Minimalist Gift Ideas: The Guide to Buying a Great Gift for a Minimalist Person
When it comes to buying gifts for minimalists, people often get stuck. After all, the last thing you want is to buy a gift for a minimalist, only to find it donated to the thrift store before the next gifting season comes around.
In this blog post we’ll help you find the perfect gift for your minimalist friend or family member by discussing what type of gifts they like and how to choose a gift that they’ll actually use!
What is a Minimalist?
A minimalist is someone who strives to live with less. They believe that living a life of simplicity will lead them towards more fulfilling lives. Minimalism also helps focus on what’s important for future goals, rather than the materialistic items they have now or want.
There are many ways people can be minimalists. It doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid all your things from home nor giving up all your possessions; sometimes just changing habits such as decluttering regularly helps people become better at being mindful about how much stuff we really need around us every day!
If there was one thing I could tell anyone wanting some advice when buying gifts: don’t buy something because “it looks cool” or “it’s on sale.” Instead, think about the person and what they might need or want.
What are the Best Minimalist Type Gifts?
Many people are embracing minimalism and living a minimalist life of better organization, less clutter and simple living. But when it comes to gift giving, what do you buy for the minimalist person?
Here are our top gifts for minimalists and minimalist living:
Minimalist Gifts for Him
This minimalist watch has an ultra thin dial and stainless steel strap. This watch is elegant, simple and perfect for a minimalist gift for him. There are 24 different color choices so there’s bound to be one to suit.
This watch is water resistant, has an adjustable strap (tool included) and the glass watch face is a flat design. The watch comes packaged in a 40mm case, perfect for gifting to the minimalist in your life.
Here is a brief rundown of the features of this watch:
- 24 color choices
- 4cm case width
- 2cm band width
- 0.7cm case thickness
- Weight 2.08 ounces
- Analog watch
- Minimalist Design
- Water Resistant
- Adjustable strap
Fossil Men’s Gen 5E Smartwatch
This generation 5E smartwatch by Fossil was released in September 2020, and was destined to make our list of best gifts for minimalists.
Compatible with iPhone® and Android™ phones, this smartwatch with a 44mm case offers contactless pay, microphone and speaker, notifications, heart rate tracking and is swim proof.
It’s on the higher end of the budget however, so make sure your really know the minimalist in your life before you buy them something like this. This is a great choice for a minimalist son or brother from a family member who knows them well.
If your partner is a minimalist, this could also work. There are women’s versions of this watch available also in a slimmer 42mm case design.
What you want to make sure when shopping for gifts for minimalists is that you understand the person you are buying for and it fits with their wants within their minimalist lifestyle.
Check it out on Amazon here:
Minimalist Hiking Shoes
Great for walking, hiking or trekking, these minimalist shoes are a blend of wool and synthetic fibers with a megagrip sole for excellent performance on a variety of surfaces.
I once knew a guy who used to wear these shoes to work in an office! They looked ridiculous for office attire, but he was adamant that they were the most comfortable shoes he has ever worn!
Vibram is a leading brand in quality minimalist shoes and these five fingers shoes don’t disappoint. Any person living a minimalist lifestyle will love these minimalist hiking shoes as a gift. There’s also 5 different colors to choose from, with sizes up to US12.5.
If the genuine Vibram shoes are out of your budget, check out these shoes by Aleader for under $40:
(Click or tap the image to view on Amazon).
There’s also a women’s minimalist zero drop barefoot shoe by Whitin which are extremely popular and available in 13 colorways:
Herschel Charlie Wallet
This Herschel Charlie Wallet is a fantastic minimalist gift idea. Measuring 10cm x 7.5cm this wallet holds around 10 cards and approximately 20 bills.
This minimalist wallet also contains an RFID blocking layer to help prevent unauthorized scanning of cards.
Suitable for both men and women, the Herschel Charlie Wallet is available in 11 colors for any minimalists taste.
With over 6,800 reviews rating the Herschel Charlie Wallet at 4.8 stars, we’re pretty impressed!
GSI Minimalist Outdoor Cooking System
GSI Outdoors is a must for any outdoor lover and this minimalist cookset for one is a great gift idea for minimalists.
The Glacier Stainless Minimalist includes a 0.6 L pot/mug, sip-it top, insulated sleeve, silicone gripper, and a telescoping foon.
If your minimalist friend loves the outdoors, this set has it all. The pot gripper attaches by magnet transforming it into an insulated mug and the lid also acts as a sip top for hot drinks.
Weighing less than half a pound your minimalist will comfortably carry this around. Crafted from tough stainless steel which will last for years to come.
If the minimalist in your life loves the outdoors, this is a great minimalist gift idea that is sure to impress.
Minimalist Living
Here are our top storage and decor ideas for minimalist living.
Minimalist Desk Organizer
This white minimalist desk organizer comes in two pieces and can be arranged in five different combinations. Perfect to keep any minimalist computer desk neat and tidy, or place on a bedside table, dresser or cupboard to add vertical space and help keep it neat and tidy.
With such a variety of uses this minimalist desk organizer is sure to be appreciated by any person looking for a small storage solution and would make a great minimalist gift idea.
Bed Shelfie
The bed shelfie is a fantastic minimalist solution for small spaces, college dorms or bunk beds. It’s an attachable bedside tray – alleviate the need for a bulky bedside table, yet sturdy enough to hold a laptop, complete with a slot in each side for cords or chargers.
There’s also different styles available to suit different types of bed frames. The Bed Shelfie doesn’t require any tools to set up and can be positioned anywhere along the side of the bed. Fixing with a clamp it won’t damage the bed frame.
We’re really impressed with the bed shelfie and are sure any minimalist would be thrilled to receive this as a gift. Check it out further via the link below.
Minimalist Gifts for Her
What do you buy the woman who loves to live a minimalist lifestyle? Here’s a few minimalist gift ideas which she’s sure to love.
Umbra Jewelry Box
Minimalists probably don’t have a lot of jewelry, perhaps a few key pieces to compliment their style. That’s where the Umbra Jewelry box comes in.
The Umbra Jewelry Box has an ultra modern design and is the perfect blend of functionality with minimalist style. Tucking away jewelry in hidden compartments and folding together to make one compact box this jewelry storage solution by Umbra would make a wonderful gift for minimalist living.
This Umbra Tesora Jewelry Box is another wonderful choice for a jewelry box with a modern, minimalist design. It comes with a 5 year warranty and features a thick padded base, soft fabric lining to protect jewelry and the plated metal lid doubles as a display tray.
Available in 5 designs this stylish, modern, minimalist jewelry box would make a wonderful minimalist birthday, anniversary or Christmas gift.
Joseph Joseph Utensils
A minimalist kitchen is all about function, and simplicity. If you’re looking for a great gift idea that will make your loved one’s life easier in the long run without taking up too much space or adding clutter to their home, then consider getting them something practical like these magnetized nesting utensils.
This Joseph Joseph nest utensils set has 5 kitchen utensils held neatly stacked together with magnetic handles. Perfect for any minimalist kitchen, Joseph Joseph utensils are designed to withstand heat up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
They’re also dishwasher safe and incredibly stylish with three different colors sets available to match any minimalist kitchen.
If your minimalist friend has a small kitchen or looking for a slim design that will take up minimal kitchen counter space, these nesting Joseph Joseph utensils are a great minimalist gift idea!
Minimalist Kitchen Essentials
More than just a cookbook, The Minimalist Kitchen is a lifestyle tool to help with minimalist meal planning, kitchen and pantry essentials, cooking techniques and shopping habits.
Once you have the basics organized, there’s 100 delicious mix and match recipes, intentionally designed for weekdays, weekends and make ahead meals.
A worthwhile cookbook for anyone, not just minimalists, but certainly a fabulous gift for anyone adopting a minimalist lifestyle and needing a resource to help organize a minimalist kitchen.
Environmentally Friendly Dish Towels
These environmentally friendly cotton dish towels are crafted from scraps of denim and raw cotton waste from yarn mills.
Although both of these products are 100% cotton, as off cuts they would be heading for landfill. There are no chemicals or dyes added, and these dish towels consume minimal water and energy to make.
The dish towels are thoughtfully packaged with eco friendly, recycled and natural materials that are compostable, biodegradable or recyclable.
Not only are you giving a practical gift for a minimalist, you are helping the environment. A wonderful talking point when washing the dishes or sharing with your friends.
Check out this dish towel set on Amazon below:
Need a Non Material Minimalist Gift?
A gift card is a great idea for someone who doesn’t want anything. This way, they can get something that suits them without you having to spend time and money on choosing the perfect present!
I never give gift cards alone however. I like to pair gift cards or gift certificates with something practical such as some nice dish towels. I have a minimalist friend who loves to fold a beautiful dish towel over the handle of the oven. It’s a lovely pop of color and elegance in an otherwise contemporary space.
As minimalists generally prefer experiences over material items, and care about their impact on the environment, you could choose a gift card from somewhere local such as a farmers market or handmade gift fair.
A digital subscription such as Audible is always a favorite when choosing gifts for minimalists. Your minimalist friend can choose from podcasts, audiobooks and more, easily downloaded.
I hope this helps you out when shopping for gifts for minimalists.
