Want to celebrate a clutter-free Valentine’s Day this year?
Like most holidays, if you’re not careful Valentine’s Day can produce loads of clutter. Stuffed animals, coffee mugs with faded photos on them, even personalized boxer shorts. After decades of growing consumerism and mindless gift-giving, more and more people are opting out and choosing to go clutter-free instead.
However, if you’ve never celebrated a clutter-free Valentine’s Day, you might be worried. Will you have to give up the joy of gift giving? Refuse the red and pink festivities? Become the Scrooge of St. Valentine’s Day?
Fear not, my friend. Below I’ve got 3 simple suggestions to keep your Valentine’s Day festive AND clutter-free.
Clutter-free Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Come In All Shapes & Sizes
Gift an Experience
Thoughtful experiences are an incredible way to celebrate a clutter-free Valentine’s Day. They come in all costs and packages, which means there’s something for everyone. Here are ideas to get you started:
Cooking classes– learn how to bake bread at your favourite local bakery, perfect an Indian curry dish together or taking a kombucha brewing lesson. Cooking classes are hands-on, fun and informative. Oh, and you get to eat at the end? Sounds perfect to me!
Concerts – do you remember the first concert you went to with your partner? The memories of enjoying a band you love can’t be beat. Surely your partner would rather go see Paul Simon or Pearl Jam instead of getting a stuffed teddy bear?
Movies – I don’t know about your house, but in mine, Netflix has put an end to our date nights out at the movies. But, there’s a nostalgia and excitement around getting OUT of the house to enjoy a flick that is perfect for a clutter-free Valentine’s gift. Add a bucket of butter-drenched popcorn and a package of red Twizzlers and you’re all set.
Go See a Game – do you and your S.O love watching football every Sunday? Why not surprise them with tickets to a game where you can snuggle up under a blanket and cheer in person?
Give the Gift of Food in Many Forms
Food truly is a love language all its own. In fact, a shared meal creates memories that far outlast a cheap heart locket bought off of Amazon. Below are just a sample of gifts you could give that have to do with food:
Try a New Recipe – the meal itself could be the gift, or cook up a new recipe together. Go way outside your comfort zone here. Either with luxurious ingredients you wouldn’t normally pick up at the store (truffle oil, anyone?) or by trying a dish from a country you’ve visited together.
Make An Old Favourite – in our house, this is vegetarian shepard’s pie. My husband feels the love every time we gather the ingredients for this classic celebration meal. Another idea is to make a dish traditional family recipe together.
Homemade Hot Sauce – this condiment is a non-negotiable in our home. Despite our sometimes minimalist shopping habits, we always have 2-4 bottles of different hot sauces on the go. Imagine the look of joy on your partner’s face when they receive a bottle of homemade hot sauce, complete with your handwriting on the label.
Click here for a collection of hot sauce recipes from ChiliPepperMadness.com
Gift a Little Self-Care
The idea behind these clutter-free Valentine’s Day gifts are pampering.
Pedicure Gift Certificates – everybody needs clean toes and it’s a bonus to get some colour painted on top. Giving the gift of a pedicure is guaranteeing your partner 30-40 minutes of bliss. If you’re the D.I.Y type, you could treat your partner to a pedicure without having to leave the house.
Massage – Same as above, you can D.I.Y or pay a professional. The gift of a massage allows your partner to enjoy some TLC, whether or not they normally give themselves the time to do so.
With a Bit of Creativity, You Can Have a Clutter-free Valentine's Day
If you’ve been clearing clutter on your own, or working with a professional organizer like myself, one thing is certain. You need to adjust your habits and future actions to make sure the clutter doesn’t keep coming back.
Holidays, especially ones that are tied to gift-giving, offer a special chance to get creative and show you care without creating clutter!
Remember, making clutter-free choices doesn’t have to be boring. If anything, the more you look outside of the box for ideas to create new traditions, the more interesting your gifts will be.
Find out why your home is still cluttered.
Most people struggle with one of three common challenges when clearing clutter. But once you understand what’s holding you back, you can create a peaceful, calm & inspiring home you love.
Take the quiz below to uncover your #1 clutter challenge and how to overcome it!
