You might like my other gift guides: Gifts for Her, Gifts for Guys, my Gift Guide for Newlyweds, or my Children’s Books about Food list. There’s one part of my life that you guys know nothing about. It’s the contents of my house. My husband and I are Minimalists. This means we own very few items of clothing (I’m at ~30 pieces, he’s at 10 pieces), and we think very hard before we purchase something. (We typically use Consumer Reports to make purchasing decisions to ensure we’re buying something of quality that will last a long time). Clutter and disorganization is not tolerated well in our house. Yes, we bring our own bags to the grocery store, and we try to minimize the amount of trash our household makes each week. We drastically changed our lifestyle to own fewer things a year ago, and we find endless joy in it. I can’t imagine living any other way now. My mornings are so easy since I own so few clothes; I am up and dressed in 30 seconds flat! I don’t waste my precious brain space on ‘outfits’ anymore. I’m not exactly sure how we stumbled into this lifestyle, but maybe it naturally happens when you move 4 times in 10 years. There’s just something about packing up STUFF makes you realize how stupid STUFF really is. The bottom line is, Minimalists don’t really like gifts, but you love them and want to buy them for them anyway. So, buy them something useful that simplifies their life or replaces something that isn’t serving them. These gifts below are all things I use and love as a Minimalist.
- BEST REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS. There are a lot of crappy reusable bags out there, but these are the best. They mimic the shape and feel of plastic bags, and that’s key for me! The other cloth bags (the ones that are boxy) lend themselves to being over-filled by grocery store clerks. No one wants to carry a 20-pound bag of produce into the house. These bags are soft, flexible and completely machine-washable.
- CLOTH NAPKINS. Switching to cloth napkins saves on paper waste, clutter, and is so much more comfortable. They instantly make your table feel cozier, and if you toss them in the wash with your regular bath towels, they’re not too much extra laundry.
- GLASS STORAGE CONTAINERS. Go on, throw away that plastic junk in your house and start fresh with glass. I’ve been doing it for years and I have never broken one. These glass containers are thick and sturdy; I love anything made by the brand OXO in my house and kitchen.
- COMPOST BIN. Yep, we’re one of those families that collects egg shells, tea leaves, and vegetable scraps to make compost to use in the garden. However, you would never know because this compost bins keeps everything out-of-sight and odorless. We store it under our kitchen sink. If the Minimalist in your life doesn’t have a yard, check to see if their city collects compost.
- ESSENTIAL OIL STARTER KIT. In our house, we make our own cleaning products. I love knowing exactly what I’m spraying in my house, but even more, I love how it smells. Essential oils are naturally fragrant, but also many of them have antibacterial properties (making disposable bleach wipes a thing of the past). This kit contains the essential oils I use the most: eucalyptus, lavender, orange, tea tree, and peppermint.
- CLOTH PRODUCE BAGS. If you use reusable bags for your groceries, but you’re still putting your produce in individual plastic bags, stop right there! It’s time to level up. These have tare weights on them, so they won’t add to the cost of your groceries.
- FOOD GIFTS. Food is the best gift of all, because it’s delicious and doesn’t take up much space. I love receiving nice coffee or fancy chocolate.
- SWEDISH DISH CLOTHS. To use a Swedish dish cloth is to believe in a Swedish dish cloth. I haven’t bought paper towels in years, and every person I gift these too always sends me a follow-up text saying they can’t believe how much they love them. Many Minimalists in my life love and recommend these.
- REUSABLE STRAWS. Soft, flexible silicone reusable straws that are easy to clean and come in fun colors.
- SILICONE BAGS/ STASHER BAGS. In an effort to eliminate plastic and single-use items from my house, these silicone bags are great for storing food, snacks, and as a bonus, they can be used in the fridge or freezer.
- WOOL DRYER BALLS. These have changed our laundry forever. We no longer buy dryer sheets, which not only saves us money, but it also saves the packaging that comes into our house every month. Wool dryer balls are the gift that keeps on giving: they help your clothes dry faster (which saves energy), and as long as the dryer isn’t too full, the balls bounce around and reduce wrinkles.
- FOOD HUGGERS. Minimalists do not like to waste food. They’ve always got half an avocado laying around from avocado toast, and half a lemon laying around from an artisan cocktail. Wait, sometimes I confuse Minimalist with Millennials, but since I am both a Minimalist and a Millenial, we’re just going to roll with it. I love these in my kitchen.
- EMPTY GLASS SPRAYERS. There’s a 100% chance your Minimalist is having trouble finding a high-quality glass spray bottle that won’t break. I’ve been through several myself in my quest to make my own cleaning products, mist my house plants, and spritz the dogs to stop them from barking when the doorbell rings. These amber bottles have lasted for years in our house, and they still look and feel great.
- NICE LUNCH TOTE. Having an easy way to bring your lunch to work or school reduces waste and helps a Minimalist save money by eating out less. The health-conscious Minimalist will love the front pocket for afternoon snacks, too! I hope this gift guide for Minimalists helps you shop for that person who says they don’t want gifts this year! Or, maybe I’ve inspired you to be a Minimalist? Let’s chat more about it! :)
