Do I love the holidays? Of course! But sometimes just the thought of all the new gifts coming into my house causes me more stress during the holiday season.
We’ve put together a gift guide of gifts that won’t add clutter or mess in your home. Even better, you can shop local in Cincinnati for most of these gifts!
EXPERIENCES
Leave your loved one with lasting memories, and no clutter in sight! Cincinnati has some amazing opportunities, here are some of our favorites.
The Pop-Up BnB
The Pop-Up BNB is a local Cincinnati company that provides elevated glamping experiences in Cincinnati and beyond! They take care of everything for you (including setting up the tent + accessories from bear spray to biodegradable toilet paper) and it can be as extravagant or minimal as you want it to be. The best part is that their tents are completely mobile and the experience is customizable so you can specialize this gift to whoever you are giving it to. Plus, they are offering a complimentary gift box set (mug + s’mores kit) with gift card purchases of $100+ for the holidays!
Tablespoon Cooking Co
Tablespoon Cooking Co specializes in cooking classes 
for every kind of cook. Their classes feature seasonal favorites and classics such as how to make fresh pasta (YUM!). You can also shop some of their food (including their famous chocolate chip cookies and snack mix) + merch on their shop.
The At Home Chef
The At Home Chef, Ken Durbin, provides intimate epicurean experiences. His philosophy: that delicious meals and great company are some of the finest luxuries of our lifetime. He also focuses on sourcing fresh, local food whenever possible. Check out Chef Ken’s instagram page and you will know why we think this would make a delicious gift!
Manitou Candle Co
Manitou Candle Co is a women-owned business specializing in small-batch candles with a contemporary perspective – combining incredible scents with 100% American-made soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks for an eco-friendly, clean burn. Their candle making classes are fun and each person builds 2 large glass candles blending their own custom scent from over 100 different scents! Not to mention their candles are 100% vegan, cruelty, petroleum, and phthalate free.
Daisy Jane’s Flower Truck
You can find Daisy Jane’s Flower Truck providing beautiful floral arrangements around Cincinnati or attend one of their workshops at the flower bar. We love the idea of this dried floral wreath kit + video tutorial or DIY succulent garden kit as a gift idea this holiday season!
SENTIMENTAL GIFTS
We’ve found gifts that are special and personalized to the person you’re giving it to, and will reduce clutter at the same time!
Grainwell Personalized Handwritten Recipe Cutting Board
This cutting board from Grainwell is not only sentimental but practical – it combines a cutting board with your favorite family recipe. Use code simplifyinstyle for 15% off this cutting board (offer ends Dec. 4 at midnight).
Fox & Fern Paper Goods House Portrait
Fox & Fern Paper Goods has tons of beautiful, personalized pieces but one of our favorites is this hand painted house portrait.
Artkive
Artkive is such a cool app – they send you a box with a pre-paid shipping label for you to send in your kid’s favorite artwork and they transform it into a keepsake book or mosaic artwork. Less clutter: check. Beautiful, personalized gift: also check! Use code simplifyinstyle20 for $20 off!
IDEAS FOR KIDS
When it comes to kids gifts, it can be really hard to find clutter-free gifts. Here are some ideas:
Consumable Gifts
This category includes gifts that kids can use/play with but once they are done, it doesn’t take up space: for example, crafts, science kits, food, etc.
We found these adorable Personalized Crayon names from a local etsy shop that are special but also consumable – once they use them up they are gone and won’t cause clutter in your home! Use code MERRY15 for 15% off these Personalized Crayon names,
Experiences
I love to gift experiences because they leave us with lasting memories without the clutter! There are a ton of experiences that Cincinnati has to offer.
Staycations
Last year, we gifted our kids a staycation at a local hotel. We stayed at the AC Marriott Hotel at Liberty Center (West Chester, OH) and they absolutely loved it. They have an indoor pool that also has a hot tub that you can swim to outside.
Yes Day
Based on the movie Yes Day, the idea is to say YES to your kids (within reason of course) and let them have a day where they get to plan all of the fun things they can imagine. Who wouldn’t love that?!
1:1 Time Learning a Skill
Last year, my step-dad gave my son time spent together teaching him how to build a dog house for our dogs. He still talks about how amazing it is that he built our dog house! Plus, he learned a new skill that will last a lifetime.
Nerf Lovers
Do you have a nerf lover in your life? If you already have a ton of nerf blasters at home, instead gift them a day at Dart Arena.
Day Trips
Cincinnati is centrally located within a few hours of a lot of fun activities. My kids love Cosi in Columbus and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.
Passes/Memberships
Passes or a membership to attractions around Cincinnati is really the gift that keeps on giving all year long! Some of our favorites:
Open-Ended Play Toys
These are not one-and-done toys or toys that your kids will forget about in a few months (or days). These are toys that your kids will love to play with for years to come and can be used in different ways as they get older.
In this category, our favorite is Keva Planks. My boys have played with these for YEARS and they keep coming up with creative ways to build and use these blocks. Plus, they are 100% American made and recyclable.
These are just some of our favorites! Do you have any other ideas? Comment and let us know, we would love to hear them.
This post contains some affiliate links. We only share products and companies that we have tried and absolutely love!
