When you search for clutter-free gift ideas, photos are often mentioned. However, when you think about it, not all of those gifts are really clutter-free. Let’s have a think about how to find a truly clutter-free photo gift for a loved one.

She hangs everything up on the walls of her rather small unit, some of it doesn’t even fit anymore, she’s running out of space. She also feels guilty if she can’t find space to hang the next gift on the wall because she thinks she is not honouring the gifts from her loved ones. She fears that they might be offended if they don’t see the photos on her wall during their next visit.

She doesn’t dare to say or even think it but she’s starting to feel suffocated by it all. But how to make a good choice that doesn’t offend anybody and makes her happy?

Can you see where I’m going with this completely made-up story? Yes! Those well-meant gifts have become clutter!

So, next time you present someone with a photo gift, consider these thoughts:

Think about the recipient of the gift

Think about the recipient of your gift.

• What do they like?
• What are their hobbies and passions?
• Where do they live and how much space do they have?

A few examples:

• A bookmark for an avid reader makes sense. If, however, they are using an e-reader, not so much.
• Do they have a kitchen that is overflowing with ‘stuff’? Another coffee mug might not be the best idea then.
• Dad is a banker and wears a suit for work? He’ll most probably never ever wear a tie with a print of his son’s baby photo – at least not to go to work.
• Your 17-year-old teenage son will most probably not appreciate a new doona cover with an image of the family dog.
• Does Mum love playing cards? Then a personalised deck of cards might be a good idea.
• Does Nanna love puzzles? Bingo! A custom-made puzzle with a photo of a grandchild might just be the perfect gift (if she’s not drowning in puzzles already)!
• Does your mum struggle with tech? A fancy digital photo frame might not be the right call then unless you can set it up for her and manage it.

Ok, now how to find the ‘perfect gift’

Just go to a popular page such as Snapfish or Blurb (no affiliations) for inspiration. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Photo books
• Mugs
• Keyrings
• Calendars
• Coasters
• Mouse mats
• Doormats
• Doona covers / throws
• Dog tags
• Ornaments
• Magnets

The list is endless!

Apart from the thoughts about the person who will receive the gift, budget, time and other aspects can also come into play. I’m sure you’ll find something good amongst all those ideas.

Photo via www.harveynormanphotos.com.au

Create and bring joy

I love creating photo gifts and bringing joy to the recipients. Here are a couple of things to consider when you’re at the creation and ordering stage:

Delivery times

Sometimes, delivery times can be rather long, so check that first to make sure your gift will arrive in time.

Where is it produced

Some of the big international brands such as Blurb, Snapfish, Mimeo (Apple) have printing works all over the world. If you want to send a gift to somebody who lives abroad (like me in Australia and mum in Switzerland), find out whether they have a branch in the recipient’s country. You will of course then not see the final product because it goes directly to the recipient, but you might save quite a bit on postage cost and time. Sometimes, you even have the option to send it as a gift, nicely wrapped.

If you’re in Australia or New Zealand and want to print a beautiful photo book, I can highly recommend my favourite printer: Momento. If you haven’t printed with them yet, use the button below to get a 20% discount off your first book (valid until 31 March 2022) (nothing in it for me).

Have fun being creative and bringing some joy to your loved ones!