think outside the box.
Now that the holidays are over, you might be staring at a pile of stuff you’re not quite sure what to do with. Gift giving and receiving can be one of the most fun parts of the holidays…when it’s done right. But there’s always a circumstance no matter how well intentioned someone is that you get something so far off its hard to feign your gratitude. But you’re nice so you do it anyway. That does not mean you have to hold onto everything you receive, especially if you’re trying to de-clutter in the New Year. Here are some dos and don’ts to get you started.
To Do or Do Not: Re-gift
Re-gifting is a popular option but that can get a little tricky. If you stick to a tight social circle there is always the chance of a double re-gift right back to where it originated, which is never a good look. Try explaining that blunder in a group gift exchange.
However, if you receive something like a bottle of red wine and you’re allergic to sulfates, re-gift the heck out of that thing. It’s basically untraceable.
Do: Sell
Not everyone lucks out receiving the use-anywhere Visa gift card. If you get a gift card to a location you will definitely not be frequenting, you can sell it on EBay and basically get face value for it. No harm no foul. Cash baby!
A lot of clothing companies will accept returns on clothes if they have the tags on them, but otherwise not so much. Making a trade on a website like threadUP, Rehash, Dig N Swap, or Swapstyle, can be the perfect option. Most of their content is flawless and you can pick and choose what you’d want instead of the sweater or purse you received.
Do Not: Throw gift in the back of your closet
Remember that weekend you went on a closet cleaning binge where you got rid of every shirt that had ex boyfriend bad vibes on it and feng-shui’d the crap out of your underwear drawers? Don’t undo that hard work. If you toss a bad gift in the back of your closet it will keep resurfacing inexplicably amongst your shoes and annoying you all year.
Do: Donate
If there is no chance of making a profit off of a gift and you know none of your friends would take it off of your hands, just head to a local donation spot. There is always the chance you can deduct it off your taxes.
