tell us about it in the comments!

P.S. If you are an inventor/programmer/industrial designer and would like to create any of the items listed above, we would really appreciate your efforts.

Posted by Erin on Dec 10, 2008 | 34 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: The ultimate gift

This installment of the Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide explores what we have decided to be the most decadent present this year that you could give someone to help organize the home or office.

Last year, I recommended the Fujitsu ScanSnap (available for the Mac and PC) as the ultimate organizing gift in our guide. A year has passed, and I still believe that it is the best organizing product on the market.

That being said, it wouldn’t be much fun for you to read the same article two years in a row. So, coming in a close second as the ultimate gift is this year’s nomination: The Kindle.

For people who read while traveling and commuting, read more than five books a month, and/or read a major newspaper on a daily basis, the Kindle is a life-changing product. The amount of paper clutter that it has the ability to reduce in your home can be measured in trees and forests, not stacks of paper. Yes, it is expensive (but can be cost effective for daily users over time). Yes, we acknowledge that it is not a perfect gift for everyone (especially people who don’t spend hours a day consuming media in paper form). And, yes, we know that there are competing products on the market that have similar capabilities (but less selection of books and services).

Acknowledging all of these points, we still highly recommend the Kindle as our most decadent clutter-reducing present of the year.

Posted by Erin on Dec 9, 2008 | 57 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: Experience giving

In last year’s Experience Giving Guide, we listed four ideas for giving experiences rather than things: Pampering, Events, Food and Adventures.

This year we’re adding the gift of your time to the Experience Giving Guide list — and what a beautiful gift it is.

The gift of your time can be to spend an hour, a day, or an evening with the friend or loved one of your choice. You can set up the time for doing activities they enjoy, such as playing video games or taking a walk. Lock away your Blackberry so that you have quality time together without distractions.

Giving time is a good holiday stress reducer, too, because you’ll spend less money. The American Psychological Association names money as the #1 cause of stress over the holidays. With today’s economy, the pressure may be especially apparent this year. You can take yourself off the gift-buying hook by coming up with creative ways to give of your time (which is really giving of yourself).

One great time give-away is to offer a needed service to your gift recipient. Sometimes the things that are second-nature to you are downright hard or impossible for others to do. If it weren’t for my husband, I know that the gas fireplace would still be unusable, but for him it took all of 15 minutes to fix.

You can use your gift of time to help someone address something that would otherwise not get done unless they hired a professional.

What are your skills? Think about what you can do to assist people with time gift packages.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking about how you can offer your time this holiday season:

  • Paint a room
  • Update a resume
  • Plant a garden
  • Design a web page
  • Prepare a specialty meal
  • Take care of children
  • Organize a garage
  • Fix something that is broken

It can be fun to provide a service and spend time with someone.

In October of last year, I was spending time with my dear friend’s Grandma during her final months of life. I enjoyed talking with her and at the same time I wanted to do something useful. She asked me to help her organize her small closet. As we talked, I held up one sweater after another. Each sweater had a story behind it and she would light up, saying, “Oh, I like that one. Isn’t that a nice burgundy?” While she lay in bed, I folded her to-keep sweaters and placed them in a hanging sweater-holder. The others went into a give-away pile. We both really enjoyed the experience and, with her passing, I hold that simple afternoon of chatting and organizing as a treasure.

If you want to make a gift of time, create your own gift certificate. For my two college-going relatives, I printed out: COUPON — Good for One Afternoon of Washing Machine Usage, Tea, and Conversation. I know they’ll redeem that one. And, we’ll have a chance to catch up with each other.

Who could benefit from your gift of time? What ideas do you have for services you can offer as your gift of time?

Posted by Sue on Dec 8, 2008 | 13 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Gift Giving Guide: Useful gifts under $35

This installment of the 2008 Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide focuses on gifts under $35 that can help others organize the home or office. If you’re going to buy something tangible, we suggest getting gifts that work with our motto: A place for everything, and everything in its place.

  • Shredding scissors. If you don’t have the space for a shredder, or are in the market for a non-electric option, these scissors will shred important papers quickly for you.
  • DYMO LetraTag Plus Labelmaker. Label files, workbench peg boards, and your cat (although we don’t recommend labeling your cat). Identifying where objects reside makes returning objects to that place even easier.
  • Driinn Mobile Phone Holder. Keep charging cords out of the way and create a permanent home for your cell phone with the Driinn Mobile Phone Holder. We linked to the hot pink version, so be sure to choose a different option if hot pink doesn’t mesh with your decor.
  • Velcro cable ties. Cables of all kinds can easily be wrangled into an orderly state with these simple ties. Anyone with a computer has a need for these velcro strips.

Do you have any small, useful, and inexpensive recommendations to add to our list? Let us know about them in the comments.

Posted by Erin on Dec 6, 2008 | 27 Comments | Tweet This

2008 Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide

As we did last year, we’re going to run a series of posts over the course of the next few weeks that explore uncluttered gift giving. Each post in the series will focus on a type of gift, like charitable giving or experience gifts, and will contain a number of suggestions on that theme. We’re not going to rewrite what we did last year, rather, we hope to build on those ideas to give you even more gift-giving options.

We know that the holiday season can be a stressful time for many people, and our hope is to help you keep as much anxiety out of your schedule as possible. Even if you don’t celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas, the holiday season is unavoidable — especially in the United States. Around here, the stores and banks started playing holiday music the day after Halloween … because nothing says, “Merry Christmas,” quite like discount Halloween candy!

Less Stress is our overall theme for the 2008 Unclutterer Gift Giving Guide. If you have specific questions or hopes for this year’s guide, tell us about them in the comments to this post. Happy holidays!

Posted by Erin on Dec 4, 2008 | 32 Comments | Tweet This

Father’s Day: Another tie?

As a fairly new father, I’m looking forward to spending time with my daughter on Father’s Day and having the pleasure of her company. A Father’s Day gift is the last thing on my mind since things like walking, driving, and income earning aren’t on her radar. So, why am I writing about Father’s Day gifts? It’s to steer you away from giving the gift that you might usually get for your dad. Forget about getting another tie, golf shirt, or power tool. Why not take your dad out to dinner? If your dad is anything like mine, he never lets me pay, and you can take advantage of Father’s Day by insisting that he allow you to pick up the bill.

Always consider a consumable rather than adding to his tie collection. If he is a golfer, buy a few rounds of golf for him. Better yet, if you golf too this is a great opportunity for you to spend some time with him and you can cover the greens fees. Maybe go to a course he’s never been to or that you know he loves.

Take him out to the ballgame. What better way to spend a Father’s Day then to take in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the ballpark? Whether it is a Major League Baseball game or a local minor league park there aren’t many more perfect venues to kick back with dad.

Does anyone have any unique gift ideas for Father’s Day? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Posted by Matt on Jun 10, 2008 | 49 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: , ,