Clutter-Free Gift Guide
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I am a really big fan of The Money with Katie Show podcast, hosted by Katie Gatti Tassin. I started listening for the “money from a female millennial perspective, I stayed or the incredible insights on systemic economics and culture. I recently listened to an episode called “On Influencers, Beauty Culture, and “Corporate Confidence” with Kate Kennedy (aired on October 22, 2025), and halfway through listening had already sent the screenshot to a friend with the caption “trust me, you want to listen to this.”
What caught my attention most was the idea that our consumerism is sold to us as “investments” – especially when it comes to our health and “hot girl” status – that of course are not actually investments. While there was some discussion about the “pretty bias” where more conventionally attractive women make more money, the cost for maintaining that standard can be astronomical for someone who keeps up with it all (hair, lashes, skin care, nails, hair removal, botox/fillers, etc). It is a way to keep women on what Katie has coined “the Hot Girl Hamster Wheel,” keeping women and their money so distracted by maintaining a certain image instead of investing strategically for a long-term goal.
Along with that point, Katie and her guest Kate spoke about how influencers are the only ones who actually make money from consumerism. They post a product, people buy it, and they earn an affiliate commission in sales. There is nothing wrong with the affiliate style of promotion, but I have definitely unfollowed several creators when their feed turns into endless Walmart or Nordstrom sale hauls, new trinkets from Amazon, and yet another pair of tennis shoes that look exactly like the last fifteen pairs they have shown on their feed.
Fast Fashion and overconsumption harm the planet. According to the United Nations, it is the second largest polluter in the world, second only to the oil industry. This is because it takes 7,500 gallons of water to create one pair of jeans, and people are buying 60% more clothes and wearing them for half as long as they were just in the year 2000.
And I’m sure we have all seen children with piles of toys for Christmas that barely get played with by February.
With all of this knowledge, it is impossible for me to join the ranks of other lifestyle bloggers with a “gift guide” for holidays, loaded with affiliate-linked ideas for your loved ones (aside from the fact that I’m still boycotting Amazon and Target).
As for my family, I lean more towards experiences and fun “useful” items than toys for my kids anyway. We get season passes to Six Flags for the year to have fun as a family together. One year I decorated their room with fresh bedding, a wallpaper mural, and secondhand Marvel artwork. When I do buy them physical items, I try to get them off of Facebook Marketplace instead of purchasing new.
I usually ask for useful and consumable gifts for myself as well – last year, my parents bought two new tires for my vehicle and I bought the other two. Safe driving = a very Merry Christmas to me! This year I broke my routine and asked for a few things I haven’t been able to find at the thrift stores lately – but I did ask that anything be bought secondhand (a porch goose, brass candlesticks, and a copy of Little Women).
If you are overstimulated and tired of spending a bunch of money on a hamster wheel of gifts for friends and family, might I introduce you to the Clutter-Free Gift Guide?
Clutter-Free Gift Guide:
Gift Cards:
Movie theater
Local ice cream shop
Local coffee shop (Starbucks workers are on strike! Don’t cross the picket line!)
Restaurants
Food delivery/grocery stores
Memberships:
Children’s museum
Science Centers
Massage
Esthetician/Spa
FLOAT tanks
Tickets/Experiences:
Local theater productions
Concerts
Sports games
National Parks
Hotel stay (I used this credit card to earn 4 free nights at a hotel just by doing my regular spending)
Homemade:
Baked goods
Homemade mixes (hot cocoa, bean soup, cookie, etc)
Crochet/knit items
Sewn items (I’m currently fascinated with “quiet books” for small children)
Investments:
If nieces/nephews/godchildren have an education savings account, add an investment!
Extremely Practical Ideas:
Tires
Car detailing
Electric bill
Phone bill (I use Mint Mobile and pay $360 for unlimited everything for a full year)
Housecleaner
Free/Low Cost:
If you’re on a budget and it’s possible, give your time!
Babysitting
Yardwork
Handyman services
Obviously this is not to say that if a child needs clothes that you don’t get them clothes, but I would challenge you to find them secondhand if possible.
What else would you add to the list?
