The cost of owning an item is more than the total you pay at checkout. Giving a gift always feels kind because you’ve spent money so a loved one doesn’t have to, but there is more to the cost than dollars. There is a cost to maintaining items (cleaning, storing, organizing, cleaning around the item) and there is the cost of space in your home.

After years of living in small apartments, I've become very aware “space” cost. Limited space forced me to become very intentional about what I own. I describe myself as an “aspiring minimalist” or “minimal-ish.” I’m not all the way there, but I try to be very mindful about what I own.

When someone I love asks “what do you want for your birthday/Christmas/Mother's Day?” My initial response is panic. All I can think about is sacrificing sweet sacred space in my home! But I've found a few things I'm ALWAYS happy and thankful to receive without the dreaded thoughts of “oh shoot, what do I do with this?”

I hope these five ideas will inspire you whether you're shopping for a minimalist or trying to answer the dreaded “what do you want” question.

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Books

One of the best things my mom has done for me is to pass on her love of reading. I can never have too many books! Or better yet, Kindle books. I fell hard for my Kindle when I realized I can read an unlimited number of books that take up the space of one.

Here are a few books that make perfect gifts:

The Lazy Genius Way - this is a book about simplifying your life that every minimalist will LOVE (amazon.com | amazon.ca)
Cozy Minimalist Home - reading this will simplify decorating and help you find the balance between coziness and minimalism (amazon.com | amazon.ca)
Becoming and Beholding - a beautiful devotional book that serves as decor and spiritual enrichment (amazon.com | amazon.ca)

Or better yet, grab the minimalist-reader in your life a Kindle. This is the one I have (amazon.com | amazon.ca) and I will never go back!

Gift Cards

It may feel cold and in personal, but trust me, no one is ever disappointed by a gift card! Feel free to ask which stores she likes best, or choose something universal like Amazon! She may even use that gift card to buy Kindle books.

Consumables

Thankfully, my husband shares my view of gifts. You’d think this would make Christmas and anniversaries very boring, but it has become a fun challenge! We don't buy much for each other, but we do fill stockings for eachother at Christmas.

Our one stocking-stuffer-rule is this: consumables only. Of course, we end up with a lot of food items this way, but there are a lot of ways to get creative!

Consumable gift ideas:

beeswax candles
essential oils
natural soaps & lotions
coffee/tea
art supplies
wine
preserves
fancy cheeses
chocolate
gift certificates
adventures/outings together

Wishlist Items

I’m a slow purchaser. It takes me a long time to decide whether or not I want to devote space to a specific item and usually the desire passes or I forget all about it before I click the checkout button. I've started adding the item to a wishlist on Amazon, and now I always have an answer when someone needs a gift idea.

Encourage your loved ones to make their own Amazon wish list and share it with you! Or better yet, do it for them like I've done with my husband. When his birthday comes around, it can be hard to remember the obscure lighter or tool he told me he wanted 6 months ago, but storing that info on an Amazon list has been life-changing.

pregnant woman proudly wearing a mama sweatshirt embroidered with the words "three under three mama" — *My 2024 Mother’s Day gift*

Keepsake Clothing

I don’t like to own a lot of clothes, so if I’m going to get something new, it has to have the potential to be my new favourite item. I want it to be high quality, comfy and meaningful.

The last couple of Mother’s Days, I’ve requested a new “mama” sweater! My husband obliged (with me strongly influencing colour and style) but twice, we struck out. The sweater arrived and I was SO disappointed when it was printed poorly on a sweater that didn’t have the quality or coziness I was going for.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and launch a line of motherhood milestone sweatshirts that meet my standards! I chose a cozy, supersoft cotton sweater as the base and went with embroidery to ensure it will stand the test of time. My new “three under three mama” sweater is one I want to wear DAILY and I’m excited for all the motherhood milestones I will get to mark with a new “mama” sweatshirt!

Cozy clothes like this make the perfect gift because it's something your loved one will actually use and enjoy. If your loved one just became a Nana for the first time or has a special verse they want to wear close to their heart, they will love a keepsake sweatshirt.

Use code BLOG20 for 20% off at checkout.

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Final Thoughts

As tough as it can be to answer the dreaded “what do you want?” question, I'm always grateful when a loved one cares enough to let me speak into (read: control) their decision.

Ultimately, once a gift is given, it's out of your hands. When I'm on the receiving end, I try to appreciate the heart behind the gift even if I don't keep the item, and when I'm on the giving end, I have to work hard not to overthink whether the item will be useful or worthy of keeping.

If your loved one decides to re-gift or return something you chose for them, it's not a statement about you or your relationship. The item has served its purpose whether it stayed with them or not.

Happy gifting!