Whether you need a gift for a minimalist friend or family member who’s got everything, these 60+ minimalist gift ideas will bring joy and happiness to whoever receives them.

In this minimalist wardrobe guide, we’ll cover:

What makes a good minimalist gift?
Benefits of giving minimalist gifts
60+ Best minimalist gift ideas
Tips for buying minimalist gifts
More minimalism articles you might like

What makes a good minimalist gift?

Great minimalist gifts are ones that are consumable, experiential, or physical gifts that add value to someone’s life.

Consumable gifts: A consumable gift can be used up in some way. Some examples of consumable gifts include food, wine, candles, gift cards, subscriptions, and pre-paid services.
Experience gifts: Experience gifts, also known as experiential gifts or gift experiences, are often some of the best gifts because the recipient gets to enjoy a special experience. Experiences can include activities, outings, lessons, tickets, trips, and things like art supplies or camping gear that create or enhance experiences.
Physical gifts: Useful items that serve a purpose or simplify the recipient’s life in some way can also make great minimalist gifts. An example of a practical, physical gift might be a packable backpack for an avid traveler, a Kindle for someone who loves to read, or wireless headphones for an exercise enthusiast.

Benefits of giving minimalist gifts

Here are some key benefits to keeping gift-giving simple this season.

Minimalist gifts can be more unique. You don’t have to scour the shopping mall hunting for “the “perfect gift.” Minimalist gifts give you more opportunities to get creative, whether it’s making a DIY cookie mix in mason jars or planning a fun weekend getaway.
They’re less likely to become clutter or end up in a landfill. Experience and consumable gifts don’t require shelf space. Physical gifts purchased with purpose and intention will be used and loved by the recipient and used for years to come.
Minimalist gifts are often more meaningful. Experience gifts that can become lasting memories will mean more in the long run than something store-bought.
They don’t have to cost a lot of money. Giving someone your time or expertise costs nothing but can be one of the most valuable gifts you can give.

60+ Best minimalist gift ideas

Now that you know what makes a good minimalist gift, the types, and their benefits, here are 60+ ideas of minimalist gifts you can give. Whether you’re looking for a special birthday gift or need Christmas gift ideas for the holiday season, you’ll find a variety of great minimalist gift ideas below. There’s something for everyone, from teachers and colleagues to friends, family, and significant others.

Consumable gifts

Fancy cocktail kit. DIY your own or pick one up. Cocktail Courier is one of several companies out there that offer curated cocktail boxes for people to enjoy at home.
Coffee basket. Fill a small basket with a selection of your favorite local or exotic roasts.
Fancy bars of chocolate. Wrap them in a pretty foil paper and put a cute, printable wrapper on the outside.
Bottle of wine or champagne. Wrap it in a beautiful, new, tea towel for a little something extra.
DIY mason jar treats. I like to give these homemade mini peanut butter cups or chocolate chip cookie mix.
A bottle of homemade hot sauce. Slap on a free, printable label, and oh. em. gee. Cutest DIY gift ever!
Fancy hand soap and lotion set. Add a little jar of sugar scrub and some cuticle oil, and it becomes a 2-minute spa treatment.
DIY essential oil room spray (or shower mist). I like to spray this room spray in the shower for a spa-like experience. Stick with the holiday scents or come up with new combinations using essential oils you already own.
Relaxing bath salts. The perfect gift for your friends and family who love a good soak.
A basket of natural skincare or beauty products. Give the gift of clean, nontoxic products. Include a mix of samples from beauty stores like Sephora and a couple of full-size bottles of your absolute favorites.
Meal kit delivery. Having ready-to-cook meals delivered to your door can be a fun gift for anyone from new cooks to newlyweds.
Gift certificates to a local market, restaurant, or coffee shop. Grab a business card or take-out menu to wrap with the gift card for an added touch.
Amazon gift card or Amazon Prime membership. This is a great option for people who use Amazon to purchase everyday items or who might enjoy the digital streaming and downloadable books included in a Prime membership.
A gift certificate for a local bookstore. You’ll be supporting a local business and giving the recipient the added experience of going to choose whatever new book they desire.
Itunes gift card.
Gas gift card. Have you seen gas prices lately? There’s no way this gift won’t be appreciated!
Car wash vouchers. Clean cars can spark a lot of joy. Many car washes sell packs of 5-10 for a discounted rate.
Book a handyman, or give a Taskrabbit gift card. We all can use a little help with that laundry list of odds and ends to do around the house.
House cleaning service. Schedule a half-day cleaning session for someone you love.
A home organizing or decluttering session. Great for friends and family who want to declutter but don’t have the time or feel overwhelmed.
Grocery delivery subscription. A 1-year Instacart membership is the gift that gives back every. single. week.
Subscription to a favorite newspaper or magazine. Digital or print!
Meal planning subscription. Companies like CookSmarts take the work out of meal planning and can make cooking fun!
Television streaming subscription. Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+ — there are so many good shows to stream these days.
Wholesale club membership. Perfect for someone with a big family who already shops at this club. Gift them a year of membership.
Babysitting time. This is really the only gift I want for the next 10-12 years.
Petsitting voucher. Watch a loved one’s fur babies the next time they go out of town.

Experience gifts

Digital class or online course. Give the gift of lifelong learning with digital classes. A Masterclass or SkillShare membership gives you access to hundreds (or thousands!) of classes taught by industry experts on pretty much anything you can imagine. From photography and graphic design to songwriting, cooking, and entrepreneurship— there’s something for everyone.
Ancestry test. A simple ancestry DNA test using just your saliva, ancestry testing is a great gift for those who are curious about their ethnic background, family trees, and their unique family history. AncestryDNA and 23andMe are two of the most popular.
Airbnb gift card. Give the gift of a getaway! Print a few unique property listings and wrap them up along with the gift card as inspiration.
Airline tickets. Airline tickets make great gifts for major milestones like retirement, college graduation, a wedding, an anniversary, or a special birthday.
Audible membership. Perfect for audiobook lovers and people with long commutes. Audible makes it easy to gift a single book or up to a year-long membership.
A fun adventure on an upcoming vacation. Vacations are expensive. Why not gift someone a special adventure they might not otherwise do? Things like a guided museum or city tour, ziplining in the rain forest, renting jet skis on an island, or a lift ticket for a day on the slopes all make great gifts, and memories.
Family portrait session. A family photo session with a great local photographer will have lasting meaning for years to come.
Movie tickets. Gift movie passes with a box of their favorite candy and a printed popcorn voucher.
Wine tasting. Book a wine tasting at a special vineyard, and present the gift with a bottle from the winery they’ll be visiting.
Museum membership. Know someone who loves art, history, or science? An annual museum membership will let your loved one experience all of the exhibitions that run throughout the year. Children’s museums and aquarium memberships are great for kids and families, too.
Lunch or dinner date. Make a reservation at a favorite restaurant and catch up over a good meal —your treat.
Charity donation. Make a donation to a meaningful cause in someone’s name.
Cooking class. Perfect for those who love to cook. Explore local or online classes that help your recipient master something specific like sourdough baking, charcuterie board building, knife skills, or cocktail mixing.
Wine and craft workshop. Have a fun evening out with a crafty friend, sister, or mother-in-law.
Annual park pass. Give the gift of exploring for an entire year with a one-year pass to a botanical garden, state park, or all of the national parks.
Fitness class passes. Treat fit friends and family members to a yoga class, or a boot camp-style sweat session at a nice gym. A ClassPass membership is also a fun way for someone to try different fitness studios in their area.
Theater, ballet, or opera tickets. Tickets to a live performance make a great experience gift for the theater lovers in your life.
Sporting event tickets. Got a sports fanatic in the family? Tickets for a live game won’t disappoint. Don’t forget, minor league games can be just as fun and a fraction of the price —especially for kids.
Book a personal chef. Invite a few friends or your special someone over for a fun evening in, and a meal they’ll never forget.
Spa or salon treatment. Pamper someone you care about with a spa or salon treatment. It could be as simple as a mani-pedi at their favorite nail spot, or a luxurious massage at a local resort. If you don’t live nearby, a SpaFinder gift card lets your recipient find a local spa in their area.

Physical gifts

A book you’ve read and loved. Give someone who loves to read a book you loved yourself, either brand new or from your own shelf.
Tile trackers. Know someone who’s constantly misplacing their keys or phone? These Bluetooth GPS trackers can be attached to almost anything so misplaced items can be found in seconds.
Jewelry roll. A jewelry roll or organizer keeps jewelry safe and organized while traveling.
A Kindle or e-reader. They’re great for traveling and also reduce book clutter.
Packable backpack or tote bag. These are great to slip into a suitcase for day trips when traveling, or to keep in the car for impromptu grocery store runs.
Ceramic match holder with a striker. Beautiful and functional, these match holders take up hardly any space and have a built-in striker. Not having to look for a lighter again will spark some serious joy.
An Instant Pot or air fryer. The Instant Pot is like four appliances in one. It can sautee, steam, slow cook, pressure cook, and even make yogurt, and saves major space and time. Air fryers are great for both busy families and people who live alone because they bake and roast food in a fraction of the time without turning on the oven. Both are great gifts for anyone who cooks often and wants to spend less time in the kitchen.
Reusable storage bags. Perfect for the eco-conscious, these reusable silicone storage bags from Stasher are great for storing, freezing, or marinating food, and can also be handy for packing toiletries for trips or the gym.
Airpods. Wireless headphones are a game changer for anyone still using traditional headphones. They’re a great gift for everyone from podcast junkies to exercise fanatics.
Quality cookware. These Staub dutch ovens will last a lifetime. I received two for a wedding gift ten years ago and still use them almost every single week.
A unique houseplant. For those with a green thumb, a unique houseplant can be a nice way to mark a special time or accomplishment in one’s life. Present it in a cute ceramic pot with a ribbon and a small packet of plant food and hand-written care instructions for a little something extra.
Books about minimalism. Minimalism books make great gifts for those who are interested in simplifying or even just captivated by the Marie Kondo series on Netflix. From digital minimalism and zero-waste living to capsule wardrobe challenges and embracing minimalism with kids —there’s a minimalism book out there for almost everyone.
A new board game. Not only are they fun, board games also bring friends and family together and can make great memories and traditions for years to come.

Tips for buying minimalist gifts

Make it meaningful. We all love gifts with purpose and meaning. Think of who will be receiving your gift. What do they love to do? What do they value? Is there an experience you can give that will create a lasting memory? What is something they can use that has a purpose and also bring them pleasure?
Aim for quality. If you buy a physical gift, choose something that’s made well and high quality, when possible. A key principle of minimalism is owning fewer, but better quality items that last. Do your research and read product reviews to make sure your gift will stand the test of time.
Consider the gift of time. Time is our most precious, non-renewable resource —something most of us could use more of. Consider gifts that will save the recipient time — like a grocery delivery subscription, a home organizing session, or hiring a handyman, landscaper, or cleaning person for a day. The gift of time can also be your time as well. Think about what you enjoy doing or what your superpower is. Offer to babysit if you’re good with kids. If you’re super organized, help organize an area of their home they struggle with. If you’re handy, help someone fix a few odds and ends around the house. If you love to cook, prepare some meals your recipient can stock their freezer with. There are so many ways to give someone you care about the gift of time.

Whether you need a meaningful gift for a minimalist friend or family member who has everything, I hope you found a few good minimalist gift ideas here. If you have another great minimalist gift ideas you’d like me to add, I’d love to hear it. Just leave a comment below!