consumable What do I mean by consumable? The definition of consume as defined by Merriam Webster dictionary is ‘to use up’. The reason this is important is that something consumable will be used up and will not end up as clutter. The only caveat to that idea is that it needs to be consumed.

Gifting can be a tricky situation at best. Understanding the needs and wants of the recipients is not always easy.  We want to show our appreciation of the person with a well thought out gift.  It needs to be tailored to each individual.

One thing to consider are our loved ones that don’t want anything. We still want to give them a little something to show them that we love them, and what better way to do that than to give them a consumable gift?

The list below came off the top of my head.  I encourage you to check out these ideas to see which ones resonate with you, and to possibly make your holiday gift buying clutter-free.

Consumable Gift Ideas

Gift cards or certificates – this idea can be thought of as impersonal, but I disagree. It shows that you understand your recipients needs and wants and tailor them to the individual.

  • Local restaurants
  • Events & experiences – Some time ago I wrote about gifting experiences to avoid clutter. Experiences can also be considered consumable, and even if you don’t use them, the chances of them becoming clutter that takes up space is minimal since the gift will be in the form of a gift certificate
  • Gasoline
  • Car washes
  • Services – such as house cleaning, dog walking, babysitting, pedicures, computer help, etc.

Candles and fragrances

Gift baskets

  • Food – sausage & cheese, wine, cookies, candies, etc.
  • Personal care items – soaps, hand sanitizers, lotions, makeup, etc.

Online learning

  • College courses for those enrolled, or planning to attend college
  • Subscription to a website that traces genealogy
  • Subscription to an online magazine

Journals

Journaling has become very popular these days for mental health as described in this article. The idea is to document gratitude, experiences, feelings, etc. The caveat to this consumable gift is that when you use up a journal, discard it (hopefully recycle), sort of like the one in one out rule.