My Clutter-Free Gifts to Give (and Get!) in Midlife

I have to say, when you help others declutter, write about it weekly and live it as a lifestyle it can be especially challenging to give gifts! I am not a worrier by nature and yet I can’t stop wondering if a gift I give will end up as clutter. Throw in the fact that I’m now in midlife and many of the people I exchange gifts with are the same folks I’ve given gifts to for decades and it’s a wonder I get any gift shopping done at all!

I have written blogs in past years about clutter-free gifts, and I do often give truly experiential gifts within my family. But at the end of the day I’ve had to take some of my own advice usually reserved for decluttering. That is, do your best to be thoughtful, give the gift with love and detach from the post-gift outcome. I do my best to be thoughtful and intentional and then let the rest go.With that in mind, this blog is a gifting guide stemming from my own experience as a gift-giver and gift-receiver. It includes the gifts I’ve given that have been well-received, the gifts I’ve received that I’ve loved, and the gifts I’m giving this year. I’ve included links to everything for your convenience. Please note that on many of the items I receive an affiliate commission. I didn’t choose them because of the commission, I assure you! I hope you find some inspiration in this list and it makes your clutter-free gift giving odyssey a little bit easier this year!

Clutter-Free Gifts I’ve Given

These are the gifts I’ve given to multiple people, on multiple occasions, sometimes more than once! With one exception, I own every one of them myself as well. They have been well-received by various genders and ages and receive high marks on the quality scale.

The first is the Aura Digital Frame. This was my big inspiration last year and everyone from my dad to my in-laws to my husband received one at some point. Digital frames have been around for a while, obviously – but this one takes the experience to a whole other level. You can pre-load pictures without opening the box, perfect for gift-giving! The images are the highest quality resolution. The frame design is sleek and comes in multiple sizes and colors. The best thing about the digital frame though, is that it is a vehicle to actually enjoy the thousands of photos we’ve all accumulated over time. It’s surprise and delight every time you walk by.

Next up is the Ember Smart Mug. This was on my list last year and I loved it so much I decluttered a bunch of my old mugs and proceeded to give Embers to multiple friends and family members. The Ember mug keeps your coffee or tea at the perfect temperature for the whole time you are drinking it. It won’t burn your mouth, it won’t get cold – it’s like the Goldilocks of mugs! It comes in two sizes and multiple colors.

Bombas socks have been high on my gift-giving and receiving) list for years. They are the best athletic socks I’ve ever known (and I’ve sampled a lot of brands.) I’ve given them to my husband who is also hooked), my kids, my friends, their kids. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t received Bombas from me! Over the years they have branched out beyond just athletic socks and I have many styles on my list for Santa this year. They also have a giving mission and donate one pair of socks for every one you buy. Home run!

Graeter’s ice cream is a company out of Cincinnati that ships their ice cream products all over the US. I heard about them from Wirecutter. Last year I gave an ice cream ‘party’ to a couple of families and the response was resoundingly positive! Especially good for folks who have a house full of guests for the holidays, fun for them and a load off for the hosts!

Last but not least, this list would not be complete without the gift I’ve been giving for decades. I’ve had to dial down my own glassybaby giving over the years because my friends all have full collections now! If you are unfamiliar, glassybabies are hand-blown glass votives. The company originated here in Seattle and, like Bombas, they’ve had a giving mission from the start. They give 10% from every purchase to non-profits that help people, animals and the planet. I own over 100 of them myself, and enjoy their color and light on a daily basis!

Clutter-Free Gifts I’ve Received

One of the reasons I declutter in midlife is to make room for upgrades. I feel at this juncture of my life that I’ve worked hard and deserve the best. Less things, higher quality. These are some of the gifts I’ve received that make midlife a pleasure.

I first saw a Marshall speaker at the home of my best friend and instantly fell in love. It’s the look and feel of vintage combined with modern excellence in sound. My husband gifted me one that sits in my office. When I’m writing I stream calming classical as I work. I am delighted every time I look at the speaker. It’s my ideal: functional and beautiful.

Slippers are a common holiday gift, and there are many fine choices out there Bombas has a cute pair!) However, my menopausal feet are too hot for slippers – boo. And yet, I want to feel cozy at home. Enter these Birkenstock Shearling sandals. They are adorable.They keep my feet cozy but my toes are constantly exposed to keep me from over-heating. Plus, obviously such a comfortable footbed!

I’m kind of sick of talking about my weighted vest, except that I’m still talking about it all the time. (Betting that my 83 year old dad won’t read this blog, but he’s getting one from me this year!) Maybe it’s cliche (mid-fifties white woman extoles virtues of weighted vests) but I really do believe in the benefits. If you strip back all of the hubbub and the studies, here’s what I know. Serious hikers for decades have trained for challenging hikes by carrying weighted rucksacks. Adding some weight to your daily walking habit is such a good thing – especially for women in midlife who are at risk of muscle loss. I love my weighted vest – and I’m betting my dad will too!

Speaking of muscle loss, what about muscle soreness? My friends gifted me a Therbody Mini massager for my birthday a couple of years ago. I had seen its large counterpart before but it was large and awkward-looking. This guy is small and elegant and fits beautifully in my hand. I use it regularly for recovery from workouts and it helps so much with muscle soreness. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Lastly, I’m plugging this jacket from one of my favorite brands, Vuori. I got my Canyon jacket two years ago for Christmas and I love it so much I’m asking Santa for a second color this year. I love this jacket because it’s mid-weight so I can layer (or not!), has roomy zip pockets, and best of all, it has no hood so I can layer it over my many hooded sweatshirts! They were smart and offer many colors this year – how will I ever choose?

Clutter-Free Gifts I’m Giving This Year

Every year I like to gift books – they are my go-to, especially when I’m not feeling inspired by anything else. I’m revealing more gift choices for family members publicly here, but that tells you how often my family actually reads this blog 😂 If anyone out there is proving me wrong, spoiler alert!

For my husband I’m gifting Happy Go-Lucky by David Sedaris. I recently took him to see David speak and Jay was immediately taken with him as most are. So now he can continue to be entertained with dry wit as I am! For my brother I’m giving Giants beat-writer Alex Pavlovic’s book, The Franchise – a modern history of The San Francisco Giants. I realize most of you probably don’t care about my baseball team, but for those who do, this book is fun frolic through the championship years and beyond. My brother will love it! And for my girlfriends I’m giving Michelle Obama’s latest book, The Look. It’s an evolution of her style and my girlfriends love Michelle and her style! My sister-in-law will be getting my favorite novel of 2025, The Frozen River, by Ariel Hawthorne. (Stay tuned for my full Top Ten list.)

Back to Vuori, it’s not just for women, they do great work for men too! My husband’s daily uniform is garment-dyed denim, a patterned button-down and a vest. He has the classic Patagonia in many colors but lately I’ve been infusing his vest collection with some Vuori as well. He won’t be surprised but he will be very pleased!

And my grown kids? Well, they like to send me links – which I appreciate. Several years ago I gave up the ghost on the last minute scramble to stuff their stockings after finding stuffers from years past in their rooms, neglected. Done with that clutter cluster! Now I stock their stockings with fun bath/skincare products I know they use like Kopari Hair & Body Mists and Patchology Eye Patches. The point is to let them lead and not over-do it just to fill the stocking. Less is more!

I’ve got most of this stuff organized in my LTK shop (you can follow me here) for easy reference. Additionally, several are also in my Amazon storefront (which you can visit here.) In any case, I hope this list inspired you or at least entertained you! Happy Clutter-Free Gifting to All!