5 clutter-free gift ideas for the holidays

Shopping for the holidays? Calm Order recommends giving a gift than can be experienced or consumed. This way, your loved ones can enjoy their gift without adding unnecessary clutter into their lives. If you’re having trouble thinking of gift ideas, don’t just buy something at random. Chances are, whoever gets the gift won’t be able to use it and will end up having to give it away or put it in storage and forget about it. Don’t be afraid to buy gift certificates or tickets for gifts that won’t turn into unwanted clutter.

 Enjoy dinner and a movie

This classic weekend activity is a great gift to give anyone on your gift list. It can easily be customized to everyone’s tastes and interests because you can be general movie passes that aren’t specific to a certain movie, theatre or time. This way, your gift recipient can make plans to use their gift whenever works best for them. Better yet, it can be a completely clutter-less gift! Consider buy the movie passes and restaurant gift certificate online and sending them over electronically. You can print out a certificate or card that can be opened the day of but doesn’t need to be saved (and most likely lost) when the recipient goes to use it. This idea also works well as a couple or group gift.

Give a night at the theatre

Calgary is home to many different theatres and performance groups that provide entertainment for all ages. From musicals to comedy shows and family-friendly performances, there are many different performance companies like Theatre Calgary, Pumphouse Theatre and StoryBook Theatre that can also make great gifts for family and friends. If there is a specific show you know your loved ones will love, then it might be a good idea to purchase specific tickets for them and other friends and family before they sell out. You can even consider purchasing general admission tickets, so they can see a show whenever they want. This gift can be a unique experience, and an activity they may not have thought to do on their own. If you have friends or family that really enjoy seeing performances, consider also buying them season passes to their favourite place.

Explore Calgary’s museums and galleries

For an even more engaging gift, consider giving friends and family passes to one of the many museums and galleries in Calgary and the surrounding area. From places like the Glenbow Museum, Heritage Park or even the Royal Tyrrell Museum, season passes, or one-time admission tickets make a great gift for any individual or group. Admission passes will allow recipients to make a visit at a time that works with their schedule and be a fun afternoon or day activity for them to experience by themselves or with other friends. If you’re looking for a bigger gift, you could buy multiple admission tickets to multiple places, and cut down on the number of physical items your loved ones will receive this holiday season. Give them a gift they can actually experience and remember!

Test culinary skills and taste buds

If you know anyone that likes to cook, bake, or eat food, find a cooking class or demonstration on a food type or cuisine they like, so they can enjoy an afternoon or evening learning about (and eating) something they love! Most classes can be group or partner activities, so this could be a great idea to do with your recipient, or to give them to do with someone else. There are classes available in Calgary from a variety of organizations like ATCO Blue Flame, The Cookbook Company Cooks, Sunterra, and more. If your recipient isn’t a fan of cooking, try a tasting or pairing event instead, which usually offers beverages and food samplings for guests to try. Restaurants and bakeries offer events like this that allow people to purchase tickets in advance, which makes for a great gift to enjoy after the holidays. Not only are they engaging activities, they can also be very educational!

Treat your loved ones

After a busy holiday season, nothing is better than getting a relaxing day at the spa! Whether it is a massage, pedicure, or full treatment, consider giving a gift certificate to a spa for your friend or loved one. It could be their regular treatment, or something new they wouldn’t normally get to do. There are also spa treatments available for couples or groups that you can also give. Some packages may also offer the option to get food or drinks to turn it into an even more engaging activity. A spa-day is the perfect gift for friends and family who may need rest and relaxation after spending a busy few days with family or travelling.

Give a gift that won’t just take up space in the homes of your friends and family. This year give them something they can actually experience and enjoy. Not only will it save you time and eliminate your gift-wrapping time, you can be assured that your recipients will actually use and appreciate their gift without adding more clutter to their lives.

Ready for Spring Cleaning? Make Your Checklist!

Spring is almost here! As with every year, that means it’s time to get your home and yard cleaned and organized after the long winter. In Calgary, it often feels like winter has never left us, but even one sunny day can be enough motivation for the warmer season ahead to get started on all the cleaning tasks needed to be done. 

While getting clean and organized always feels good at the end of the day, it can take a lot of energy and motivation to get started. Often, the number of tasks we know we need to get done can seem overwhelming. In cases like this, many of the activities we hope to accomplish end up not being completed, or we start something that we just don’t have the time or resources to finish.

This year, avoid falling short of your spring cleaning goals by creating an easy to manage checklist that will only ensure success. The key is to focus on breaking down the big picture tasks you want to do and breaking them down into easily-manageable activities that won’t take up an entire day. These activities should be easy to do in a couple hours or an afternoon and spread out over a longer period of time. This way, you can work towards one project at a time.

For example, if one of your spring cleaning goals it to organize the garage, don’t just leave it at that. There is so much involved in organizing and cleaning a garage, so try breaking it down into even smaller steps:

Organize the Garage

Declutter

• Go through all items currently in the garage.

• Sort through items (what is to keep, what is to donate, what is to sell, and what is to discard).

Cleaning

• Sweep the garage floor

• Spray out the garage floor.

• Wipe down any cupboards/containers.

Storage

• Create a plan for storing items.

• Purchase or re-purpose additional bins/shelves/hooks needed to store items.

• Put items away in their proper place.

Whatever your spring cleaning projects may be, breaking down everything that needs to be done can make the tasks more achievable and not so daunting. Plus, creating a checklist can also help you keep on track on what has been completed and what needs to be done so you don’t start a project without finishing it.

Before the season starts in earnest, take the time to create your spring cleaning checklist with everything you want to get accomplished. Even the most basic checklist can help make your projects simple, easy, and manageable!

10 Activities to Do at Home

There are many activities that can be done from the comfort of your own home. With everyone still encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, there’s no better time to pick-up a new hobby or activity.

Organize!

Getting your home organized is a process that can’t be done overnight. There’s no better time to dedicate yourself and your family to going through the organization process, whether it is one room or the entire house. Need some help getting started? Calm Order is offering virtual organizing services! Learn more here.

Learn a new language

Take some time to polish up your second language skills or learn a new one! There are different online classes or apps available for learning new languages, some of which are free or cost-effective (like these virtual courses). Practice your new skill while you’re at home or with family and friends over video call.

Host a tournament

It could be a board game tournament or outdoor sporting tournament, but if you’re at home with your family turn a one-time game night into a multi-day event! Pick a game that everyone can play and be sure to establish rules for the tournament before you begin to avoid any potential issues. Once you’re done, you can pick up a new game and start again.

Start a garden

With warmer weather on the way, now is the time to make a plan for an outdoor garden. If you’re new to gardening, take the time to do research on what plants and flowers would work best for your space, whether you have a large backyard garden or small patio garden.

Tackle a new puzzle or board game

Trying to figure out a new board game or complete a large puzzle can be a length endeavour, but there’s no better time to do it! Set aside a night on your own or with your family to read instructions and learn a new game or put together a difficult puzzle.

Get creative with arts and crafts

There are many easy crafts that can be completed with items found in your home. If you’re looking for inspiration, try searching tutorials for how to knit a new scarf or make your own interior decoration. If you do need supplies, try finding a local store that offers home delivery or curbside pick-up.

Clean your outdoor spaces

Make sure your backyard and patio are ready for the summer! Get outside and clear out any old leaves, grass and other foliage. Dust off patio furniture and pull out lawn decorations so you can have a clean and relaxing space outside.

Watch a new show

Review your to-watch show list and find a new series to start watching. If you don’t want to watch alone, consider hosting virtual show nights with family and friends and watching them together over a chat or video call.

Read a new series

A visit to the bookstore or library may not be possible but finding a new series to read isn’t! Browse through your local library’s digital collection and download a new eBook to read, or a buy a book online through your eReader. You can even start a virtual book club with friends and read a new book together!

Complete a home DIY project

There is always something to do around the house, so why not try tackling it on your own? Some projects require the work of professionals, but small projects like painting a room or putting together a new shelving unit for the living room are easier tasks that can be done on your own.