Once the idea was in my head, I couldn’t shake it because the older I become, the more I appreciate genuinely useful gifts. If you or someone you care about this holiday season tend to be the same way, I hope today’s gift guide will be right up your alley.
I filled it with gifts ideas that are practical and useful from food and kitchen items to household tech finds and more. Hopefully something will jump out at you! And if you happen to have a practical gift idea you love, please share it in the comments section because I’m always interested in hearing more about surprisingly useful items you never knew you needed.
Happy Holidays!
PBF Gift Guide: Practical Gifts You’ll Actually Use
During my last trip to Florida, I noticed my parents had several open cans in their fridge that were covered with these bright silicone covers. How often do you have half a can of something leftover after you make a recipe? I always seem to have a can of something open in my fridge — coconut milk, tomato sauce, pumpkin, etc. — and love the idea of simply popping one of these food huggers over the top of the can to preserve freshness. They work well over fresh food as well, so if someone you know is prone to using half an onion, half a lemon or lime, etc. this might be a welcomed gift, too!
Our family’s big Cyber Monday splurge this year was the Nest Learning Thermostat. Intrigued by the Nest’s promise to save energy, help our home run more efficiently and save money on heating and cooling bills, we’ve been eyeing a Nest thermostat for quite a while. We ended up buying two (one for upstairs and one for downstairs) and love them already! The Nest Learning Thermostat learns what temperature you like and is said to save people an average of 10% to 12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills, essentially paying for itself in less than two years.
Random? Yes. Appreciated? Most likely! If you haven’t heard of Quip, they make sleek electric toothbrushes and send you new brush heads every three months. (Dentists recommend replacing your brush head this often for a host of reasons including the prevention of bacteria buildup. Ick!) This is admittedly kind of a bizarre gift but I actually gave it to Ryan last year and he said he was surprised how much he ended up appreciating it since he doesn’t have to think about replacing his toothbrush anymore and loves the sleek, streamlined look of the Quip toothbrush.
One of the biggest perks: It doesn’t have a bulky mounting station and comes with a sleek mount you can attach to your bathroom mirror or shower so it doesn’t take up any counter space. (To be honest, that was actually one of the biggest motivators I had for switching out our previous electric toothbrushes to Quip electric toothbrushes.) Woohoo for no clutter! If this is on your radar, you can use my referral code — julie905517543248 — and we’ll both get a free $5 brush head refill!
Admittedly a bit of a novelty item, this O Key Ring is great for those who struggle to find their keys at the bottom of their bags. Available in a myriad of colors, it’s eye catching as well as functional since it frees up your hands and can be worn around your wrist! I actually have this one on my Christmas list in Rose Gold.
I am head over heels in love with my Dyson cordless vacuum. I credit this thing for making me vacuum 10,000 times more often than I used to because it’s just so darn easy to pull out of the closet and run around our house without worrying about a big, heavy vacuum and an annoying cord. I use it multiple times a week (sometimes daily — #momlife) and it’s proven to be worth every penny.
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Grocery Delivery Membership
I think this would be the ultimate gift for new parents! I fell head over heels in love with Instacart after Ryder was born and have lost count of just how many Instacart deliveries I’ve had come to our home since his arrival. There are a number of delivery services out there (Shipt, Instacart, Amazon Fresh, etc.) so definitely check them out before purchasing a membership for a loved one to make sure their favorite stores are included in the delivery.
This handy little kitchen tool was included in a previous gift guide a few years ago for good reason. It’s the best at removing bits of food from pots and pans that seem like they’ll be stuck on your kitchenware forever! It’s also handy at scraping food off stove tops and counter tops (and stickers off picture frames!) and is gentle enough that it never leaves a scratch. It’s $3.50 on Amazon and a great stocking stuffer.
While many people out there have large green bags for groceries by now, I feel like produce green bags are not nearly as popular. I have a bunch of them and love them as a green alternative to plastic bags when I’m shopping for produce during trips to the grocery store.
Additional Practical Gift Ideas
Smartphone UV Sanitizer (For those who get the heebie jeebies thinking about all the germs on our phones)
Easy Egg Peeler (Great for anyone who loves hard boiled eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, etc.)
Eclipse Charger (For clutter-free charging)
Small Cutting Board (Surprisingly handy, especially if you’re constantly cutting up fruits and veggies for snacks)
Refillable Glass Soap Dispenser
Care/of Vitamins (Personalized daily vitamin packets)
Dryer Balls (Game changer for anyone who doesn’t already use these in the dryer)
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Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored and companies may not pay to have a certain product included. The items featured are simply items I think would make fabulous gifts. Some affiliate links are included and, as always, I truly appreciate your support.
