It’s been a minute since I blogged but I’m back! And I’m back with something I’m passionate about, gift giving! I love gifts! Ask my husband, he knows! Today I’m sharing a little birthday gift I put together for a friend’s son and five tips to make gift giving a little greener. I’m saving my best tip for last so make sure you read through!
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- Our Kitchen Reveal – The Budget & Answering Your Questions!
- Our Kitchen Reveal – A Very Green Kitchen!
- June Meal Plan
- Friday Five & What I Made in March
Tip #1: stop using new gift wrap or bags. Most of these items can be found at a thrift store or replicated with things around your home. I keep a box full of paper and string scraps for wrapping and who doesn’t have a box full of gift bags. Don’t have either of those, use a basket! You can find beautiful secondhand baskets for less than $3 at any thrift store.
Tip #2: buy things with less packaging. This one’s so simple to do. You go to your favorite store and let’s say you want to get some bath products. Don’t buy a prewrapped set, buy them separately and save the extra waste. The less packaging the better.
Tip #3: this one is controversial but consider regifting! Especially as someone who gets kids gifts, I encourage you to do this. One year my daughter got three of the same book. Rather than donate those books, I saved them and gifted them throughout the year. If you do regift, be intentional. I only do it if it is something I would have given them anyway
Tip #4: shop secondhand! You had to know this was coming from me! But seriously everything besides the applesauce in the basket below is secondhand. You can find beautiful like new items or cool vintage pieces that someone may love. Now be careful when you do this and make sure the person will be open to secondhand items.
Tip #5 and the most crucial: ask what the receiver wants or needs. Now I don’t do this all the time but you can save a lot of waste by simply getting a person what they want. Especially if you are gifting to a child or someone who may have a tight budget. Parents everywhere know the struggle of receiving boxes and boxes of stuff you don’t want or need but actually having a need/want that could be fulfilled. This saves resources by cutting back on unnecessary purchases that will most likely be trashed or donated.
Above is a cute little gift basket I put together for a little two year old. His mom let me know he needed new blocks and I know she’s open to secondhand items so I grabbed these at a local shop. Next I added some secondhand books and some unopened chalk I grabbed at Goodwill will. Lastly I added a card and a sweet treat to a thrifter basket for a cute little gift!
That’s all! I hope this was helpful. Leave me a comment below of something you do to make your gifts a little greener!