Now that the holidays are over and we are starting to get back to normal, it's time to figure out where those gifts you were given should go in your home. Gifts have different purposes. Some may be able to help you. Others may be to provide you with support. Some may even inadvertently upset you or confuse you. Today, we will talk about some gift myths and how to let go of items you received.
Jump to:
- You Do Not Need to Keep a Gift That Doesn't Make You Happy. Give it to someone who will make you happy.
- You Do Not Need to Keep a Gift From a Relative that has no use in your home. Remember - It's your home, and you have control of the things that you put in it.
- Regifting is not a crime. Giving Good Useful Things to Others is Helpful.
- Presents become an issue when it does not serve a purpose in your home or life.
You Do Not Need to Keep a Gift That Doesn't Make You Happy. Give it to someone who will make you happy.
This first gift myth is one that I think we all experienced at one time or another. Ask yourself these questions to help determine the gifts you may be "stuck" with.
Are you keeping gifts because of who gave them to you?
Will the person be angry if you get rid of the gift?
Receiving gifts with no attachments allows you the freedom to pass the items on to someone who can use or wants them. Remember, gifts with strings are not gifts at all.
"Gifts have ribbons, not strings." ~ Vanna Bonta Share on X
You Do Not Need to Keep a Gift From a Relative that has no use in your home. Remember - It's your home, and you have control of the things that you put in it.
The next myth is one that many of us have an issue with when clearing out our homes. Some relatives feel that you must keep the gifts they give you forever because they would do that for you. But this is unreasonable. If we kept everything we received, we would never have a clutter-free home.
Being honest about how it makes you feel is essential. Try explaining to that relative that while you loved the gift, it doesn't fill the need any longer in the home or life. Get more tips from this BuzzFeed post (How To Tell People You Don't Want Any Gifts This Holiday Season).
Regifting is not a crime. Giving Good Useful Things to Others is Helpful.
Some people think that donating stuff you receive as gifts is not OK. Let's put it this way: if the gift is in good condition and can be used by someone else, regifting is acceptable. Items can be regifted if they can be helpful and useful to someone else who needs them.
If you plan to regift, be sure to gift it to someone who is not related to the person who gave you the gift. This will eliminate the hurt feelings if the giver finds out you regifted their present.
Read this article about Regifting: Tips to Avoid Hurt Feelings by Emily Post Institute Inc.
Presents become an issue when it does not serve a purpose in your home or life.
Another issue with gifts that you receive is that they do not have a purpose in your home or life. At the same time, these items may be enjoyable for that day or week after you receive them. There comes the point where you need to find a home for this item. That is when you may find it hard and have issues keeping the thing. Those random items like stuffed animals, enamel pins, etc...
If you find yourself with stuff that has no purpose in your home or life, consider passing it on to someone who may have more interest in the product than you, like a collector.
You can also repurpose items from what they were intended for to a real need in your home. For example, someone gives you a beautiful basket with self-care products in it. You can repurpose that basket to make it a home for cloth napkins (affiliate) or tea towels in the kitchen. Being creative and finding fun new ways of using these gifts will bring back purpose to the objects.
Now that we talked about what to do with these gift myths and how to reduce the clutter in your home. I can't go without saying that giving gifts to others can also create a level of frustration on the part of the recipient. You may not have realized that your gift makes a stuckness in decluttering for them.
Before buying your next gift, ask yourself if the gift you are giving will fall into any one of these categories. You will drastically reduce the issues a person will have when they receive your gift.
The Perfect Gifts should be at least one of these things:
- Useful in a person's life.
- It helps improve a person's life.
- It should share a memory of a happy time.
- They can make a person happy.
- It makes a person feel loved.
Remember, when you give a gift, let it go. Say to yourself, "This is not for me; this is for (recipient name)." Remind yourself that if they do not want the gift, they can pass it on.
I hope this post helps you see how much gifts impact the receivers and how they can create clutter in a home or life.
Let's continue the conversation; what gift did you receive that you didn't know what to do with? Did you donate it or repurpose it? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Below, we are sharing our clutter-free and helpful gift ideas to give a gift that doesn't add clutter to the recipient's home or life.
LAST-MINUTE CLUTTER-FREE VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEAS
CLEVER HOME ORGANIZING GIFT GUIDE FOR MEN
THE BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR ELDERLY PARENTS
QUARANTINE GIFT IDEAS AND WAYS TO GIVE GIFTS SAFELY
THE ULTIMATE CLUTTER-FREE FATHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE FOR DAD
PRACTICAL GRADUATE GIFT IDEAS YOUR STUDENT WILL LOVE
NO CLUTTER GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Hazel Thornton says
One of my favorite topics! I love to give surprise experiences and consumables. But, when it comes to more tangible gifts, I'm so wary of giving something that will end up as clutter that I've taken to telling certain people (not all), for certain occasions (not all), exactly what I want to give them. I ask if they want it, or if they'd rather have something else I've thought of (or something they need that I didn't realize). So far, so good!
Janet Schiesl says
Great gift-giving and receiving advice. I usually incorporate any gifts I receive into my space soon after receiving them. My husband is completely different. Most of his Christmas gifts are still in a pile. I haven't used any of them. It makes me think that I shouldn't buy him anything next holiday season.
Julie Bestry says
This is all absolutely right, Sabrina. We all have our areas where it's difficult to let that category go, but gift clutter (thankfully) is not mine. If someone gives me something that's not right for me, I appreciate the thought, write the thank you note, and then think of who will be the right recipient. I've been given earrings for pierced ears (mine aren't pierced), religious items (for a faith that is not mine), clothing that wouldn't fit me in a million years, and so many candles. You've laid out the best mindset for preventing/eliminating gift clutter.
Lucy Kellyq says
The gifts that keep on giving...guilt, stress, anxiety. Surely NOT what the giver intended! Treating gifts differently than your other things is a cultural norm, but it's one that doesn't serve us. As I always tell my organizing clients, once you've said, "Thank you", it's okay for the gift to turn into just another of your things.
Kim says
This is such an important topic. I know that many of my clients are really stuck with this issue. I love this thought "If we kept everything we received, we would never have a clutter-free home"
I tell my clients that a gift always is given with the best of intentions but once it is yours you are free to do what you want with it. It is basically an exchange in energy. I have a friend who gave me this cute heart candle (door hanging decoration) once. She came over once and admired it. I was like you gifted this to me. She had no idea.
Seana Turner says
So "spot on," Sabrina. If someone gives you a hard time about letting go of an item they've gifted to you, then it wasn't really a gift. It was more of a loan, or it was really asking you to store something that they didn't want in their space, but didn't want to get rid of completely.
Part of the gift should always be permission to do with it whatever is best for you!
Now that a few weeks have passed is the right time to express gratitude for what you received, and then decide what you want to keep.
Linda Samuels says
The guilt that comes with receiving a gift you don't want even after it's overstayed it's purpose or usefulness is real. So many clients struggle with this. Guilt can not only be paralyzing, but it can contribute to clutter. I love all of the questions and suggestions you shared to help us tease out the issues and go forward with solid solutions.
I like to remind people that they are the "owner" of the gift. And as the owner, they have the privilege of deciding its fate. No questions asked!
Diane N Quintana says
Sabrina, this is a fabulous post. I love the way you have reviewed many of the reasons people keep gifts they don't want (will never use), don't need (already have an abundance), or don't like. I really like that you pointed out that regifting is not a crime!
Jana says
These are a really great tips! It’s hard to give away a gift that someone has given you. I like your suggestion to find someone who could really benefit from the gift. I think my own gift giving changed once I decided to start decluttering, and I hope other people will start to follow the trend too.
Janet Barclay says
When I receive a gift I don't want, it's always a relief if the giver tells me it can be returned or exchanged. Otherwise, I feel obliged to keep it for a little while, unless it's packaged and I know I will never ever use it - then I will put it away to regift.