Feeling crafty? A handmade Mother’s Day gift is a great way to show you care, and Country Living magazine has more than 50 ideas for turning trash into treasure with a little bit of paint, a dab of glue and a thoughtful inscription. Many of the source materials can be found at local thrift stores (some supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org) and repurposed to make whimsical wares that Mom can cherish, use and display for years to come.
Tag: Mother’s Day
Give Mom the Gift of Less Clutter
Many moms — especially older moms — already have lots of stuff, and some are entering their “downsizing decades” later in life. This Mother’s Day, give them the gift of decluttering! Stop by, cook brunch and clean the hall closet; throw everything she no longer needs into boxes and schedule a pickup with ClothingDonations.org. Then, give only gifts that offer Mom an experience rather than more stuff, says the Embracing Simple blog, or items such as fresh flowers and pampering bath products that she can use — and use up — quickly.
Mother’s Day Gifts on the Cheap
You don’t have to break the bank to find great Mother’s Day gifts for moms who like to entertain at home, says kitchn. The site offers 36 gift ideas including candles and coasters that retail for less than $25 to a stoneware and a smoothie blender in the more spendy $75 category. Whatever you wrap up, remember that it’s the thought that counts; gifts should speak to their recipients’ likes and needs. And even moms who enjoy cooking may want to take the day off for once!
The Best Gift for Mom? A Clean Home
Many moms will want a big brunch, cards, jewelry and a bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day. But some would rather have a little bit of quiet time or an hour of extra shut-eye than a big celebration. And a break from everyday chores is a gift that moms young and older will always appreciate.
Money magazine talked to a number of bloggers who write about motherhood, and found that the best Mother’s Day gift is basically a day off—meaning zero time spent in the kitchen, and some space to relax. Simple outings can also be good, but only if mom doesn’t have to lift a finger to help out.
One of the most-wanted “gifts” the moms mentioned is a clean house. “My ideal Mother’s Day gift would be my family all pitching in together to clean up the house, do the dishes, fold and put away the laundry, and make me something yummy to eat while I took a bubble bath or read a good book,” moneysavingmom.com’s Crystal Paine told Money.
That comes as no surprise to this writer, who cleans, sweeps, vacuums and organizes some area of the home every time he visits his longtime neat freak of a mother. Since she’s getting older and downsizing, we often declutter and give the extra stuff to ClothingDonations.org, which makes it easy for us to keep the house tidy while contributing to a good cause.
If your mother has allergies, consider a “real” spring cleaning that cleans up the indoor air after a long winter, Huffington Post writer Amy Ziff says. Open the windows and give her potted plants instead of cut stems; they’ll help keep the indoor air clean. Clean under the sinks and replace the toxic chemicals you may find there with natural alternatives.
“Our homes need to become healthy-air oases,” Ziff says. “By conducting a health check-up this (and every) Mother’s Day, we can help our moms, ourselves and all of our loved ones breathe easier.”
Cleaning and decluttering cost very little, and the effort is sure to be one that Mom treasures. Once the place is neat, spotless and fresh-smelling (and you’ve worked up an appetite), you can take her out to brunch or dinner, too!
Make Room for New Mother’s Day Gifts
Mother’s Day is behind us now, but we hope that all of the mothers out there had a great day celebrating the special work they do every day in raising their kids. We especially want to extend happy Mother’s Day wishes to all of the military moms who are serving overseas and weren’t able to be with their children — and to the moms who are raising their children while their husbands serve.
If you’re a mom with young children, you probably received homemade gifts that your children made while at school. Whether it’s an art project, handmade card, or other thoughtful, adorable gift, you’ll want to show it off for the next few weeks. Looking around your home, though, you might realize that you don’t have the surface space to properly show your gift off.
It might be time for you to tackle some spring cleaning, or take inventory of your home decor. Do you have picture frames that are better at collecting dust than preserving memories? Is that painting above your mantel carrying sentimental value, or is it a placeholder? Go through the rooms in your home where you have knick-knacks, paintings, lamps and other home decor items that may no longer be needed or wanted.
If they’re covered in dust or you’ve actually forgotten that they’re there, it’s probably time to get rid of them. Don’t think they’ll sell in your annual garage sale? Donate them to us! Along with clothes and kitchenware, we can collect decor donations. All you have to do is visit our website, schedule a donation pickup time, and place your items in a bag or box marked “for donation.” We’ll take care of the rest while to admire your Mother’s Day gifts! Your donation helps fund our veterans programs, so donate today!
(And don’t worry dads—your day is coming up soon!)