Everyone gets unwanted presents and most of them have been given to you with good intentions, but where to put them?!   Rebecca Mezzino from Clearspace Organising Service says these gifts may provide short lived happiness but sure add to your stress when you are trying to cram that new tricycle into the cupboard under the stairs.  

Rebecca told Will Goodings that she hears a lot of people saying that they work hard to buy these presents therefore they should keep them all. As Amanda would say... Good Grief! So stop giving for the sake of giving. Rebecca's suggestion is not to work as hard and spend time with your family as your gift. Remember your kid’s favourite toy... is you!

Don’t default to easy presents.. Instead here are some affordable and more rewarding alternatives:

1.       Spend some time together! Give the gift of spare time.

2.       Give IOUs- such as a babysitting voucher, doing the dishes or cooking dinner!

3.       Donate to charity- like buying a goat from Oxfam or gifting to the giving tree.

4.   Are your melting moments magnificent? Are you the master of homemade muesli? Why not package some up in a pretty way and gift that instead?

5.      How about some lessons for something that person has always wanted to do? eg Painting or singing

6.  Maybe you could give Blakey's Behind Closed Doors volume 9...a lots of laughs for such a little package!

Most of all Rebecca wanted us to know that memories will last forever and won’t take up cupboard space.

Stuck for ideas? Try www.redballon.com.au