Gift season is upon us. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, weddings for sure are on our radar. There are always birthdays, baby showers, and hostess gifts to buy. We know well in advance that we need to have gifts for these events.
We might be out shopping and see the perfect gift for our sister’s birthday or for a special nephew’s upcoming graduation. The event may be months away. Where do we stash the gift until the right time?
A tendency is to stick the gift in a closet or under a bed just because that spot is available. It’s not unusual during a decluttering session to find gifts that were meant to be given years ago.
It is a good idea to designate one special spot for all gifts (well, maybe two if you have young children and need to really hide their gifts).
When planning your special spot, consider:
What size gifts do you usually buy? – books, clothes, jewelry – or sets of cookware, large games, musical instruments?
How secure does your space need to be? – will family members peek? can items be easily stolen?
How easy does the space have to be for you to access it? – do you visit this place frequently?
I use a couple of drawers in a dresser in a guest bedroom. When I see something that I really like, I usually have some special person in mind. I purchase the gift, put a sticky note on it with the person’s name, and stash it in the drawer. This is especially helpful during holiday times when I can get a bit crazy about buying gifts. Every time I open that drawer, I can see what I already have (really, three nice items for a sister who is easy to buy for and one book for my brother? Sigh!).
Other places I have seen used for storage of gifts are a designated spot in the basement, a closet, the attic, and in under the bed bins.
Do whatever works for you. Just be consistent. Happy shopping!
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer
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