It’s the holiday season which means it’s time to go shopping, right? You have to buy something unique and thoughtful for your best friend, your in-laws, your parents, your neighbors, co-workers, and children. One of our favorite holiday movies is “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” starring Jim Carrey as the title character himself. In the film, the Grinch expresses his feelings about gift-giving this way:
"That’s what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's ALWAYS been about! Gifts. Gifts… Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts! You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I'm saying? In your GARBAGE! I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump! And the avarice... The avarice never ends!" "I want golf clubs. I want diamonds. I want a pony so I can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue."
Now, we certainly are not Grinch’s and we love giving and receiving gifts as much as anyone, but we do think the Grinch makes a good point here. Be thoughtful in your purchases because it is possible that your “gift” will end up in the trash. How many “gifts” do you have in your NYC apartment that are taking up space because you will feel guilty if you throw them out?
You shouldn’t feel guilty about what’s taking up space in your home. You shouldn’t keep stuff in your limited space just because it was a “gift.” If it is a useful gift then that’s completely different, but if it is a meaningless gift, then chances are the giver made a quick decision when purchasing because they felt obligated just to give. We are here to say, “Please give meaningful gifts or no gifts at all.”
The last thing you want to do is panic-shop! It’s stressful. The holidays should be a time to reflect not stress. If you do not have a gift and it is the last minute, the worst thing you can do is go out shopping. You will likely make terrible decisions that are about you feeling better about having a gift than what the recipient actually needs or even likes. This so often happens at checkout lines. You know the ones we are speaking of. Many stores flood their checkout lines with an abundance of, well, crap. We know because we throw it out when we are called in to do a declutter.
We recently had a client that was looking to purchase a new home. They were downsizing from a 2,400 square foot home in the country to an 800 square foot studio in midtown Manhattan. We were shocked that they really wanted to make that change and when we asked if they were certain this was the right move, they responded with “I like to invest in experiences, not stuff.” We were blown away. What an excellent way to put it! So, if you are having diffculty finding the right gift, think about giving an experience. An experience doesn’t clutter the home.
One of the best gifts we’ve received recently was a trip upstate to a bed and breakfast. We still talk about how unique it was and something we never would have planned for ourselves. Even better, it’s a memory that will last forever and not an object shoved in the back of our kitchen drawer. Experiences can also be on a smaller scale. Who wouldn’t love a dinner-for-two or something as simple as a gift card to the IFC Center? As far as kids are concerned, I guarantee you they are receiving enough toys and clothes, but maybe not enough trips to the museum or tickets to Broadway shows.
If you are the recipient of a gift you don’t love, don’t feel obligated to keep it. We face this a lot when decluttering people’s homes. Clients will have two shelves worth of coffee mugs that have never been used or there is artwork shoved under the bed because it came from a sister-in-law that has a completely different taste than they do. There is an emotional connection to the person who gave the gift but absolutely no connection whatsoever to the gift itself. Usually, when we begin decluttering, there is a pile of “maybe” items. These are items that the client might want but is unsure. MOST of those items are gifts. ALL of the time that “maybe" pile goes out for donation.
Have a wonderful holiday this year! Drink hot cocoa, take a bundled-up stroll through Bryant Park, watch every single terribly-wonderful Hallmark movie. Enjoy your loved ones and don’t stress. When the time comes to buy a gift, make sure it doesn’t end up with the Grinch. Give something meaningful to the recipient and not meaningful to yourself. The two are not always mutually exclusive. If you have absolutely no idea what to give, then give the gift of decluttering. Call us. We will work something out.
Much love and a Happy New Year!
C&C
Hello. We are Caleb and Cole. We each share a passion for organization and cleansing the home. We think of SimplifyNYC as not just a service, but a philosophy about life that we pass on to every client with whom we work. Our backgrounds are both in the performing arts. Through intense study of the arts, we gained greater perspective on how to tell a clear narrative, how best to determine focus and articulate goals. We think of your life and your home similarly. Too much clutter obscures clarity. Our goal is to better your quality of life by ridding it of negative, cluttered space and creating a clear, safe space outside the hustle and bustle of NYC. To reach us directly click here and follow us on Instagram.
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