Organize + Energize: Give Experiences Instead of Things This Holiday Season
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
This holiday season, give experiences instead of things
Be honest. How many of you don’t need to bring one more item into your home? How many of you receive gifts, aren’t crazy about them, and throw them in a closet for them never to be seen again? Do you feel guilty getting rid of a gift you don’t like because you don’t want to offend the person who gave it to you? I see this all the time when working with my clients. Think about the gifts you’re giving this holiday season.
Here are 7 experiences you can give:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSpa gift cards. Most people that are disorganized are overwhelmed and stressed. Find out what spa they like to go to and purchase a gift card for a facial, massage, manicure, etc.
Fitness gift cards. Do they like to work out? Find out where they take classes and purchase them a pass for a few classes!
Take them to dinner. How often do you get to see each other? Plan a night out at their favorite restaurant and enjoy the food and time together. Or, if you’d like, give them a gift card to dinner that they can use with their significant other. You could also take them to a play or movie they’ve wanted to see.
Book a weekend seasonal getaway. When’s the last time you enjoyed some fun times together? You could go skiing in the winter or plan a staycation in a town in your state, or a beach weekend in the summer or foliage trip in the fall.
Do they want to learn a new skill? Maybe they’ve been talking about taking up knitting, photography, or painting. Find out if they’ve been doing research and contact that business to see if they offer gift cards.
Find out where they do business. Where do they get their hair or makeup done? Some people will enjoy food, gas, or coffee cards. If they frequent there on a regular basis, you know they’ll use it. Do a little research and find out what else they like to do for fun!
Give the gift of organization. You knew I couldn’t leave this out. When people are disorganized and surrounded by chaos, the last thing they need is more stuff coming into the home. If they’ve been hinting that they need help, talk with them about giving them a gift card and if they’re on board, give them the gift of this experience.
There are so many other experiences you could give, but these are just a few to get you thinking. Before you rush out to purchase gifts this holiday, really think about the people on your list. Are you wasting money on things that are going to get thrown in the back of the closet? Most people that don’t like what they receive feel guilty about getting rid of it. It ends up staying in their home taking up space and energy. Be mindful of what you’re purchasing this holiday and think about if buying an experience will be better and I bet the answer will be, yes!
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, is an organizing & efficiency expert and owner of Organizing in RI. Kristin teaches her clients that living an organized lifestyle will save them time and money, decrease their stress levels and help them become more efficient and productive. Her articles have been published in local and national magazines. She has also given over 70 presentations throughout the state. Watch Kristin LIVE every Thursday at 3pm here on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O’Brien.
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