Gift Flops to Avoid this Holiday Gifting Season (and Great Alternatives)
- Shiffy ClearSpace
- Dec 6
- 4 min read
December 6th, 2025
As a professional organizer, I've witnessed time and again which gifts people typically keep, and what ends up collecting dust, getting tossed or donated. Not that I'm opposed to gifts, materialistic or experience-related. I simply want to help you choose items your loved ones will truly use and enjoy. So that the time and energy you invested in choosing gifts and your hard-earned money don't go down the drain. Below, I mention up some of the most common gifts I've sees left unused or given away, and related suggestions in their place.
Mugs
We've all got the 1 mug we use daily, while the
rest just sit in the cabinet. It's honestly one of the most donated items on organizing jobs; everyone has too many, and most people feel guilty getting rid of them when they were gifted, even if they don’t like the mug or never use it. On top of that, so many brands and companies gift mugs throughout the year, adding to the cabinet clutter. If someone you love is a coffee or tea lover, a wonderful alternative would be something a little more practical, like a gift card to their favorite coffee shop, or a bag of their favorite coffee beans or pods. If you're feeling fancy or generous, see if they'd love a specific coffee machine.
Clothes
Purchasing clothing is a very personal experience, and can be easy to unknowingly offend someone when picking a size you assume will work for them. Even things like fabric choice can cause allergic reactions, general itchiness, or discomfort. If you know someone loves a specific store or brand, you can opt for a gift card instead.
Perfume
Fragrance is another one of the most personal gifts you can buy. A scent doesn’t smell the same on everyone; our unique body chemistry can completely transform how a perfume or cologne wears. That’s why gifting fragrance tends to be a risky move. Unless you’re certain your loved one already uses and adores a specific scent, it’s better to leave perfume off the gift list. A gift certificate would work well in its place.
Wall Art
Wall art can hit the spot or be a total miss. What one person finds beautiful or inspiring might clash with someone else’s style or existing decor. Another thing to take note of is that many homes just don’t have extra wall space, which means these well-intended gifts often get tucked away in storage or donated. Unless your loved one has pointed out a specific piece they’ve been wanting, it’s better to skip wall art and let them pick out something that genuinely fits their taste and space. In that vain, picture frames sound like a thoughtful, easy gift, but they can be surprisingly tricky to get right. Everyone’s home has its own style, and it’s hard to know what size, color, or finish will actually fit. We often find piles of unused frames during organizing jobs because people don’t know where to put them. It’s best to skip generic frames when shopping this holiday season.
Gag Gifts
I'm not much of a party-pooper (don't ask my 5-year old, he'll disagree every evening), but gag gifts usually end up tossed out shortly after the laugh fades.They’re amusing for a moment, but they don’t offer much value and often just turn into clutter or waste. If you want to give something playful, choose a small treat or simple experience that sparks joy without leaving extra stuff behind.
Customized Gifts
Personalized gifts-like monogrammed towels or engraved cutting boards- are thoughtful, but they can easily miss the mark. Taste varies from person to person, and once something has initials or a name on it, it becomes nearly impossible to pass along. These items often end up donated, and even then, they rarely get chosen again. Plus, people tend to feel guilty letting go of personalized pieces, so they hang on to items that don’t suit their home or lifestyle. Unless you’re certain the style is a perfect match, it’s better to skip the custom gift.
What to Gift Instead
The best way to make sure your loved ones get what they truly want this holiday season is to simply ask! Have them share a short wish list—and offer yours in return. This still allows you to choose something meaningful while knowing it’s a gift they’ll actually enjoy and use. You can also opt for experience-based gifts, like gift certificates to their favorite places, concert tickets, an annual membership to a place they’ll frequent often, lessons for a hobby they want to indulge in, or even a helpful service they’ve been wanting—like hiring a professional organizer to bring calm and order into their home.
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Stay organized this season with our easy-to-use Holiday Gift Tracker. This one-page chart helps you keep all your gift planning in one place—track who you’re shopping for, what you’re buying, your budget, and whether each gift has been purchased, wrapped, and delivered. It’s the perfect tool to simplify your holiday planning, avoid last-minute stress, and stay on top of your gifting with ease.
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Shiffy is the founder of ClearSpace by Shiffy LLC, a Professional Home Organizing Business in South Florida, servicing Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She loves creating systems out of chaos and is known for her attention to detail, and ensuring that each project is customized and streamlined to fit the customer's lifestyle. Her projects are easy to maintain long term, bringing function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @clearspacebyshiffy
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