Hey, Green Junkie!

Okay, be honest, do you have a stash of unwanted gifts in your closet? Or maybe they’re piling up in the dark corners of your bedroom or basement?

It’s inevitable that we often get gifts that we don’t fall in love with, or maybe it just doesn’t fit in with our lifestyle. Or perhaps it’s a duplicate of something we already have. 

There are a million reasons we might not want to keep a gift that we received, and today I’m sharing how you can repurpose those gifts sustainably and with the giver in mind.

Because look, we don’t want anyone to feel bad or be hurt by us re-gifting their gift. We can all agree that we appreciate and love the people in our lives who take the time to buy us things and show their love, right?! 

In this episode, I am keeping that in mind and sharing ways to do this lovingly and with respect to the person who gifted that item to you. 

Here’s what to expect:

• How to re-gift new (or old) gifts you have lying around
• An alternative to gifts for your kiddos this year
• How to politely approach the “no gifts” request with family members

You’ll discover that and so much more in this episode.

By the end of this episode, Green Junkie, you’ll be able to address that pile of old gifts finally and figure out the best way to give them a second life or a second home.

If you love this podcast, be sure to leave a review and share a screenshot of this episode to your IG stories. Tag @greenjunkiepodcast so I can shout you out and publicly say thanks. 

Thanks for listening and being here.

Your green bestie,

Xoxo Stephanie

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

How to Host an Eco-Friendly Holiday Party

The Ultimate Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide

Fake vs. real-creative holiday tree ideas

Sources: 

https://www.thissimplebalance.com/unwanted-gifts/

https://www.goodgirlgonegreen.com/6-ideas-for-unwanted-gifts/

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LISTEN BELOW

TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 15

0:08 Hi, Green Junkie. I'm your host Stephanie Moram, and today I'm going to tell you some eco-friendly ways to deal with unwanted gifts while still being polite to the giver.

0:18 I know you've gotten unwanted gifts in the past, whether that is during the holiday season, whether that's a birthday, whether it is any other time of the year. Maybe you've received a t-shirt or a book you've never read or worn. Many of us end up with gifts that we won't use. The downside of a consumer-driven holiday is the unwanted gifts, but it seems like the tides are turning as more families learn the benefits of gifting experiences over store-bought gifts.

0:46 If you've been given a gift that you're more than happy to part with Green Junkie, I'm going to provide you with plenty of valuable tips to make the best out of an ugly sweater situation. Please remember to subscribe to my Green Junkie podcast on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now let's dive into it.

1:05 Starting with the pile of unwanted gifts sitting in your closet as I speak. If your gift came with a receipt, you're totally in luck; you should have zero problems returning it or exchanging it for something you need. And even without a receipt, if you know where it was purchased, you can still try to get some store credit. If you do get a store credit, you could buy something for someone in need or donate that item instead. If you need ideas, different homeless shelters always need toiletries and socks. It's an easy, feel-good win for everyone.

1:40 And on that note, if you don't know what to do with your unwanted gift, have you thought about donating it? One person's trash – and I am not saying that the gift you received is trash. It's just a saying one person's trash may indeed be another's treasure. There are lots of different places that'd be happy to take your unwanted gift off your hands, whether to sell it in their nonprofit thrift store or to use it for the less fortunate. Thrift stores are full of old broken-down items, and sometimes the less fortunate like to see some new products.

2:17 You could also list the unwanted gift in a Buy Nothing group on Facebook or for free on Facebook marketplace. That way, you're certain that the item will go to someone who truly wants or needs it.

2:29 Have you thought about selling it? Have you noticed that there are so many different websites now where you can sell items? There's Let Go, Offer Up, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist; the list goes on and on. A quick Google search, and you can find so many different sites. So that's a way where you can put a little bit of money in your pocket and also make sure that this gift goes to somebody that really could use it re-gifted.

2:58 Most of the items we receive for the holidays come in brand new condition. So there's no shame, in my opinion, of re-wrapping it and giving it to someone else. Though some people have pretty strong views around re-gifting whether or not it's genuinely acceptable, for me, re-gifting doesn't need to look like re-wrapping that present. However, you can do that if you want. If you're comfortable doing so, re-gifting can look like giving it directly to a friend who you know will use it and love it. Think of re-gifting as a special donation; you could save this option for that random coworker rather than your grandmother on her birthday.

3:34 How about a swap it. You could organize a post-holiday party with your friends and swap unwanted gifts for someone else's. You can make it fun; you can have a girl's night and sit around exchanging your different gifts. Green Junkie, I'm not saying that I'm anti-gifts. Sometimes dealing with unwanted gifts that lead to clutter in our homes and landfills is just a hassle. Unwanted gifts can steal our time thinking about what to do with them. Plus the gift-givers money. I saw a meetup group that I read about that organized a huge party, and over 50 women showed up with their unwanted scarves and candles and oven mints and bath products. Everyone went home happy.

4:15 You could opt to keep it if you're nervous about getting rid of that salt and pepper shaker that your sister-in-law gave you in the case at a later event she asks you about it. It's okay to put them away in a drawer until her next visit. Sometimes you have to think of the giver and allow them the joy of seeing you use their gift. Unless it's fruitcake. I'm convinced the late comedian Johnny Carson was right when he said the worst gift is a fruitcake, there is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.

4:47 Whatever you do, you're always able to offer the unwanted gifts back to the gift giver before anything else. Explain to them that while you're so thankful, they thought of you, you can't find a place for the item in your home, and you won't be able to use them enough to justify keeping it. Because after all, their gift deserves to be used and loved instead of gathering dust in your kitchen or anywhere else in your house. Sometimes we think the gift giver is more attached than they are. Sometimes they could care less shrug it off and tell you to pass it along to someone who could use it. And then re-gift or donate it. Either way, you're honouring them and yourself by being honest and involving them, even if it's a little uncomfortable at first.

5:31 And lastly, how can you avoid unwanted gifts in the future. Because clutter causes anxiety, it's time to be honest about how you feel. While some people may give gifts because they feel obliged to the last thing you want to do is crush their generosity. But make sure to express sincere gratitude and appreciation for the gift and explain that you're on a simple green living journey at your house. If you explain the heart behind your desire for less stuff, you're more likely to be gift experiences, or gift, something that you genuinely do need. I don't think there's anything wrong with letting people know within your family and your friend's circle that, hey, I don't need anything right now. I'm grateful that you thought of me, but I don't need anything. So when the holidays come, please, there's no need to buy me anything. Or, if you genuinely do, the gift of an experience is something that I would like. Again, there is nothing wrong with that.

6:33 When my kids were really, really little. We asked our family, please can you slow down on the gift-giving because they're never going to use all of these toys, and it was received in a very nice way.

6:46 When you get a present that you are on the opposite of excitement about this year, figuring out what to do with it can be complicated, mainly because you don't want to hurt the gift-givers feeling. My hope is that this list will help you do something useful with those unwanted gifts this year. For more great ideas surrounding the holidays on how to enjoy yourself while still being eco-conscious, check out my other Green Junkie podcast episodes, Fake Versus Real Trees, The Ultimate Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide and How to Host an Eco-Friendly Holiday Party.

7:19 Please stay connected with me on Instagram at Green Junkie podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to my green junkie podcast on the platform you're listening on. For direct access to me, your green living expert, click the link in the show notes where you can ask me any question and get a customized plan on how you can live a greener life. If you're curious about zero waste living, sustainable fashion, or wondering how to read food labels or cleaning products – I've got you covered. Click the link in the show notes to hop on a one-on-one call with me as your personal green Google and pick my brain. I'd love to support you on your green living journey. Thanks for listening Green Junkie, and I'll see you next Tuesday.