Method For: A Clutter-Free Stocking

Over the years I have scrambled at the last minute to fill Christmas stockings with stuff I paid too much for that never got used. In other words, I filled my kids’ stockings with clutter. There have been countless toys, bath bombs, gift cards, expensive candy, notepads and other sundries that I later found unused when cleaning out their rooms. That s%$t drives me crazy. And yet every year I was the poster child for Einstein’s theory of insanity, somehow doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

So this post is a PSA to not fall into this trap. The Christmas Stocking Clutter trap. Here’s my theory on why it happens, at least why it happens in my family: my kids had/have too much stuff. Their Christmas lists aren’t usually long and since they’ve all had jobs starting in High School they buy a lot of the stuff they want with their own money. And so in hindsight my last-minute attempts to stuff the stockings were just filler, like packing peanuts carelessly discarded. I would have been better served to take a more minimalist approach.

Here is how I now ‘stuff’ my kids’ stockings – by the time I nailed this strategy it was almost too late. If your kids are little this may be less of an issue for you now but the broader theme is that kids today have so much more stuff than we did at their age; if you are buying something just to fill a stocking vs. being intentional then you are likely just adding clutter to their rooms and your home.

I use 4 filters to screen stocking candidates for my teens/young adults – I call it the anti-clutter stocking:

SOMETHING SMALL THEY WANT.

This one is obvious, duh. I have 2 girls and they like jewelry so if I’m getting something off their list in that category it goes in the stocking instead of getting wrapped (at our house Santa doesn’t wrap.) My son’s list doesn’t usually include something small so he is tricker and this category doesn’t usually apply to him.

A BASIC THEY GO THROUGH FAST.

Batteries are always good if you have a gamer in the house – we went through Double A’s like crazy for a few years so that was a great thing for Brooks. My girls like a specific brand of makeup wipes so that is also a winner that I know will get used.

A FAVORITE THEY NEED MORE OF.

Starbucks gift cards are good for my girls but not my son. A grocery gift card is better for him because he shops for himself now. My girls love Sugar lip balm by Fresh; it’s expensive so they rarely buy it for themselves. My son is a a runner and so my favorite brand of socks (Bombas!) are great because he would ordinarily buy himself cheap socks and these will serve him better and last longer.

Something experiential.

Since family trips are now fewer and farther between, I have written the destination in a card for everyone in their stocking if we have a trip planned. Other experiential ideas include concert tickets, game tickets or mani/pedi gift cards.

These stocking gift suggestions might not make much sense for those with small kids now but the topic bears thinking about because you will blink and suddenly there will be teenagers carelessly ditching a the little treasures you picked out for them in the ‘Stocking Stuffer’ section of the store as you were waiting in the check out line. Don’t be a victim to last-minute scramble gifts that immediately turn into clutter! Here’s to saving time, money and eventually my feelings by avoiding the Christmas-Clutter stocking trap!