7 Holiday Gifts That Will Only Make A Home More Cluttered, According To Professional Organizers

Sarah Lyon

Tue, November 14, 2023 at 1:00 AM UTC

5 min read

Plus, what to purchase instead.

With the holidays soon approaching, you may already be starting to check some lucky recipients off of your shopping list—but before you go all in with gifts, keep in mind that some items will only inconvenience your loved ones. “Often, people have a notion that equates the size of a gift with the premise that the gift has more extrinsic value,” explains Julie Mills, the founder of All Squared Away, LLC. “It is simply not true,” adds the Morgantown, West Virginia-based organizer. “When you buy large items for your loved ones, you are creating a burden of storage. Where does the eight-foot stuffed unicorn get stored for the next few years? How long must they keep that item so as not to offend the giver?”

What are the types of things that you’re better off leaving behind at the store? Pro organizers from throughout the South weigh in with seven top categories below. They also share advice on items that you’ll be better off purchasing instead—they’ll still bring your recipients plenty of joy without cluttering up their living room.

What You Should Avoid Gifting

Exercise Equipment

When shopping for a fitness enthusiast, be mindful that they may be perfectly happy with their existing workout routine and do not wish to introduce yet another machine into their home. “No one wants a stationary exercise bike in the middle of their living room,” notes Cheryl Nelson, the founder of Prepare with Cher in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Small Appliances

It’s better to triple check that a speciality appliance will definitely fit in your recipient’s kitchen, Nelson says. “Find out if they really have the counter space for it,” she advises. “A cluttered kitchen counter leaves little room for food prep and can create a sense of disorganization.”

Beauty Products

It’s better to let your recipient do their own shopping when it comes to this category—this way, they can pick out what they really want and will use. “Give them a gift card instead,” Nelson urges.

Decorative Items They Won’t Use

It’s better to let your loved ones shop for their own decor items—after all, style truly is personal! “This could be anything from a large, unsolicited piece of artwork, to a large custom serving platter with their name on it,” notes Sarah Anthony, the founder of Organize & Design, LLC, in Morgantown, West Virginia. “It’s best to make sure they’d love it before purchasing a large or custom item.”

Battery Operated Toys

It’s better to skip these gadgets altogether, Anthony explains. “More than a noise nuisance, battery operated toys simply go through batteries very quickly,” she says. “Parents often aren’t enticed to spend time or money changing batteries due to the headaches they induce, and the gift will often end up in the bottom of the toy bin abandoned until it gets donated or thrown out.”

Gifts with Multiple Parts and Pieces

As Ria Safford puts it, “More pieces, more problems!” As the owner of RíOrganize, based in California and Texas, advises, “Try to stay away from gifts with a million pieces that are left without a home once they are unboxed!” We’re looking at you, jumbo craft kits and intensive board games. Anthony agrees. “Pieces will get lost—this is an 100 percent guarantee,” she says. “And once pieces become lost, the gift will limp its way to a dusty shelf, or to the bottom of a bin.”

Items That Can’t Be Broken Down

Sure, that playhouse brings your kids tons of joy while it’s in use, but while they’re off at school during the day, it’s clogging up your living room! “Large items are so fun for kiddos but can easily create a cluttered, overwhelming space,” explains Safford, who recently authored The Organized Home for New Parents. “Let parents decide what large items they want in their home and go for things that can easily be broken down and stored away.”

What You Should Purchase Instead

Looking for items that are sure to be crowd pleasers among those looking to live more minimally? The experts are here to assist and advise generally opting for experiences over things. “Gifting an experience will create memories for a lifetime while keeping additional toys out of the home,” Safford explains. For example, purchase a pass to the skating rink, bowling alley, aquarium, or even a fitness center, suggests Allison Collins, the founder of Coastal Carolina Organizing in Hempstead, North Carolina. Other ideas include a gift card for a cooking class or even a donation to charity, Mills adds.

You can’t go wrong with a standard gift card, either. “Think Walmart or Target because everyone needs toiletries and hates to buy them,” Collins says. Cash is equally acceptable, organizers say.

And if a loved one has expressed a desire to get more organized and orderly as a whole, why not help them embark on that journey? “The organizer in me also gifts reusable organizing products, such as travel-related, food produce bags, and snack bags,” says Dalys Macon, the founder of D’Vine Order in the Washington, D.C., area. Adds Lynn Reding, the founder of Organizing with Lynn in Fayetteville, Arkansas, “House cleaning, organizing session, and car detailing make ideal gifts that do not clutter.”

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