How To Pick a Gift They Will Love

Honestly, picking a gift for every holiday, occasion and birthday can get draining after awhile. Soon you will begin asking yourself "What do they even need?" or "I can't think of anything to get them". Trust me, we have all been in that exact same situation, you are not alone. Through years of practice, trial and errors, I want to share my secrets of how to pick the perfect gift every single time.

This tried and true method, will help you become a gifting hero to friends family and neighbors. From small budgets, to higher budgets, this method can help you pick a gift that will impress and look like you put a lot of time and effort into it (even if you haven't).

Here are the Six Simple Steps You Need to Follow for Perfect Gifting Every Time

1. Know Their Hobbies
2. Pick Great Packaging
3. Know What They Don't Like
4. How Are You Going to Present It
5. Unique Items
6. Personalized Items

1. Know Their Hobbies - What Are They Interested In?

Don't let this step confuse you. If somebody loves golf, for example, you don't need to get them golf balls, clubs, gloves and more. Often times when people are passionate about something, they do not need much. For example, my brother is obsessed with Pokemon. He has clothes, hats, shoes, phone case etc. all pokemon. Knowing that he has all these different things. I instead can buy him a pokemon party pass because I know he would love to get out with others and play pokemon go with them. Or, if I am going for a budget friendly gift, I could simply offor to go with him to "Pokemon Raids" so he has somebody to play with.

Finding a gift related to their hobby could be a simple as knowing that they love cookies. I could bake them a fresh batch of their favorite flavor of cookie and simply drop it off at their house. It doesn't have to be difficult and is definitely doesn't need to be expensive.

2. Pick Great Packaging - Who Wants Boring Wrapping Paper?

Your years of wrapping paper are soon to be behind you. While it's ok to occasionally wrap up gifts in a cute and fun wrapping paper, you want your gift to stand out and be different from years past. From gift boxes, gift baskets and even gift crates, there are hundreds of different ways of presenting a gift. This step is especially important if our goal is to have your gift stand out from others who will be giving a gift at the same time (Example: A baby shower of a friend)

The key to picking the right packaging goes with what is included in the gift. If you are giving a high-end spa gift then imagine how it would be presented in a commercial or a movie. Would you rather have it in wrapping paper or in a personalized pine gift box with a bow and greenery on top? Creating the perfect packaging isn't one size fit all, and knowing the gift recipient will help you to understand what they would like.

***You can receive bonus points in the gift department if the packaging can be reused or repurposed so it will not go to waste (Like how wrapping paper foten gets thrown away).

3. Know What They DON'T Like - They are Supposed to Enjoy it Right?

The example that I always offer when talking about this step is if you have a friend that is Gluten Intolerant, you would not give her a loaf of bread. Thought your neighbor may think it is the best gift ever, your friend, while they may appreciate the effort, will end up regifting or throwing it away.

Don't get me wrong, the sentiment is important, however if you are going to spend time, money etc. you need to make sure it is something they are going to be able to enjoy. A great way of doing this is by asking their friends and family what they want/need/like and dislike.

If friends and family are unable to give you any ideas, you can always doing some lighthearted stalking of their social media. Pinterest is your best friend when trying to find gifts for her. You will be able to see things she likes and work from there with ease.

4. How Are You Going to Present It - Presentation is Key

PRESENTATION IS KEY (can I express this enough?). You could be giving a 3 dollar gift, but if it is presented nicely and is pleasing on the eye, it's value is much higher.

A great example is this "A Little Handy" gift crate. The gift itself is nice (Especially as a housewarming gift or a thank you gift box) but what really pulls it together is how it is presented. With the touch of greenery as well as the well curated items, this gift is impressive in presentation.

Another fun and exciting way to present your gift, is to have it set up the way it would actually be used. This "Cheese the Day" gift is the perfect example. Set up a charcuterie board with her favorite wine and cheese and let her keep the wine glasses, serving knives and slate tray for future uses!

This gift is another great example of presenting/creating a gift that is personalized. This "Scrub a Dub Dub" gift crate has everything Lilly needs for the perfect bath night. With the gift being personalized, this gift looks like you put a lot of effort in, when in reality it likely took very little time to put this gift together.

5. Unique Items - You Didn't Grab This Gift from Walmart

Let's just say it. As humans we are very busy, often gifts are one of the last thing that we think of until 20 minutes before a birthday party. Instead of doing a quick run to the grocery store and seeing what speaks to you, have some items on hand that you can quickly gift to many people. If you find a product that YOU love, often it's not far fetched to say that those around you would love it too.

An example I have is their is a local chocolate shop that sells these delicious candy bars you can only buy there. I keep a stash around my house (Mainly so nobody else in my family can find them) and when I need a quick gift for friends, neighbors etc. I can grab the chocolate bar, write a quick and personalized note, and then I am ready to go. Finding a product or item that you can't easily get from a grocery store show that you put an effort into getting a gift for somebody (Even if you really didn't have to)

6. Personalized Items - Make It Look Like You Put a Lot of Effort In To This Gift

This step is a must-have if you want the gift to appear as if you put a lot of time and effort into it. You can find many companies that engrave or personalize different items for cheap (or even free like shadowbreeze.com). Etsy is a great resource for finding unique and personalized items. Make sure to plan enough time into your gift process to accommodate shipping and preparing on the orders end. I have some photos below of different items that can be personalized to think about.

Let's Pull it All Together

No matter what way you look at it, by going out of your way to give a gift to somebody, they will appreciate the effort. These tips listed above are merely guidelines to help the gift be these it could possibly be. What other tips do you think should be included? Share in the comments below your great gifting tips.