How to Create a Gift Closet For Stress-Free Gift Giving

If you have ever needed a last minute gift idea, you know how stressful gift giving can be.

Whether your child surprises you with a birthday party invitation or you are so busy that you forgot to get a Christmas present for your co-worker, not having a gift for a special moment can not only be embarrassing, but it can make you feel guilty, too.

A gift closet is the perfect solution to save money (and to save face) for last-minute gift giving ideas. It is also a great way to budget for Christmas and birthday gifts throughout the year.

What is a Gift Closet?

A gift closet is a stockpile of gift items you collect throughout the year and store until needed. You don’t have to have an actual closet, you can use a storage tote, a shelf or even a suitcase to keep your gifts hidden.

In fact, my “gift closet” was a cardboard box for many years. After I acquired more items than could fit in my box, I now have a couple cabinets set aside for my gift stash. I also have a dresser drawer where I put away gifts throughout the year.

A gift closet can be for small “thinking-of-you” items, or can be used for larger gifts, such as birthday or Christmas gifts.

How to Stock Your Gift Closet (Without Spending a Fortune!)

I started a gift closet a decade ago because I needed to save money on gifts. By finding deals throughout the year, I was able to dramatically cut my gift-giving budget while still giving quality gifts.

This is the same process I still do today. By shopping sales all year long, I am not surprised with huge bills for Christmas gifts at the end of the year.

Shopping can be fun, especially when you are shopping for gifts, so keep these helpful tips in mind:

Holiday Clearance Sales

This is one of my favorite ways to add to my gift closet. I wait for the huge sales after each holiday and stock up on items such as candles, beauty products, decorations and more.

Keep an eye out for holiday clearance items that make a good gift any time of year–like solid colored candles, kitchen utensils, t-shirts, sweaters, and pencils.

Clearance Sections

You can find great deals in the clearance section of stores all year long.

Thrift Stores

One of my favorite and most-often used ways to get gifts for cheap is to shop thrift stores. You can often find brand new items still in their original packaging for a fraction of the cost.

For friends and family that don’t mind gently used items (our family has no problem with thrift store gifts), you can find a treasure trove of great ideas throughout the year, such as puzzles, clothing, home decor and kitchen items.

Re-Gifting

There is nothing wrong with regifting if done right. When you have a new gift that just doesn’t make you happy, then re-gift it to someone else. You may want to put a note on the item saying who gave it to you so that you don’t re-gift it back to them.

Online Shopping

Don’t neglect the clearance and sale section of your favorite retail websites. There are often the same items online as in-store and the online discounts and coupon codes can help you get the best deal for your money. Also, many times the selection of goods that you can find online are different from the physical store products.

I always look at the clearance section to find unusual items I wouldn’t have thought of buying normally. If it’s a great price, I’ll stock up.

This is an especially great idea when you need to meet a minimum spending requirement to get free shipping from an online store. Add a few clearance items that will work as gifts to your cart!

Decluttering

This is one of my favorite tricks! When I am decluttering and organizing my home, I often find items that I no longer want that are in really great condition.

I’ll set aside those items to use as gifts, rather than donating them to a thrift store.

Dollar Store

Small items from the Dollar Tree or Dollar General are perfect for a gift closet. These smaller items can be used in gift baskets or as stocking stuffers.

Types of Gifts to Put in Your Gift Closet

The types of gifts you set aside in your gift closet will be dependent on the types of gifts you usually give throughout the year. There is no reason to stock up on hostess gifts if you never go to parties, or to stock up on teacher appreciation or co-worker gifts if you are retired.

Here are some gift-giving occasions:

Birthdays
Anniversaries
Christmas gifts
Graduation
Hostess Gifts
Thinking of You
Teacher Appreciation
Baby Showers
Wedding Showers
Neighbor Gifts
Get Well Soon
White Elephant Gifts

A gift closet usually is for smaller gifts because you probably will remember large gifts, such as a big birthday party gift or Christmas present for your spouse. However, you can tuck away those big-ticket items in a gift closet, too.

Some great gift ideas are:

Scarves
Jewelry
Hair Accessories
Candles
Vases
Cookbooks
Non-Fiction Books
Coffee Table Books
Mugs
Beauty Products
Puzzles
Games
Picture frames
Throw Blankets
Puzzle Books
Bookmarks
Journal
Stationery Set
Fancy Pen
Craft Kits
Mugs
Gift cards
Stuffed Animals
Wine

If buying foods or drinks, be sure that the use-by date is several months out so that you don’t give expired food. Also be sure that if you are storing food or beverages it is in a place without the appropriate temperature and will not be invaded by pets or pests.

My gift stash often has a lot of random things in it that are parts of gifts. For example, I have a few hand-carved wooden spoons that may not be great gifts on their own. However, if I paired them with a bottle of local honey it would be a very thoughtful gift.

I also add ornaments and dollar store puzzle books to my stash. On their own, these gifts are meh. But when put together in a gift basket, they are really great.

Make sure to have gifts for all ages in your gift stash, if appropriate.

For instance, if you have a lot of kids or grandkids in your family, then be sure to have kid-friendly gifts set aside. If you rarely ever give children gifts, then don’t worry about stocking up for this age range.

Gift Wrap

You may want to stock up on gift wrap, cards, baskets, tags and gift bags, too. These are items that can be bought on sales throughout the year and also reduce stress when you have everything ready to put together a gift on a moments notice.

Benefits of a Gift Closet

You may be hesitant to give up square footage in your home to store gifts all year, but I promise you the benefits outweigh the storage space! Here are my favorite reasons for creating a gift stash:

Reduces Stress When you need a gift at the last minute, you will have to go shopping when you don’t want to or pay for expedited shipping online, and probably pay a higher price if the item is not on sale. All of these scenarios create a lot of stress that you don’t need in your life.
Saves Money If you don’t have to have an item immediately, it gives you the time to wait for sales and find the best price.
Thoughtful Gift Giving All too often we end up buying an un-inspired gift just because it is the only thing available at the store or we are settling for something that looks appropriate for the occasion. Without the time crunch of needing to get a gift at the last minute, you can wait for the right types of items and find heartfelt treasures.
Times of Need Sometimes you may find yourself without a lot of money to spend, but you still want to give gifts. Setting aside gifts when you can afford them will let you use your stash when the budget is too tight to buy anything.

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