Hello friends this is Youheum. Today I'll be sharing my minimalist gift ideas and
tips on sustainable options. I'll also
share how I let go of unwanted gifts
without feeling guilty towards the end
for this video. I'm happy to collaborate
with Organic Basics through sponsorship.
I'm grateful to spread their message of
conscious living and sustainable
practices. Even as a minimalist, I do
understand and appreciate the practice
of gift-giving because it's an
expressive way of showing love and
gratitude to someone. This can be
important for a certain culture like
cultural holidays. That's why I don't
really deny gifts, presents, or other
people's lifestyle where shopping is
important to them. I feel that we
all have a different preference and I
don't really deny or reject maximalism
just because it's very different from my
own approach. Since I'm an extreme
minimalist
I rarely shop but when I do want to show
gratitude to my friends, family, and
loved ones, and especially when I go to
new places when I travel, I do want to
get some souvenirs for my friends. If
that's the case, I do have three rules
that I go by. Firstly I want it to be useful,
versatile, and utilitarian. My golden
rule is to go for basics or consumables.
I also choose gifts that are sustainable,
eco-friendly, and aligned with my low-waste goals but I don't really focus too
much on perfectionism. I simply try
my best to align with this. Above all
I prefer to ask before surprising the
receiver. This way, I can be mindful of
their needs and preference. So I simply
ask if they need anything or have a
preference when it comes to color, style,
or design.
It's true that I rarely give material
things to other people mainly because I
prefer not to receive any for myself. I prefer to give
experiences and nourishment
instead of physical things to people.
This includes taking them out to dinner,
buying them good food, giving them the
experiences that they want like getting
tickets to the museum, to events, and going to
movies. In my
culture, Korean people also give cash as
a way of gift-giving so I think that's
also an option as well. Also, be sure to
share with me what are some non-material gift ideas you have. Do you think
digital gifts are a good idea like ebook
or courses? Let us know in the comments.
I know that there are times when
we want to show our gratitude and
kindness through material things and I
think that's completely ok. So my go-to
product when it comes to gift-giving is
natural soap. It's useful, compostable, and
utilitarian. I prefer high quality
sustainably sourced materials or palm-free soap
I try to focus on being chemical-free, natural, and organic
as much as possible. So this one is made
with essential oils and natural ingredients.
I also love buying things that
are locally made here in Austin. Things that I
can get at the farmers market or craft
fairs like tea, herbal salves, and
handmade products. I try to give
something that I have tried and tested
so that I can tell how the quality is
and if it's suitable for the receiver.
I also do enjoy making my own gifts like
giving away herb bundles.
Made with herbs from my own community
garden. I like how this can be burned,
used up quickly, and it leaves no trace. I
also have the option to get consumables
like healthy snacks, supplements, and
vitamins. I got these for my family
members when I travel next month and I
already know that they are ok with the
ingredients. So it's a pretty safe choice.
I do suggest considering the receiver's
dietary needs and restrictions so that you be aware of
what to buy and what not to buy when it
comes to consumables. I'm grateful to
receive their generous gift for me to
try out. The material is cotton and the
design is very simple. Since I tried
and tested this, I know that it's super
soft, good quality, and long-lasting.
So I'm choosing to give this away to my
cousin as a gift. I know that this
was something that she's been looking
for and she likes organic products and
black is definitely her color. So I feel
like this would be a safe option for me.
If you are also looking for sustainable
basic items, I would love to recommend
this for you to try out. Feel free to use the discount code in
the descriptions. For me, gift-giving
doesn't have to be limited to buying
something that's fancy, unique, and pricey.
I think that it's also good to get
something that's not that special but
can be used every day. For packaging, I
usually use scrap paper, jute twines, and
recycled materials. I'm using some
leftover materials that I found in my
sister's art box. I have some tissue
paper, linen baggies, strings, and
a piece of scrap paper to write a quick note.
This way, I can be sustainable and
eco-friendly as much as I can without
creating additional waste from packaging
and from buying new products. If there is
a chance for me to say no before they go
out to buy my gifts, then I will say it in
a very clear non-passive-aggressive way
without being so angry or frustrated at
that person. I'll be mindful and
intentional with what I'm saying to that
person when I kindly reject and voice my
opinion that I don't really need any more gifts.
But if I am in a situation where
the gift giver is insistent on giving me
a new gift or if they've already
purchased something for me, then I will
receive it with gratitude by I saying thank
you but I will decide to donate it or
give to someone else who is in need.
I believe it's good to be aware that
there are people that don't really
understand minimalism or they can't
really entertain the possibility of
simplicity as happiness. So it's good to
be gentle and forgiving to those who
give us gifts even though it might be
unwanted. I can still say thank you and
feel gratitude in my heart and show that
kind gesture is what matters most than
the material possession and
object itself. If you also resonate with the feelings of
guilt and shame then I would love to do
a video on how to let go of sentimental
things, how to let go of birthday cards,
and gifts in the future to help you
overcome this block in your letting go,
decluttering, and minimalism journey.
I hope that I was useful in some way. If
you enjoyed this video, please like and
subscribe to my channel. Thanks again for being here my friends and I hope to see
you again soon.
you
you
