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Welcome to my blog. I try to update on a daily basis, but sometimes it’s hard with every day life to get in the way, lol. Browse my archive to view my older posts and see my most recent posts on my front page. If you would like to ask me an organizing or clutter control question then email me at askcluttercontrollady@yahoo.com All questions are posted on the blog with my response.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Stocking Stuffers on a Budget!

I love stocking stuffers. If I had my perfect Christmas it would just be a dozen stockings to open! Check out these creative and frugal ways to really get a smile when they open their stocking.

A really great way to make stocking stuffers more fun is to wrap as many as you can. Use presents to wrap presents. For girls you can use small purses to wrap chap sticks, lip glosses, or jewelery, heck even Money!

Stocking stuffers are a great way to start a gift tradition. When I was a little girl my step-dad would put baby soft perfume in my stocking every year. It was my favorite kind and it didn't last long after Christmas, but I looked forward to it every year.

Sterling Silver jewelery is getting considerably cheaper. If you have a child that is responsible enough to be given nice jewelery you can start a yearly pendant gift to add to a charm bracelet.

Boys are no different with tradition you just have to think different presents. For the boys in the house try to think of things they collect, if they love cars start a small car collection, if they love the military start a collection of military pieces, gamer kids can get expensive, games for some systems are as much as$60.00. Give him a present that last all year. Calculate how much money you can spend to get a reasonable amount of games for the following year. Get a gift card with that amount of money. This can be a really big present but talk about something that cant go wrong.


Below are a list of fun stocking stuffers I really love

ADULTS
Small kitchen gadget
Pretty Hair accessories ( think of hair length before purchasing)
Really Good Batteries ( even at 4 dollars it is still a good present, we ALWAYS need batteries)
Key Clapper ( is someone you know really bad at loosing keys, they will appreciate this present)
Incense Sticks ( get extra long ones, an incense holder and use clear plastic wrap and some ribbon to wrap it together and be seen outside the stocking)

Think about their job, if they have an office job maybe a really nice pen would have great use, if they are on their feet alot maybe some comfy socks or comfort soles.

Think about their collections, maybe they love hummingbirds, cats, or something more personal like ballerinas. Buy useful items with these themes in mind, some good ideas here are:
Bookmarks
Folders ( walmart has huge collections with all sorts of themes)
Braclette or Necklace Charms
Key chain

Someone in your family or friend circle not much of a risk taker buy them a couple scratch off tickets, for just a dollar a ticket and a chance for a VERY merry Christmas its worth it!

Got a family member that loves getting their nails done but hates the price, buy them all they need to do an at home french manicure, they have simple french manicure tip pens that require little know-how to use, Print up instructions or write them down on an index card.

Know anyone that had the hots for hot stuff? Get a bottle of the hottest hot sauce you can find. If it's rather rare and expensive get a smaller bottle, the hotter for this special someone the better.

Got someone who loves the rare social drink and has an pretty expensive taste, buy a sample bottle of their favorite brand of liquor.

HUGE candy cane. The stick ones a Jumbo cane whatever you get make sure its big, its the best original stocking stuffer!

Magazine Subscriptions are still a great present for everyone, woman and men for all sorts of hobbies. Fitness, Sports, Organizing, Crafts, and even Game and Console Magazines.

Even people in apartments can enjoy some good indoor flower seed packets, if you can, provide a mini set of garden ware for small indoor planting, such as: Small pot, small packet of soil, small shovel and "rake". Zen garden rakes are good for this purpose and your local craft section might have something that small.

I love anything I can use on the go and carry conveniently in my purse. Mini lotions, hand sanitizers, band aids, nail polish remover, shampoos, even bars of soaps, or hand wipes are useful items for the prepare-a-holic!

For The Kiddies (2-7 Years)

Small Puzzles, maybe a 50 piece
Bubbles
Play-Doh Fun Packs ( the dollar stores are carrying more and more of these!)
Stickers ( if you are worried about the stickers getting on furniture, buy a sheet of poster board for added fun, let her decorate the poster board and hang it on wall.
Beanie Babies ( Still are a fun and great present for the young, some can be found in discount stores, with a good wash second hand items can be made new. )



Purse- Somewhere between 2 and 4 a little girl wants her own purse. I have found a great present that I plan to put together for my 4 year old.
A Perfectly sized and design purse. Please scope out thrift stores and yard sales for this, this purse will get a lot of abuse! Also dollar stores are getting nice selections that are a great size for this age.
Wallet. If your child is old enough to handle paper without ripping it and coins without trying to put it in their mouth then get a play money set. Some sets are more durable, I even seen plastic money. try to find sets with plastic credit cards. For a really big kick, you can print up these checks! Cut out a piece of cardboard the size of the checks and staple them all together at the top. Then just slide into a real checkbook holder (also can be found at thrift stores!)

CHECKS FOR CHECK BOOK

Get a small brush that she can really use to brush her hair, and teach her how to brush her hair properly.
Buy a plastic mirror so breaking isn't an issue.
If you trust your daughter with real make up get some make up and get a purse for the makeup.

This purse gift is not only fun, but if you teach her how to use her purse properly this will be a skill she won't have to learn later in life. You can even give her play money that is equal to real money you may give in allowance, and teach her the starter of money responsibility.





The dollar tree has a large selection of fun toys that can really entertain for a cheap cost. The great thing about the dollar tree is some things comes in packages of two or more. This can be great for kids around the same age. Both my daughter and step daughter enjoy little mermaid alot. So getting some gifts for them is simple as my dollar tree has gotten a large collection of Disney princess toys!

Play Doctor: Doctor kits can be fairly inexpensive if bought at the right place check out big lots for discount prices. Teach kids that going to the doctors is good for them.

Tools: stock up on plastic and child safe tools to prepare daddy's little helper for next years projects.

For the animal lover, consider a really easy to care for pet like a fish.

For the Tweens ( Ages 8-12)

This is a great age with lots of options

Jewelery
Card Games
Flash Cards for the academic buff
school supplies
magazine subscriptions
age level books
book marks
arcade game tickets ( still fun if the parents are willing to bring back the good old days!)
Pizza Coupon
Movie Tickets
DVDs
Cd's
MP3 Players
Stuffed Animal

Teenagers (Age 13-18)
Movie Tickets
DVDs
Cd's
Mp3 Players
Flash Drives
Concert Tickets
Convention Tickets
Make Up
Wallets
Watches
Favorite Brand of Cologne/Perfume
Stuff Animals
Jewelery
Gift Cards
Cell Phone
Minutes Cards
Game Points (for xbox live)


I hope some of these ideas helped you get a head start on Stocking Stuffers!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My teenaged boys are always the hardest ones to get stuffers for and you have some great suggestions! Thanks!

Samantha said...

I am so glad to help!

Count Down Till" Christmas!

My Daughter

My Daughter