Welcome to the ultimate zero waste, eco-friendly, minimalist, and mindful gift guide. Before we jump in, here are the values I based these gifts around:

• Supporting your local community by engaging in local experiences
• Supporting small businesses, in particular looking for women and POC -owned and run
• Low clutter or clutter-free gifts
• Low waste, eco-friendly or zero waste gifts and companies
• Cruelty-free items
• Ethically made items
• Accessibility (budget, time, location)
• And more

Related post: The Best Eco-Friendly Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals

Want to learn more about gift giving for minimalists and zero waste-rs (or as one yourself), check out my zero waste and minimalist gift giving 101 guide for lots of helpful tips.  

Finally, if you’re able, to keep gifts zero waste/eco-friendly and budget-friendly, try the following:

• Second-hand: Look for items second-hand. This helps eliminate the waste from purchasing a whole new product.
• Free items: Check out your local buy nothing group, Facebook marketplace, Freecycle.org, Free Little Library, and more for free, secondhand items
• DIY gifts (see more in the gift list)
• Regift: I feel I have stepped in uncharted territory, but I stand by that statement. If someone gives you a gift, the real gift is in the giving. Accept it with full gratitude, and give it away freely. Wouldn’t it make you feel better knowing someone else may actually get use out of it if you’re not planning on using it?

So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

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Gift giving guidelines

Gift giving. It can be a tricky subject, especially if you are on your way to living a clutter-free and/or minimalist lifestyle. However, I do believe there can be a healthy balance between the minimalist and zero waste lifestyle that we are slowly adopting and gift giving. My husband and I have been actively reevaluating gift giving the past couple of years, ESPECIALLY now that we have Little E. And I’m not going to lie, it has been somewhat difficult to change the gift-giving habits we’ve adopted over the years.

Besides taking a hard look at the type of gifts we give and ask for, we have started following these four guidelines:

• Follow the rule ‘Something you want, something you wear, something you read and something you need’.
• Don’t underestimate second-hand stores for gifts. We love our local second-hand store for a variety of items, and for online second-hand women’s and kids clothes shopping we LOVE ThredUp.
  
  
• Santa, Easter Bunny, Etc: Santa brings one gift (a smaller gift) and then stockings he brings usable items or consumable items (usable meaning yummy soaps, bath items, crafting supplies, snacks, etc). The Easter Bunny and other ‘friends’ follow suit.
  
  
• Adopt other birthday/holiday/other celebratory event traditions instead of gifts
  • Make the person of honor their favorite meal
  • Offer to let the person of honor choose what activity they want to do for the day
    
    

Other than that, we really try to be really mindful of purchasing/making gifts that don’t contribute too much or any clutter and fall in line with our minimalist and zero-waste mindsets.

Related post: Zero Waste and Minimalist Gift Giving 101

*If you’re looking for specific items, check out this post: Over 100 of the best sustainable and eco friendly gifts for 2020.



*If you’re looking for specific items for ‘him’, check out this post: 65+ eco friendly gifts for him



*If you’re looking for stocking stuffer ideas, check out this post: 85+ eco friendly stocking stuffers for women, men + babies, kids, tweens & teens

Experiences (gifts for minimalist and eco-friendly ideas)

• Gift certificate for their favorite restaurant
• Gift certificate to their favorite coffee/tea place
• Meal planning/delivery gift certificate
• Lessons for kids/adults: swim lessons, dance lessons, etc.
• Sign up for a local community ed class together!
• A local park pass or state park pass
• A dog park pass if they have a dog
• Movie night out or in
• Sports tickets
• Gift certificate to a spa or for a massage
• Tickets to their favorite show
• A membership to a local museum, nature center, or zoo
• Gift certificate for house cleaning
• Donation to a local charity in the recipient’s name
• Gift certificate for their favorite app (ex. Headspace membership, Spotify)
• Netflix/Hulu subscription
• Offer to babysit/pet sit if they have kids or pets
• Offer to shovel snow, rake leaves, change their oil, whatever task they may need doing
• Itunes gift card
• Gift certificate for house cleaning
• Donation to a local charity in the recipient’s name

Miscellaneous Items 

• Child Artwork Frame – This frame is such a great way to display kids artwork in a neat and clutter-free way. This frame holds multiple pieces of art which you can rotate throughout the year.
• Etsy.com – Check out artwork, jewelry, soaps, and more. Bonus – support small businesses! Etsy is dangerous for me and my wallet. Be sure to include local art/craft shops in your small business supporting as well!
• Magazine subscription (can get a digital subscription or paper – donate the paper version when done)

• USB Fair Trade Himalayan Salt Lamp (or other salt lamps) – I have a salt lamp on my nightstand, and I absolutely love it. It creates such a beautiful glow which is so relaxing and calming. This USB salt lamp can be used at home or work (I honestly think I’m going to get one for work). Or, you can puruse the multitude of other salt lamp and products from this awesome, fair trade supportive company.
• Items for their hobbies (ex. outdoor gear or gift certificate for outdoor gear, items for their garden if they’re a gardener)
• Photograph gifts (photo book, canvas print, etc)
• Seed Starter Kit – I LOVE getting these as gifts.  I have started seeds indoors for the past couple of years, and not only is it more cost-effective, but it is fun! I am looking forward to having Little E help me next spring. These are great for vegetable and flower seeds!

• Kindle/E-Reader – I have had a kindle for years and have LOVED it. Not only are e-books inexpensive, many libraries also have digital copies of books which you can ‘check out’ right from your bed or couch!
• Audible Membership – Know someone who does a lot of commuting or traveling? Or maybe they are someone who enjoys listening to podcasts books while cleaning, exercising, etc. Why not gift them an audible membership which has books, magazines, radio stations and more! I got a membership for Mr. Blographer for his birthday in December and he loves it.
• Books (check out second-hand bookstores or consider e-books)
• Pela Case: 100% compostable phone cases that are SUPER CUTE!
  
  

• Ancestry & Health DNA tests such as this one
• Flowers, a plant/succulent in a cute container
• Coloring books (umm, yes it’s an adult Disney coloring book…) and colored pencils (see why coloring is not just for kids here)
• The Little Book of Mindfulness – Perfect for a stocking stuffer or for anyone who would enjoy some mindful living inspiration.

Related post: Have a Very, Merry, Zero Waste Christmas

Zero Waste/Eco-friendly/Minimal Waste Ideas (also minimalist and mindful!)

• The Essential Zero Waste Blueprint Year-Long Course!
• Dryer Balls – (organic, fair-trade, and all natural merino wool)
• Water bottle – Kleen Kanteen – larger size (40 ounces) and/or Nalgenes
• Reusable Coffee Mug
• French Press and coffee bean grinder
• Tea ball
• Shave items – such as a shave soap bar and a stainless steel razor
• Biodegradable floss in a glass refillable container (I LOVE this stuff!) with a bamboo toothbrush
• Shampoo bars
• Zero waste dish soap cube 
• Bamboo pot scrubbers 

• Produce bags (how cute is the one above?!) or these mesh produce bags
• Kitchen essentials bamboo utensils 
• 2 layer sandwich box (stainless steel)
• Travel spork with cork traveling case
• Charcoal plastic-free water filter (in to-go size)
• Mason Jars for freezing, leftovers, canning, etc: 4 ounce / 32 ounce
• Stainless Steel Straws or reusable bamboo straws

Related post: Super easy zero waste swaps that are saving us over $100 a month

• Bamboo paper towels (honestly one of my favorite zero waste purchases I’ve made. One roll has lasted us over a year and show no signs of wearing out. They have more than paid for themselves and saved us a ton of money)
• Reusable snack bags – decorative or silicone 
• Reusable Facial Cotton Pads
• Lip balm in a biodegradable tube
• Biodegradable bandaids
• Pyrex glass storage containers (I’ve had this set for years and absolutely love them)
• Bees Wax Wraps (I’m in LOVE with these)
• Mason bottle DIY bottle  kit (I so wish I had known about this when was son was using bottles!)
• Don’t underestimate second-hand stores for gifts. We love our local second-hand store for a variety of items, and for online second-hand women’s and kids clothes shopping we LOVE ThredUp.
• Cloth napkins such as this adorable cow one (below)

Related post: Two things you must do to reduce waste

Kids

• Art/craft supplies (could be a great gift for adults too!)
• Magazine subscription (can get a digital subscription or paper – donate the paper version when done)
• Reusable snack bags (fox – see below, or hedgehog)

• Lessons: swim lessons, dance lessons, etc.
• Clothes/shoes
• Put me in the Story – One of a kind personalized books for kids (and even for adults).  There are so many book options and popular characters such as Sesame Street, Disney, Curious George, Nickelodeon character, and more!

• Biodegradable or E-book: Leo & The Lion Learn of Love by Holly Rose. Harnessing the Love children so freely emit, the Lion teaches young Leo how to care for himself and the world around him with his heartfelt sagacity. Through the Lion’s wisdom, Author Holly Rose communicates the complexities of the modern world in a way which encourages children to work towards a kinder, fairer, more unified and peaceful future. Set alongside illustrator Caroline Winneguth’s gentle watercolour scenery, this book harnesses the Love children so freely emit, guiding them protect their nurturing nature. This is a truly stunning book with an even more beautiful message. Plus, did I mention the print version is biodegradable? A great zero waste option for kids! Psst…The Mindful Mom Blographer readers (that’s you!) can get 10% off using code ‘MINDFULMOM’.  Head over to the website to grab your e-book or physical copy!

• Give your kids one ‘yes’ day (check out this article for more details, or check out the book here).
• Connect with Nature: Projects to Grow, Gather, Make and Do – This book has activity ideas for each season involving nature. This book is on my wish-list!

  

Related post: How to declutter toys for good (+ save money and reduce waste)

Green Toys

I wanted to create a separate section for green toys, because these are toys that can fall within the lines of minimalism AND zero waste due to their high-quality material (made to last a long time), and the fact that they are made with 100% recycled plastic and come in recyclable packaging. Bonus – they all fall along the lines of dramatic play, meaning they are open-ended so the kiddo in your life can use them for a variety of things only constrained by their own imagination.

My son has a couple of these toys, and we often rent others from our local toy library, and him and I both love them!

Here are some of our favorites:

• Multi-colored blocks
• Watering can and garden tool set (pictured above)
• Pizza Parlor (this is on my son’s wish list this year)
• Farm playset
• Small outdoor wagon (my son has this one and LOVES pulling things around all year long)
• Baby Toy Starter Set
• Firestation Playset (my son has checked this one out from the toy library a few times and loves it)
• Tugboat – bath toy (super fun!)

Consumables (look for items that come in reusable packaging/containers)

• Food from their favorite bakery, restaurant, etc
• Coffee/tea
• Wine/Beer/Liquor
• Homemade gifts such as salsa, pesto, jam
• Meat gift basket (pick out a selection of meat)
• Vegetable basket
• Homemade soup mixes
• Homemade lotions/lotion bars
• Homemade soaps
• Candles/essential oils/diffuser, etc
• Grocery delivery service gift card
• Gift certificate to their favorite coffee/tea place
• Meal planning/delivery gift certificate

Related post: 58 Kindness, traditions, and activity based advent calendar ideas

Subscription Boxes

I know there are mixed opinions on subscription boxes. For this list, I’ve searched out subscription boxes that are eco-friendly, include ethically made/sourced items, and/or give back to the community in some way (all important in the definition of sustainability which we all know is not straightforward). To help you navigate through, I’ve added what each box offers that falls in line with the sustainable values I mentioned above in italics.

Additionally, here are some other subscription box benefits:

• often can be tailored to the specific interests of the recipient, thus reducing chance for waste/clutter
• allows the recipient to try new items they may not normally try at a discount – making certain items more accessible
• subscription box companies often support local and small businesses
• usually contain full-sized items which can easily be gifted/given to someone else
  

For Kids

• Green Kids Crafts – Science and art kids activities for kids aged 2-10 using eco-friendly materials.
• Sock Panda – Get a pair of socks and the company donates a pair to someone in need! Sizes available for kids starting at age 3 – adults.
  

For Adults

• The Nomadik  – For the travel and outdoor lover in your life. A portion of their sales goes towards environmental organizations.
• MightyNest – This box sends one eco-friendly, non-toxic (and many zero waste friendly products) each month. Members of the subscription box also receive discounts on many items in the MightyNest store! Use code DRYERBALL3 to get the first box for $3, PLUS 3 free dryer balls! Or, use code BEESFIX3 to get the first box for $3, PLUS 2 sheets of beeswax wrap!
• Sock Panda – Get a pair of socks and the company donates a pair to someone in need! Sizes available for kids starting at age 3 – adults.
• TheraBox – Curated by therapists to include self-care and stress/anxiety reducing items. Each box contains one researched-backed item to benefit your mental health.
• Wicked Candle Box – Vegan, cruelty free, and all natural candles and body products delivered right to your door. Black and women owned.
• Ecocentric Moms – Receive organic and eco-friendly products for mom’s wellbeing
• Causebox – Causebox aims to create a community of women who care about social issues, the environment, themselves and their community. Products are cruelty-free and ethically-made.
• Love Goodly – This subscription includes eco-friendly, cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics, wellness and lifestyle products.
• GlobeIn – Handmade and ethically sourced goods that pay a fair wage to global artists.
• Botanic + Terre – Natural, eco-friendly, and cruelty free products (cosmetics and home goods)
• GreenUP – This subscription box sends sustainable products that help you reduce plastic. 3% of proceeds go towards organizations that help clean up plastic from the ocean.
• Succulent Studio – Plants make great clutter free gifts. They can help clean the air and help bring a bit of nature from the outside in, which has been shown to reduce anxiety. The succulents in this box are sent in biodegradable pots– not plastic!
• EarthLove – Sent seasonally, EarthLove sends full sized eco-friendly and ethically-made products, a book, and tips on how to get closer to nature- all in zero waste packaging. Additionally, they partner with a non-profit and provide a portion of their proceeds to that organization.
• JourneeBox – Ethically and sustainably made luxery goods, and is Black & women owned!

If after all that you STILL can't find a gift that speaks to you (or maybe you just want to make your own!) there are TONS of great DIY gift ideas out on Pinterest. I have a board dedicated to DIY gift ideas that you can check out here.

Zero Waste Gift Wrap Ideas

If you need some ideas on zero waste gift wrapping, check out my post with 8 zero waste gift wrap ideas.

Want to learn how to adopt a reduction based lifestyle (through mindfulness, minimalism, anxiety management, and zero waste living but not sure where to start?

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