Archive for Clutter
Clutter-Free Gift Giving – Creative Nosh
Posted by: | CommentsI’m back this week with some more gift giving ideas that won’t add to the clutter and chaos of the holidays. I urge you to really think about the recipient and give a useful gift that won’t get shoved into a closet or buried on a shelf.
I am a huge fan of involving the kids and showing them how wonderful it feels to give a gift that is handmade. Have a baking day and get them involved. Give your cookies or bread to the recipient wrapped in these useful towels from Lillian Vernon.
Give the gift of a mini wine and cheese party. Select a couple of different cheeses and display on a serving tray, include a box of gourmet crackers and pair with a bottle of wine. Trader Joe’s has a great little pairing guide for reference.
I love Harry and David. High quality products for a fair price. I’ve given the Fruit of the Month club gift many times and it has always been well received. The recipient receives incredibly fresh and luscious fruit for anywhere from 4 months to 1 year.
The English Tea Store offers a variety of wonderful gifts. I’m particularly fond of the Tea for One set that can be customized any way you’d like. If you have a recipient that is a huge tea lover, then you might look at the tea chest. They can either refill the chest, or use it for jewelry or other storage after the tea is gone.
If you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can create a fun little gift using their wine tote. The tote holds six bottles of wine, but you could also substitute for some of their olive oils and sauces. You can assemble this selection via any gourmet store, I just love the Trader Joe’s price point!
Have fun with creations and I’d love to hear about other “nosh” ideas you might have.
Clutter-Free Gift Giving – Recipe Book
Posted by: | CommentsSome of you have been following me since I started blogging about a year ago. If so, you may remember that I did a series of posts last year around the Holidays about clutter-free gift giving. I urged you to really consider the recipient and then give gifts that were meaningful and useful. Last year I provided you with a few tips and then a few examples such as the Digital Frame, Bon Appétit Basket and Tell-Tale Tote.
I’d like to challenge all of you again this year to put thought behind your gifts and to put a little of yourself into what you give. What do I mean by this? I’ve really been focused on teaching by example in my home. Is a gift something that you run out out and quickly pick-up at a store, or is a gift an expression of your feelings, love and gratitude? Especially at this time of year, I urge you to make your gift something useful and special. If you have kids, make them a part of the process.
My first idea this year is something that will take a little time and planning, so we’ve already started. P.S – if you know my Mom, don’t spoil it! The girls and I are making a recipe book. I’ve selected a handful of recipes that we make together or that are our family favorites. I’m arranging them with photos of the girls and quotes they’ve made about cooking and eating. The quotes are fun and I know family members will get a kick out of it. Some examples are – “cheese makes everything better” and “two little girls in a kitchen = fun and a big mess”. By the way, that was NOT my quote. Sites such as Shutterfly and Snapfish make a project such as this very easy to navigate. I feel like this gift meets the clutter-free and thoughtful threshold for a number of reasons, but the most important detail is that my kids are involved.
I hope to bring you a number of ideas to inspire this season. Please feel free to post yours here or share them on my Facebook page.
Perfectly Savvy Finds
Posted by: | CommentsHello Savvy Friends. This week I’m featuring a few items that can be used to clean-up, spruce-up, and organize kid clutter. My criteria for selecting items was simple;
1. It had to be easy for kids to use. Nothing too complicated or overdone.
2. It had to be versatile enough to grow with the child. I hate throwing money down the drain on fancy bins and baskets that only work for a year or two.
Are your ready?
1. Let’s begin at the top with two different sets of clear bins. The handled bins can help contain anything from crayons, markers and other art supplies to hair brushes, accessories and baseball cards. The larger totes are perfect for papers, folders and even little figurines.
2. Heading clockwise you’ll find the Busy Box. I love this versatile system. It has three separate compartments that stack on top of one another. I use mine for dolls and doll clothing. You could also store electronic gear, headphones and other equipment. It is on wheels so it is very easy to move around.
3. In the center there is a great solution for hallway storage. From balls and sporting equipment to stuffed animals and butterfly nets. A quick solution to picking up that hallway clutter.
4. Don’t forget to utilize your space behind the door. This great little colorful sorter will hold magazines, school papers, chore charts and artwork. Easy to find and ready to go.
5. A large clear toy box can be used for stuffed animals, sports gear, extra pillows and sleeping bags, purses and out of season clothing.
6. Bins with color can help you distinguish ownership. Blue bins for Billy’s things and green for Sally. Cute and stackable.
What other possibilities do you see here?
Have a great weekend!
Kids Room by savvyspaces on Polyvore.com
Clutter Free Gift Giving – Giving with a Purpose
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been writing a series of posts on clutter-free gift giving and hope to inspire all of you to put some thought and creativity into your gifts. Challenge yourself to consider if your giving really reflects the recipient and whether or not the gift will really enhance their lives, or just add to the clutter.
For this post I’d like you to consider gifts that can actually “give back” either by supporting the community or the environment.
Jewelry with a purpose. If you have girlfriends on your shopping list, consider Project Have Hope. The women of Acholi make beautiful, colorful jewelry and revenue from the sales is used to fund educational and economic programs. Along the same lines with a higher price tag, there is Build a Nest.
Shop local. I’m fortunate enough to live in a community that has a strong local shopping district. Wellesley, MA offers many local merchants mixed with larger more well known stores. The Gifted Hand highlights local artisans or independent toy stores like Magic Beans give me the chance to support my community as well as small business owners.
Oxfam America. What could be more creative than buying a sheep for one of your friends? Your donation allows impoverished women to create their own income.
Gift your talents. Be kind to the environment and give of yourself no packaging, or waste involved! Can you donate your time or talent to friends? Possibly you are good with finances and you can donate your time to help a friend that needs guidance. Can you cook a meal? Clean a home? Wash a car? Help with lawn maintenance? Give your friend or family member a coupon for your services and your creativity will certainly be appreciated.
Clutter-Free Gift Giving – The Digital Frame
Posted by: | CommentsI’d love to share another idea with you for clutter-free and meaningful gift giving. A digital photo frame is a wonderful gift for a grandparent, a sibling, or even as a holiday tradition in your home. While a scrapbook makes a lovely gift, I’ve found that the digital frame is appreciated because it is easily viewed and shared. I’ve used ScanDigital (http://www.scandigital.com/) as a resource for scanning in my old photographs, but there are certainly some budget-friendly solutions such as using your home scanner.
Here are some suggestions on themes for your digital photo frame
• For a grandparent – the obvious choice would be photos of the grandkids. What about something unexpected? Create a storyline with your digital photo frame. Begin the story with photos of great or even great-great grandparents and work your way through the present. This would be a wonderful way for a grandparent to begin a history lesson with the grandkids.
• Do you have a cherished family recipe? What about a photo shoot of the family matriarch, patriarch or master chef preparing the food? You can send out the completed photo frame to family members along with written instructions.
• For a brother or sister who may live far away, you can create a photo gallery of special memories you’ve shared or past holidays together.
• For your own home, you can assemble a gallery of images from all your holiday moments. Include one or two photos from each year and you will have created a wonderful trip down memory lane for the entire family.
The possibilities are endless, creative, and inspiring. Whatever holiday you celebrate, it should be about family, tradition, and memories. A digital photo frame is a wonderful way to express the true meaning of the season.
