Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Gifts

This is an updated, more comprehensive version of an earlier post entitled, “How to Politely Handle Unwanted Gifting.”

It’s the time of year… for unwanted and unnecessary gifts.

With the planet in crisis, folks struggling financially, and families grappling with an excess of clutter in their homes, I’d argue that it’s time we more widely accept and respect one’s decision to firmly avoid giving and receiving gifts. 

But how do we kindly tell a child’s relatives to stop sending toys? What do we do about well-intended friends who insist on giving “something!”? What solutions are there for rehousing the unwanted gifts that inevitably make their way through the door, despite the recipients wishes?  And what are some unique gifts that won’t further contribute to overflowing households, and — inevitably— landfills, which have a greater impact on disenfranchised and marginalized populations? (See Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility by Dorceta E. Taylor.)

Since living in our cottage, having our first child, and learning more about the climate emergency, we began gently telling our friends and family that the absolute best gift they can give our children is an inhabitable planet for their generation and those that follow, and that giving random stuff doesn’t help them in the long run. 

For years, this conversation was easy for us, as most people knew that we lived in a tiny house that couldn’t accommodate excessive belongings. Now that we’ve moved into a space over twice the size (~900 sqft), we predict that we’ll have to remind folks that even though our square footage has increased, we still have the same views regarding gifting.

We know that everything sent our way is usually acquired with so much love, but we believe that the impact of the items (from the manufacturing, to workers’ rights, to packaging, to transport, to haphazard placement within our home, to eventual disposal of some sort,) ultimately matters more than the intent.

For folks who take affront, and/or just don’t quite understand our reasoning, I suggest or give a copy of The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, and/or Aja Barber’s book, Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism. 

Of course it needs to be acknowledged that to ward off gifting of this nature is a privilege, as so many people are living unhoused and without the basic necessities. But, as Barber wrote* in an Instagram post, “The things which are said to us in childhood normalize living in a world with inequality… “ (ie: “Be grateful for your food / gifts, because so many people are going without!”) So instead of tricking ourselves into believing that we should simply continue to accept unnecessary gifts and keep our thoughts to ourselves, we’ve instead started pointing the folks who wish to convey their love in tangible form in the direction of nonprofits such as The RightWay Foundation, which are in constant need of financial and product donations.

We are, however, always happy to receive children’s books, knowing that our kids will explore them thoroughly for years, and that we can ultimately pass them along to other children, a library, or a local school once they’re no longer being read.

We also embrace the idea of gifting experiences, such as museum or garden memberships / admissions, Airbnb Experiences, digital subscriptions, local food and beverage, and other such presents that support an organization or small business while also providing our family or others with a new adventure of some sort. When it comes to regifting unwanted items, I look at it this way: If a giver circles back and asks me to reveal the whereabouts of a present they once gave us, that relationship is probably one that needs some reconsidering or deep work. And besides, there are so many people, families and organizations in need of certain goods that I feel no guilt in passing along a thing we do not need here, and giving it instead to someone who can put it to good use. 

When rehousing an item, we’ve discovered that it’s extremely important to first verify that an organization can indeed put it to specific use, otherwise it is statistically destined for a landfill. Hopefully the original gift-giver would understand and support that action. 

’Tis, after-all, the season to share.

(*Reference to a post by Aja Barber entitled, “Where do out human rights and and others begin?”)

Traditional Yet Informal Holiday Hosting

I can’t remember the last time we hosted… perhaps late November of 2019? Regardless, I’m eager to get back to it. In the meantime, I’m resharing this informal-meets-traditional tablescape I created for Food52 during a live broadcast, in the hopes it’ll provide some ideas for folks who are entertaining in small spaces this holiday season:

A List of What I’m Gifting (and Why) - 2020 Edition

Post Summary: My 2020 personal gift guide featuring low waste goods and/or products from independent makers. (Note: None of the items on this list are sponsored, though I have worked with some of these products or brands in the past. This is my own roundup. )

The following is what we’re considering gifting to our close family and friends. Some of these items overlap with my 2019 gifting list, because the point isn’t finding the best “new” thing— it’s finding goods that serve a practical purpose with unique style while bringing joy.

Reusable Ear Swabs
Because LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use cotton swabs. Their standard swab and their makeup swab both have a soft-feel tip and are easy to clean. 
Click here (and get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage)

Herbs for Home & Healing in the Anthropocene
Because our bodies and this one shared planet are our true homes, so we need to listen to and care for them. And I have personally come to regularly rely on these Earth Star Herbals by Alyson Morgan.
Click here

Water Carbonator
Because bottle waste — yes, even glass bottles — must become a thing of the past. These Aarke water carbonators are slim and stylish. Our helps us save between 4-6 bottles of bubbly water per day.
Click here

Children’s Audio App Subscription 
Because Pinna Audio has been the single most used tool in our bag while sheltering at home with a four year old. This app / audio subscription service has a diverse selection of programming for kids of all ages. 
Click here (and use the promo code PINNA3MONTHS for a free 3-month trial)

Plant Keeper Apron
Because I got Adam this apron for his birthday, and he uses it constantly. Designed by the brilliant stylist,  author, designer, photographer, and plant-expert Hilton Carter, this unique apron is a valuable accessory for Spring and Summer gardening in particular.
Click here

All of Us Skin Tone Crayons
Handcrafted in the USA without any paraffin or fillers, these crayons are crafted with beeswax, carnauba wax and earth pigments.
Click here

The Naked Stone
Because these low waste moisturizing stones are for the whole body, and are a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals, and come in a refillable bamboo canister. 
Click here

Extra Bright Portable Projector
Because we don’t have a TV or large monitor in our home, but we can watch movies and shows in an oversized format projected on our walls and slanted ceiling thanks to our little Cinemood. (Their newest model is extra bright, which is even better for daytime viewing.) We discovered first-hand what a great gift this is for parents of little ones— particularly during the isolation of the pandemic. 
Click here

Planetbox
Because this stainless steel lunchbox (which comes in a few sizes/styles) is one of the most-used items in our home, and eliminates the need for baggies and multiple containers for meals on-the-go. (Our 4 year old enjoys using his daily for meals and picnics at home, too.)
Click here

Hidden Pictures Sticker Booklets (ages 3-6)
Because my 4 year old has been obsessed with these books for an entire year and is still excited to do one or two pages per day.
Click here

Safety Razor
Because we can prevent millions of plastic, disposable razors and razor heads from entering landfills and oceans with safety razors. Oui the People makes beautiful safety razors to last a lifetime, and also sells blade refills. 
Click here 

Steamline Luggage
Because even though we're not traveling this holiday season, these bags, which have been favorites of mine for years, are so stylish that they can be reused for a myriad of purposes and for storage around the home. 
Click here (use the promo code HOLIDAY25 for 25% off* through December 31st, 2020. *Promo can't be combined with any other sales and excludes the Mini.

2021 Smells Better Candle
Because this handmade, 100% soy wax candle makes me laugh every time I see it, and it was created by a female owned small business based here in Venice, CA.
Click here

Toothpaste Bits
Because the hardest part about changing a habit is taking that first step, and 1 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away every year. Bite bottles are refillable, and make great stocking stuffers.
Click here

Handmade Mixed-Media Mask Holder
Because this 4-in-1 handcrafted mask holder / necklace / bracelet is ever-useful as we keep our communities safer by masking up. The holders are made with repurposed/reclaimed brass and silk by Maddalena Bearzi, an Italian jewelry artist, marine biologist and writer.
Click here

Collapsible Water Bottle
Because reusable bottles have never been easier to tote. These collapsible, pocket-sized Stojo bottles even loop over a bike/stroller handlebar or around a backpack with ease.
Click here

Homemade Grape Jam & Bread
Because it’s a delicious, homemade, zero waste treat made right here by our extraordinary next door neighbors and by Adam.

Rechargeable Lighter
Because there are more than 300 uses per charge in this stylish lighter, and it’s rechargeable, eliminating the need for refills or disposables. Plus it has a safety mechanism for homes with little ones.
Click here

Plant-Based Milk Maker
Because the Almond Cow turns any nut, seed, or grain into homemade plant-based milk in moments. We use ours multiple times per week, and haven’t purchased substitute-milk in over a year.
Click here

Vintner's Daughter 
Because this company’s skincare philosophy centers on offering multi-correctional performance and the belief that if one product delivers a myriad of benefits, fewer products are needed, fewer are produced, and less natural resources are utilized. Even better, the ingredients are sourced from responsible producers, many of which have used the same sustainable, organic farming practices for generations. It’s not cheap, but for the quality and all the products it replaces, Active Botanical Serum is totally worth it, in my opinion. (This company is also a generous donor to The RightWay Foundation.)
Click here

Play Silks
Because Sarah’s Silks is a family owned company specializing in Waldorf inspired sustainable toys for children. Their silks are simple and versatile, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes.
Click here

Braiding Sweetgrass
Because everyone could do with putting down the phone and picking up a book. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer shows that, “the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.”
Click here

Eco-Friendly Weighted Blanket
Because many of us could use some help with anxiety and sleep these days. These Bearaby weighted blankets use zero plastic in composition and packaging. They’re GOTS, BCI, OEKO-Tex 100 and Fair Trade-certified, made of organic cotton that’s naturally breathable, 100% biodegradable, and uses 85% less water than conventional farming methods, while being free from harmful chemicals, pesticides, synthetics, or artificial softeners.
Click here

OddBird Robes
Sustainably robes made in small-batches, using 100% natural fibers and woven by artisans on century-old semi-automatic looms. 
Click here

Late Sunday Afternoon Ascots
Because these responsibly-made ascots can be worn in a myriad of ways— around your neck, on your wrist, in your hair, on your bag/pack/basket, and around the brim of your hat. Our friends at Late Sunday Afternoon use locally sourced deadstock fabrics to create their ascots in-house. Any scraps are used to stuff handmade dog beds that they then donate to animal shelters.
Click here

A Traditional-Meets-Informal Holiday Table

As a way of showcasing some informal-meets-traditional tablescape ideas for this holiday season during which we’ll be sheltering-in-place, Food52 invited me to do LIVE broadcast in which I styled this lil’ vintage garden table at the cottage for their online community. Photos below:

(Click here to view the IGTV LIVE video via Food52.)

Tiny Adventures: Searching SoCal for Fall During the Pandemic

In need of some fresh air and a change of scenery, we took a tiny adventure to Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark (just outside of LA) this week.

We figured it would be a good way for our little one to stretch his legs while we sourced locally grown pumpkins and produce. 

We wore our masks, of course— not just to keep ourselves safer, but to help protect others.

We also adhered to social distancing protocols, and visited right when the farm opened to the public at 9am in order to avoid crowds and the heat. 

In order to both reduce waste and possible increased exposure to COVID, we toted our own snacks and beverages as usual.

We brought home a handful of funny lil’ pumpkins.

We’ll be decorating them in a no-carve way in order to extend their lifespan. (More on this in the following blog post.) 

When we arrived home, we were thrilled to discover our mail-in ballots in our post box. We’ll spend the week educating ourselves on the issues and candidates with which we’re unfamiliar. And in the days to come, we’ll also send out our Vote Forward letters to residents in swing states. After all, October is the new November. 

A Living, Over-the-Table Display of Fall Foliage for a Festive Occasion

Post Summary: How we created a space-saving, over-the-table canopy of real branches and flowers in celebration of the little one’s 4th birthday.

Time continues to boggle my mind— our little one turned 4 this week. 

I believe this was the first year that he really understood the concept of his birthday. But, of course, it’s also the first year in which a proper party was out of the question due to the pandemic. 

We pieced together a simple but festive celebration, replacing hugs with FaceTime calls (sigh), balloons with branches, wrapping paper with household linens (view more photos of this in last year’s birthday post), and a traditional cake with what I imagine must have been the world’s actual biggest donut.

Above: A child’s blanket designed by our friends, New Darlings, doubles as wrapping paper.

The birthday kid helped me create an arrangement of living fall foliage and sunflowers, which we picked up during a swift, masked visit to the flower market.

We used this adjustable, over-the-table system to frame the space-saving display.

What I appreciate about this design is that it consumes no tabletop inches, but instantly creates usable vertical space for a dynamic visual when paired with greenery, hanging lights, and/or decorative accents. 

I use zip ties sparingly, as they’re single-use plastic, but I admit to using a handful for this display.

We’d run out of floral wire, as Adam uses it to train the cherry tomatoes on the grow porch, and twine couldn’t support the larger branches.

So the zip ties came to the rescue, making the process faster and much more secure— helpful, given that a (4 year old!) child was actively participating in the creation process. 

An hour later, we had a cheerful little spot to quietly sing West a birthday song and attempt to make a dent in that enormous donut. 

It was the activity more than the finished product that my son clearly relished the most. Brushing each other’s hands as we reached for the same magnolia branch, our sincere deliberations about where to place the prized sunflowers, and our cartoon-like exclamations when parts of the arrangement tumbled off the rods and crashed to the floor before being properly secured. 

When the display dries out later this week, we’ll disassemble it together and tote the greenery to the compost and green bin via our fold-up wheelbarrow, which he loves to hitch a ride in once it’s empty. I vow to indulge him on every wobbly ride he requests— even when my back is sore and I’m behind on work. Time is boldly reminding me that my little one is swiftly becoming not-so-little, and that he won’t fit or delight in our sweet wheelbarrow rides forever.

A List of What I’m Gifting (and Why)

As my year-end present of 2019, I’ve asked Adam to please take my two pairs of sunglasses to get repaired, because I keep forgetting or running out of time at the end of every day. That’s really all I want.

As for Adam, he requested a For Days membership, which we handled together. West will be getting a Linus bike and a stack of library books, along with his very own library card. The pups will be getting handmade ceramic dog bowls, because they’ve been eating out of wobbly stainless steel mixing bowls that are officially wrecking the nearby moldings. 

The following is what we’re gifting our close family and friends,. 
(So, close family and friends: please stop reading here. No peeking. Seriously. Thanks.)

LastSwab 
Because LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use cotton swabs. Their standard swab and their makeup swab both have a soft-feel tip and are easy to clean. (Get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage)

Bite Toothpaste Bits
Because 1 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away every year. Bite bottles are refillable. 

Stojo
Because if I hear one more person say that their reusable bottles are too cumbersome to carry around I’ll scream. With a collapsible, pocket-sized Stojo (which holds cold or hot beverages), there’s no excuse.

Homemade Grape Jam
Because it’s a delicious, homemade, zero waste treat made right here by our extraordinary next door neighbors. 

Shampoo + Conditioner Bars
Because the hardest part about changing a habit is taking that first step, for whatever reason. We hope that these bars will come in handy the next time someone runs out of their bottled haircare products, and then become the new normal.

Ritual Vitamins
Because Ritual makes the only multivitamins that don’t make me nauseous, so I want to share the love. Also, while most multivitamins have ingredients we already get from food, Ritual’s capsules contains only the nutrients you we need to fill the gaps, in bioavailable forms our body can actually use.

The Naked Stone
These stones are my favorite discovery of a 2019. They’re total-body, all-purpose moisturizers in the shape of a stone that melts on contact when applied to dry skin. They’re a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals, and come in a refillable bamboo canister. 

Almond Cow
The Almond Cow turns any nut, seed, or grain into homemade plant-based milk in moments.

CLED Jewelry
Hand-formed jewelry made from recycled glass (a natural material mainly composed of sand). This renewable resource can be recycled endlessly, and can be made without causing harm to animals or the environment. CLED’s pieces arrive in their minimal and elegant circular box, which is made from post consumer contents.

Teddi Joelle Bags
I really love Teddi Joelle. Their designs are unique, the craftsmanship is exquisite, their team is lovely, and their style is impeccable. 

Vintner's Daughter 
It’s not cheap, but for the quality and all the products it replaces, Active Botanical Serum is totally worth it, in my opinion. This serum is a powerful, multi-correctional face oil infused with 22 of the world’s most nutrient-rich botanicals. 

From Jennifer Wooden Toys and Activities
This small company makes high quality, practical, delightful, and pretty wooden toys and activities for children of many ages. From tracing boards to perpetual calendars to arts supplies, they have dozens of brilliant, lovingly crafted designs. 

Play Silks
Sarah’s Silks is a family owned company specializing in Waldorf inspired sustainable toys for children. Their silks are simple and versatile, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes. (Children 3+)

OddBird Robes
I recently purchased an OddBird robe for West, and was immediately jealous and wanted my own. Luckily they come in multiple sizes and I was able to find a matching one. Now I want to get them for everyone I know. They’re sustainably made in small-batches, using 100% natural fibers and woven by artisans on century-old semi-automatic looms.

Late Sunday Afternoon Ascots
Ascots can be worn in a myriad of ways— around your neck, on your wrist, in your hair, on your bag/pack/basket, and around the brim of your hat. Our friends at Late Sunday Afternoon use locally sourced deadstock fabrics to create their ascots in-house. Any scraps are used to stuff handmade dog beds that they then donate to animal shelters.

Housing a Crowd Without Overcrowding

How we navigated overnight hosting + holiday decor + rainy weather realities in our tiny house with three adults, one wild toddler, and two active 40-lb dogs over this past week.

There are just three rooms in our miniature home— the bedroom, the bathroom, and the main room. The main room is divided by a low wall into two sections: the kitchen and the living space. The living space is about 10’ x 12’ and operates daily as our sitting room, my full-time office, a play space, and an entryway. However, this compact rectangle also multitasks as a guest room, a dining room, and a pop-up office when needed. (Read about hosting overnight guests in a tiny home, here.)

For the past week, we hosted one of our closest friends (Emily) here at the Cottage. She is the greatest houseguest and the most delightful person in general, so it was an absolute joy to have her here for every precious minute. (She’s one of my nearest and dearest, and was included in my book’s dedication.) But the logistics of her stay in our home could’ve easily become a mess for a variety of reasons...

Between having a sixth being in our small home for a decent stretch of time, accommodating her corresponding luggage (2 carry-ons), our holiday tree, and the rain that kept us all within under 400 sqft for the first part of her vacation (and ensured muddy paw-prints and wet pup hair during the subsequent days), there was a lot going on in the 10’ x 12’ from which I’m writing this post. (Read about the downside of rain and our tiny house, here.)

But with a few adjustments that required minimal effort, the week breezed by too quickly. While we enjoyed many lil’ adventures (a trip to the museum, a paddle on the canals while neighbors decorated bridges overhead for the holidays, bike and scooter rides around Venice, dining out, visits to local shops, reunions with old friends, holiday parties, and strolls down the beaches), I actually wish she could’ve stayed longer.

Here’s how we navigated overnight hosting + holiday decor + rainy weather realities as three adults, one wild toddler, and two active 40-lb dogs in our tiny house: 

Rolling, Collapsible & Nesting Furnishings/Accessories 

Since moving into the Cottage over 7 years ago, we’ve had the same rattan storage trunk coffee table, and the same white folding dining table. Last month, I decided to make finally make some changes to those pieces to better accommodate our current lifestyle and tastes. 

We once needed the storage trunk in order to store our guest bed sheets and throw blankets, but I donated almost all of our spare linens and eliminated the need for that extra storage space. We now keep any throws out on the couch (either folded up or spread over the cushions), and the basic guest bed linens fold up tight and fit within the pillowcase, which I now stash in a protective bag under our bed.

In place of the trunk, we now have a vintage, rolling basket-style table, which I found via @ShopSupermarché. I love this piece for so many reasons beyond its unique appearance. It’s easy to scoot around the house, it offers a perfectly contained play surface for West, and its narrow, metal legs free up the floor in our living room, making the space look bigger.

I can easily roll this new piece of furniture beneath my workspace without removing my desk chair.

Even with the coffee table tucked under my desk, I can nest West’s rolling “Strolley” (which contains his ever-changing collection of library books) and maintain immediate access to everything.

A camping style stool was a perfect luggage stand and kept Emily’s carry-on bags off the ground, making it easier for her to organize and reach her belongings within a dedicated space.

Our new (pre-used) metal folding dining table that I found at a local garden center is longer yet narrower than our previous collapsible dining table, so it offers all the surface space needed for meals while simultaneously freeing up inches to navigate the rest of the room.

We brought in West’s apple baskets of toys/activities from the play porch, as we do whenever it rains. They are easy to slide into spare inches, cavities,  and corners around the Cottage.

His drawstring toy-storage play-mat kept little toys contained, and is a breeze to cinch up and hang on the wall.

Extra Guest Bed Considerations 

We didn’t want to make and remove Emily’s bed (aka our built-in couch) every day, but we still needed to use the sofa. Due to the rain, I was worried her linens would get destroyed by the dogs and West, who is a big fan of climbing on everything. As such, we draped a large flax Gathre Mat (which we cut into 2 pieces) over the cushions/bedding to keep everything looking relatively normal while also offering protection from mud, pet hair and paw prints, toy truck tires, and chalk-covered hands. Thankfully, the mats functioned as intended.

Blank Space at the Entryway and In the Bathroom

Having zero entry space beyond your front door can be rough in rainy conditions. But we make it work with a machine-washable woven bath mat that we fold horizontally in half. When not in use, I keep it in our bathroom vanity. When in use, it’s basically an interior doormat and boot tray. Our door-mounted key rack temporarily holds a quick-dry travel towel, which we use to wipe down the dogs after walks. It also accommodates umbrellas when needed, as they simply drip down onto the mat until we’ve removed our boots and are able to relocate umbrellas to the shower to dry off there. These adjustments to our 12-inch “entryway” took up none of Emily’s space. (Plus Adam was in Florida for 2 days during Emily’s stay, which helped ease the rain gear build-up.)

In the bathroom, we temporarily cleared a shelf for Emily’s toiletries, and added an extra s-hook to our branch towel rack for her towels. This allowed us to manage rain-soaked clothing and gear, as well as West’s cloth diaper hanging hamper, without cramping the space or consuming the blank space needed for everyone’s daily routines. 

Above left: The bathroom cubby we cleared for Emily (aka “Shmoo”). Above right: Sophee before we added the Gathre Mat to the guest bed to keep the pup prints + hairs off of it.

Carefully Considered Holiday Decor

We have a 4.5’-tall holiday tree, which we displayed on a slim, tall accent table / plant stand and placed by my desk. It makes the entire main room of our small house look plenty festive. Other than that (and a throw pillow cover), we have no additional holiday decor within the living space. Thanks to the absence of decorative trinkets and seasonal tabletop accents, Emily had the surface space she needed for her things, West had room to play with his toys and scatter his books, and the pups could still romp around per usual— all within the warm glow of the tree’s twinkle lights. 

Come back, Emily— we miss you. (And West keeps opening the pocket door and calling out for his “Auntie Shmoo.”)

Toys For Little Ones Living in Little Spaces

When you’re living in a compact space, finding suitable toys and gear for babies and toddlers can be difficult if you only search via big box stores and typical bestsellers. The following are some key considerations I’d recommend keeping in mind— particularly if you’re trying to be more eco-friendly this year.

Above: Photo of the Cottage nursery by Sami Drasin for Cosmo (2017)

DESIGN
Is the toy beautiful for the adults to see while also being interesting and educational for the child/children? Toys are always left lying around, meaning they’re most likely visible from almost anywhere in a compact apartment or home. It really makes a huge difference if toys are well-designed with colors, materials, and/or shapes that compliment your space.

MATERIALS
Can you opt for a hand-me down or vintage piece rather than something new? Plastic and metal toys from decades past are still sitting on this Earth, so why not make repeated use of them and save them from landfills? 

Above: Photo from West’s temporary room (for 5 months) in the front tiny house, which we no longer rent.

SUSTAINABILITY
If the item is new, are the materials sustainable? 

SIZE + SHAPE
Does the toy wrap, fold, collapse, nest, stack, or can it be tucked away? Is the piece designed to be tall rather than wide? Can it slide under a table or lay flat under a mattress or cushion when not in use?

CUSTOMIZATION
Can the item work creatively with the current items within your home? For example, a hallway tent takes up no extra space— same goes for a tablecloth fort, or a set of wooden magnets that can live on the exterior of your larger kitchen appliances.

MANUFACTURING
Do the manufacturing, packaging and delivery have a light footprint?

ADAPTABLITY
Can the item work just as well on-the-go as it does within your home, reducing the number of toys your child requires? Compact books, storage play-mats, roll-up gear, travel games, folding tools, and to-go sets are easy to tuck into a canvas bag and suspend from wall hooks within the house at the end of the day, and can also be tossed effortlessly into strollers and carry-ons when needed.

LIFESPAN
Is this a piece that can be handed down to a children’s hospital, library, or pre-school after it’s not longer needed in your home?

As always, Etsy is my favorite resource for all things handmade and vintage. (You can even write to the seller to inform them that the packaging doesn’t need to be fancy, decorative or even new, which can help cut back on shipping materials and waste in general.) But there are many other sites and shops to explore, depending on your region, tastes and shopping preferences. 

And don’t forget your local library! Borrowing books is a great way to cut back on clutter, waste, and cost— all without disappointing your little one(s).

Here are some items (and similar designs) that we have and love for our son and our home. They are a mix of materials, sources, and production methods. Hopefully you’ll find some options that suit you and yours. Happy holidays!