Minimalist Gift Guide: 121+ Clutter free gift Ideas
This is the only minimalist gift guide you’ll ever need, featuring consumable, experience, subscription, homemade, money or (my favorite) time-based gifts.
BONUS 1: 7 extra tips for giving gifts that minimalists will love
BONUS 2: Check this out if you want to simplify everything else about Christmas too
Consumable Gifts for Minimalists
Consumables are perfect gifts for minimalists!
You enjoy them for a wonderful period of time, and then …they’re gone, so there’s zero long-term clutter or commitment.
These are usually cheaper options, so they are ideal if you’re not 100% sure of their favorites or if you’re on a budget.
I may receive a commission if you click on a link & buy - my full legal disclaimer is here
1) Bubble bath, bath salts, bath bombs
I’m an epsom salts kinda gal.
2) Posh coffee
You can find cute gift sets like this one that feature coffee from all around the world.
3) Chocolates
I love this fun and unique chocolate gift idea!
4) Flowers
5) Loose leaf tea
You could add a teeny-tiny-so-small-it-barely-counts-as-clutter tea leaf infuser like this if you’re not sure if they have one.
6) Selection of hot sauces
Some gift sets like this are lit 🔥 (…sorry for the Mum joke, lol)
7) Infused cooking oils
Flavourful cooking oils like these really elevate salads, meals, or my personal choice - a giant chunk of bread 🤤
8) Cookies
There won’t even be a crumb of clutter left!
9) Alcohol
Nice and easy to regift if it’s not their tipple of choice.
10) Fudge
11) Popcorn
There are all sorts of wild popcorn flavors these days, like salted umami, ginger snap, or vanilla cake pop.
12) Cheeseboard
This used to be one of my go-to gifts to give until I moved to Canada and cheese is so expensive it would require a remortgage!
13) Charcuterie board
All I want in life is salami shaped into roses!
14) Jerky
There are loads of different flavours for the meat lover in your life, like jalapeno garlic beef jerky & blazing buffalo wing chicken jerky.
Nom nommm.
15) Candy
16) Personalized gift basket
A really thoughtful gift is to put together a gift box of all of their favourite foods.
Experience Gifts for Minimalists
The beauty of experience gifts is that you make memories, not mess!
They can be a more expensive option, so ideal if you know it’s something that the minimalist in your life will definitely use.
1) Swimming passes
2) Aquarium membership
3) Zoo membership
4) National park passes
5) Spa gift cards
6) Hair cut / colour
7) Mani / pedi
8) House cleaning service
9) Afternoon tea voucher
10) Concert tickets
11) Museum pass
12) Cinema tickets
13) Sports game tickets
14) Theatre tickets
15) Art classes
16) Dance classes
17) Yoga classes
18) Rock climbing
19) Horse riding lessons
20) City tour
21) Foodie tour
22) Bike tour
23) Segway tour
24) Boat tour
25) Whale watching
26) Cooking class
27) Exit room
28) Conference tickets
29) Photographer session
30) Bungee jump
31) Skydive
32) A course you know they’re interested in
33) DNA testing & family tree
Here’s the one we ordered
34) DNA breed & genetic ancestry for their dog
Here’s the basic dog breed identification kit, or here’s the premium dog DNA kit that also includes a genetic health screening
…We have the kit, but our pup keeps eating the swabs whenever we try to find out more about her roots 🤣
35) A website
If your loved one has expressed an interest in creating a beautiful website, I highly recommend Squarespace (this is a Squarespace site) as they are gorgeous enough for creatives and simple enough for people who don’t want to learn to code.
36) Digital photo frame
This digital photo frame one is technically a physical product but I had to include it because it’s such a beautiful and simple design.
You connect it to the Wi-Fi and pick a unique email address for it. Then, anyone can email photos to that address for them to appear.
It’s perfect for grandparents!
Subscription Gifts for Minimalists
Subscription gifts are a great option for minimalists - the secret is to go for consumables that you know they'll use.
Items usually come in a variety of flavours/types, in small quantities. So they're ideal for people that love variety but don’t like waste.
Clothing rental boxes are a beautiful way to defy fast fashion – a common foe for the majority of minimalists.
It may be worth checking out the packaging of physical items to check it’s eco friendly as possible.
1) Beer
2) Wine
3) Spices
4) Candy
5) Dinner kits
If you are in BC or Alberta, check out Fresh Prep - they’re tastier and cheaper than the major companies, and I love buying local.
For me, the cherry on top is that many of their meal kits come in zero-waste bento boxes, which they collect once you’re done with them.
Our recent favorites include:
Crispy Baja fish tacos with avocado, salsa & creamy cabbage slaw
Rare yellowfin tuna tataki with green bean gomae & furikake rice
Pork banh mi & carrot friend with pickled daikon & spicy mayo
Sometimes, we just stare at our dinner in awe because we can’t believe that we made something so amazing.
6) Fruit & veg
7) Meat
This could be an especially perfect present for any keto minimalists in your life!
8) Snacks
9) Tea
10) Coffee
11) Clothing rental
12) Jewelry rental
13) Underwear
14) Socks
Socks are one of my favourite subscriptions because they don’t take up much space, they add a lot of personality and we all need them.
15) Digital products
16) Software
17) Apps
18) Streaming services
19) Online magazine
20) Seeds
21) Succulents
22) Bouquets
23) Goodies for their dog
24) Goodies for their cat
25) Beauty products
26) Makeup
27) Shaving products
If you are feeling overwhelmed and need a helping hand with minimizing your life, I have a free 60-day challenge to help you:
Money Gifts for Minimalists
If your beloved minimalist is a fan of low waste, and you’re not sure what to get them, this is a really handy category to choose from.
1) Gift cards
2) Cash
3) A donation to their favourite charity
4) Sponsor an animal
5) Restaurant vouchers
6) Travel voucher
Air BNB, airline, etc.
7) Groceries gift card
This was such a thoughtful gift from friends when I moved to an expensive city!
8) Lottery tickets
9) Scratch cards
10) Kindle book ‘sent as gift’
Here are the highest-rated new releases.
Homemade Gifts for Minimalists
Homemade gifts are straight from the heart! Unless I know someone’s personal taste, I usually stick to consumables or smaller items.
1) A thoughtful phone call, e-card, message, or email
A great replacement for traditional greeting cards
2) Celebration book
We have one book that our daughter draws in for every special occasion for my husband and I. It keeps all of the memories safe, tidy and together. And it’s so fun to go back and see her art over the years!
3) Digital drawings
They are clutter free, and there are so many fun options to print them on demand if the recipient wants to add the design to a cup, cushion, t-shirt, etc.
4) Recreate a family favourite recipe together
5) Try a completely new recipe using their favourite ingredients
My favourite birthday treat from my not-a-fan-of-cooking husband was when he researched, shopped and made us tuna poke bowls!
6) Homemade jam
7) Fresh baked bread
8) Cake
9) Granola
10) Cuttings from a plant they love
11) Sugar body scrub
12) Recipe cards
13) Write up some of your favorite memories of them
I read a story the other day about a grandfather who wrote a little story about every time he hung out with his granddaughter and then gifted it to her on her 18th birthday.
….aaaaaand now I’m crying all over again
14) A desk calendar
Use photos of their favorite people, pets, places, and things.
Gifts of time for Minimalists
My preferred love language is acts of service, so I have a soft spot for this category!
1) Pick a show
A new show to binge-watch together is one of my favorite ways to bond.
2) Pick some books
Read and review them together in your own little book club
3) Quality time together
4) Regular zoom date
Commit to chatting every Saturday morning, or the first Wednesday of every month, etc.
5) A goal to do the top ten local hikes together
You could take turns choosing or gradually build up the difficulty level.
6) Choose an organization to both volunteer with
I can’t think of anything that says “I love you” more than picking up puppy poops together at your local shelter.
7) Offer to baby/dog/house sit
This is always my number one ask if a loved one offers me a gift of time!
8) Work your way through the top ten hamburgers / pizzas / doughnuts, etc. in your city
Look for local articles for inspiration 😋
9) Help them with a project
Pick something they’ve been meaning to do - put photos into albums, upcycle an old chest of drawers, build a fire pit, decorate their craft room, organize their pantry, etc.
10) A themed movie marathon
e.g., musicals, LoTR, their favorite director/actor, etc.
11) Set a group steps challenge for the next month
We love competing for the most steps in our family
12) Perfect a recipe together
e.g. the ultimate chewy chocolate chip cookies
13) Write a “bucket list” of activities to do together in the next year
You could aim to do one a month, or one a quarter.
14) Make a photo slide show set to their favourite song
15) Get a joint allotment to grow your own vegetables
This is such a lovely way to spend time together & learn from each other.
16) Get a group together to make a Vidday gift video
Our family made one for my Papa, and he said it was the best present he’s ever received in all of his 88 years 🥲
17) Take up a new hobby together
18) Learn a language that you can practice together
19) Start a new tradition with them
I love this idea!
You could go to their favorite restaurant for their birthday every year or do a relaxing spa day every year between Christmas and the new year, etc.
20) Draw them a picture of their favorite things
I used to draw pet portraits for people, and they were always joyfully received by pet lovers.
21) Clean their car inside & out
I’d weep actual happy tears.
22) Learn how to play / sing their favorite song
23) Photo session
This is what I ask for every Mother’s Day!
We all get dressed up, Sean dusts off his SLR camera, and we take lots of photos to mark the day.
7 Bonus Minimalist gift tips:
We have a tradition in our family where we each have a budget and buy ourselves our big gift. This way we KNOW we will use and/or love them
Some minimalists love buying second hand as a way to reduce waste – consider looking for treasure at your local thrift store if that’ the case (here are 10 tips to make sure people love their second-hand gift)
Another fun way to reduce waste is to use reusable or recyclable gift wrap, or forgo wrapping all together
Don’t be afraid to ask if there’s anything they would like – the ultimate way to get them something they will use and love! One of my favourite questions to ask is what their favourite gifts were in the past
If someone says they don’t want / need anything, honour that. Maybe they don’t have the funds to reciprocate, maybe they feel overwhelmed with how much stuff they already have. I’m sure a small, consumable gift would be appreciated if you really want to give
If available, include a gift receipt
Let them know that they’re free to pass it on once they’re done with it. I always mention this to avoid any guilt about them letting go of the item - in the near or distant future. I’m definitely on team return/donate/re-gift!
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for minimalist Christmas gifts, minimalist birthday gifts, Valentine's Day gifts for minimalists, minimalist gifts for him, minimalist gifts for her, or minimalist gifts for kids, hopefully this list has given you plenty of ideas!
If you’re still confused about what to get, let me give you a little hint:
I asked 113 minimalists what they really want, and this is what they said:
2% picked subscriptions
7% selected homemade gifts
9% value consumable gifts
16% prefer gifts of time
29% adore money gifts
37% LOVE experience gifts
To me, minimalism is all about living intentionally. I surround myself with things that I use and love.
But I also believe that everything comes into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
If someone is gracious enough to give me a gift, my number 1 focus is always gratitude and love.
The fact that you’re reading this shows how thoughtful you are – and you know what they say, it’s the thought that counts!
For my fellow minimalists, let me know your favourite gift ideas in the comments below!
