Welcome to November! It’s that time of year when you can see your breath at the bus stop, when the daylight has been saved, and when you really need to kick it into gear to get the items on your holiday to-do list crossed off. Sleigh bells ring! Are you shopping? Don’t worry. We’re here to help you destress the halls with a fa-la-la-la lot of ideas for every one you need to buy for. We’ve got all of the types of family and friends wrapped, from the person who gets their holiday shopping done in June to the one who doesn’t start until December 24th. We’ve got some tricks up our sleeves for those obscure gifts that you need to purchase as well.
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Gifts for the Organized Types
Type A: Always Organized
You know the ones. They bring their planners to dinner to get the next social gathering in the books. They help with set-up at every event because they’re 20 minutes early. They don’t really need help getting their lives in order, but those over-the-top organizing tools make their hearts go pitter-patter. Here are some things for them:
Happy Planner Disc-Bound 12-Month Planner - Every type A appreciates a good paper planner. This one is designed in “checklist layout,” which is swoony for our have-it-all-together friends. Not to mention, the cover is cute and inspirational, and the lovely graphics carry throughout the entire book.
Brother Label Maker (Amanda's Favorite) - It’s made by Brother, but this is the mother of all label makers. The ELO team takes this little gem to all of our jobs. You can change out tapes of different sizes and different fonts and colors. You can connect to this device via Bluetooth or a USB cable. Your type-A peeps already have their stuff sorted and organized into containers. Labeling allows the rest of their household to know where things belong, too- that’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Bamboo Ziplock Bag Organizer for Drawer - Your Type As love nothing more than something that is both attractive and functional. No more crushed cardboard Ziploc bag boxes in the kitchen drawer! This Ziploc bag organizer fits multiple sizes of bags and is constructed of pretty bamboo. It can hang on the wall or live in a drawer.
Bring in the Professionals - The best gift that you can provide a type A is to bring in the professionals! You can purchase an Easy Home or Supercharged package from ELO, and the team will do what they do best: create custom systems for personalized spaces.
Type B: Barely Organized
Most of us float in this category. We know where most of our stuff is and have half-hearted organizing systems, but they could use a bit of a glow-up. Here are a few ideas for your Type Bs:
Waterproof Zipper Mesh Pouches - These mesh zipper pouches can store anything from your kids’ Lego pieces to cosmetics to office supplies to power cords. You can even fill them with what we all need more of… snacks! They come in different sizes with different color trims to keep all of your type B’s belongings sorted and contained.
Clear Lazy-Susan Organizer with 5-Removable Sections - Lazy Susans are not for the lazy; they’re for those trying to get more organized. We at ELO love that this one is clear (so you can see exactly what you have) and divided into sections. It would work great in many areas of the house, including the pantry, kitchen, laundry room, kid’s room, and bathroom.
Battery Organizer Storage Case with Tester Checker - The biggest question when opening the junk drawer: are these batteries new or used? Help a type B out by getting them this organizer that keeps all sizes of batteries together and contained. We also like that this one comes with a tester.
Gift Some Help - Type Bs could use the guidance of the professionals as well!
Type C: Chronically Disorganized
These poor friends! They would be on time if they could have found their keys… and then their phone… and then their water bottle. They have coffee stains on their shirts, you’re never going to get that book back that you loaned them, but you love them anyway. Get them something that will help them out a little:
Plastic Storage Bins - The first rule of organizing = sort like items and contain them together. The type C new to organizing will appreciate that these bins are clear so they can view what is in them. These are a good size for corralling many items in the pantry, office, or any kind of closet.
Basket Labels Clip on Set - Once your type C has like items sorted into bins, they need to know what exactly those bins contain. The next step is labeling the bins with clips. We like these in particular because they come with a marker and can be written on for personalization.
Fireproof File Organizer Bags - Your type C might have papers scattered all about the house. This fireproof, lockable document safe will give them the security of knowing where their most important papers live. This one is nice because it has a specific area built in for passports and cards and also has a money bag and spot for files and even a laptop.
Gift Them the Help They Need - Type Cs need the ELO team the most! Gift them the chance at an organized life in the new year. (Maybe they’ll find that book they need to give back to you!)
Other Awesome Gift Ideas
Gifts for the Teacher
Teachers need to be appreciated all year round, but especially during the holidays. Here’s the thing: they don’t need another mug! Gift cards for places where teachers can buy items for either themselves or their classroom are a good idea. Try Amazon, Target, or Barnes & Noble. Here are some other gifts they would enjoy.
Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens -Teachers can never have enough pens, and these Flair pens by Paper Mate are a favorite. They write nice and smoothly, and they come in an array of fun rainbow colors.
Elastic Pencil Case for Notebook - Now that your teacher has nice pens, they need a place to keep them safe and all to themself. These cute leather and elastic pencil cases attach right to the cover of a planner or notebook and hold three or four writing utensils.
Pen Holder for Desk - Like we mentioned earlier, the ELO team loves a good lazy susan, especially a clear one that enables you to see its contents. This one is perfect for a teacher’s desk, with compartments that fit pens, pencils, markers, glue sticks, and more.
Gifts for the Pet Lover
One of our favorite things about organizing at ELO is getting to meet our clients’ pets. We can’t forget about our furry friends for the holidays. Here are some items that they (and their owners) will love:
Cat Teaser Wand Holder - We can’t get over this adorable and functional solution for keeping your cat’s toy wands handy and tidy.
Pet Memorial Ornament - Keep your departed and beloved pet a part of your holiday traditions with this beautiful polished frame ornament that can hold your pet’s photo.
Portable Pet Dog Water Dispenser - Bring treats and water for your dog wherever you go with this clever gadget! It has a compartment that holds waste bags and comes in three colors.
Gifts for the Traveler
We’re all jealous of that person in our circle who is the jetsetter. Gift them with one of these novelties that they can take along on their adventures:
Luggage Straps - These adjustable straps connect three pieces of luggage together so you can get through the airport in a breeze.
Airplane Bluetooth Adapter - This convenient doodad allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones to in-flight entertainment systems.
18 Pcs Travel Bottles for Toiletries - This kit comes with 18 silicone containers for all different types of toiletries that are TSA approved, so it can go in your carry-on.
Gifts for the Minimalist
That last thing some people want for the holidays is more stuff to clutter up their house. Provide them with an experience gift instead:
The Adventure Challenge Family Edition - This is the perfect gift for families yearning to make memories together. The book contains 50 scratch-off adventures and has room for you to journal about and include a photo for each adventure.
40 Date Ideas Card Games for Couples - This deck of cards reveals 40 creative date night ideas that you can scratch off and embark upon with your partner. You can attach a polaroid or 2x3” photo to the back of each card so the deck becomes a keepsake.
Experience Gifts! - Buy your minimalist a pass to the zoo or science museum. Get them a gift card for movie tickets or cooking classes. Amanda’s family decided to take a ski trip together this year instead of purchasing physical gifts for each other. Maybe your family would like a getaway to Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari to ward off the winter blues. We have a printable below to give you even more ideas!
Give the gift of decluttering! We have a new Supercharged service we are offering our clients! This is a great organizing service to gift! The service includes 4 hours with an organizer! It's a great way to get a small job done, get a head start, or for a refresh!
Gifts for the White Elephant Exchange
Attending a White Elephant exchange should be all about having a good time, not about stressing over what to bring. These ideas are fun and funny, but also useful:
Shrimp Neck Pillow - You’ve got to smile about a neck pillow designed to look like a shrimp. This one is not only eye-catching, but also plushy and comfortable.
Desktop Cornhole Set - When it’s too cold to play cornhole outside, you can bring it inside with this miniature desktop version. It will be a hit at your family holiday gatherings!
Chia Pet Bob Ross - Not only will your gift recipient get a chuckle out of this unique gift, they’ll also eventually get a happy little tree!
We hope we’ve stocked you full of ideas for all of those people on your gift list. For more inspiration, take a look at our gift list from last year.