Gift Giving to Millenials - Experiences

A quote from Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents’ treasures

"Take Kelly and Josh Phillips, who rent a 700-square-foot apartment in the District’s Shaw neighborhood. The couple frequently sells things on Craigslist and calls an Uber instead of owning a car. “My parents are always trying to give us stuff,” says Kelly Phillips, 29, a real estate marketer. “It’s stuff like bunches of old photos and documents, old bowls or cocktail glasses. We hate clutter. We would rather spend money on experiences.”

Consider this from 8 things millennials want—and don’t want—show how different they are from their parents. 

Millennials

WANT: Athletic gear
Millennials tend to be cash-strapped and carrying a little bit more debt, but that doesn't mean they don't splurge anywhere. And one place they do tend to spend is on athletic apparel and footwear. It makes sense, given the emphasis that Millennials put on health and nutrition.

We coach our clients to think about purging items, not purchasing more and giving gifts of experience. Think about purchasing these things as a gift:

Ticketmaster gift certificate to be used towards concerts
Subscription to a Concert Series 
Running Shoes from a Running Store 
Top Notch Athletic gear
Massage or Spa treatments  

Subscription for an on-line music service like Pandora 
Subscription to Netflix 
Lessons for grandchildren such as Karate, Soccer Camp, etc.
Memberships to museums or the zoo

Saving photos to pass along to your children

Photos, photos, photos, oh my!

Our clients have photos stored in boxes, bags, envelopes, trunks, in a digital maze on smartphones, and computer hard drives.

In this article Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents’ treasures, the author shares:

“Millennials are living a more transient life in cities. They are trying to find stable jobs and paying off loans,” says Scott Roewer, 41, a Washington professional organizer whose business is the Organizing Agency. “They are living their life digitally through Instagram and Facebook and YouTube, and that’s how they are capturing their moments. Their whole life is on a computer; they don’t need a shoebox full of greeting cards.”

“I consider myself a digital hoarder,” says Josh Phillips, 33, who is opening a Oaxacan restaurant, Espita Mezcaleria, this fall in Shaw. “If I can’t store my memories of something in a computer, I’m probably not going to keep them around.”

While Millennials are taking more photos than we can possible store, we understand they are not worrying about where to put Great Aunt Soph's precious genealogical collection. 

We offer these tips:

1. Do not store printed photos in the attic. 
2. When possible, purge duplicates and landscapes. Large bridal portrait of an ex-daughter-in-law?Throw them in the trash people! 
3. Remove large photos from frames to store in flat boxes. 
4. Store traditional photos in small photo shoe boxes. Like with Like. Try to fit a year in one box or one child's portion, etc. 
5. Store larger photos in flat, scrap booking boxes. 
6. Take important photos to be scanned and stored digitally. There are services in town and on-line.
7. Name your digital photos two ways -  Date and Place. If you ever want to search, usually you can remember with the date or the place. 
8. Back up your digital photos and store in a safe place such as a lockbox or safe. 

Don't save that TV for your kids

Inspired by the article Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents’ treasures, I found the link to this article equally fascinating 8 things millennials want—and don’t want—show how different they are from their parents. 

Gretchen and I can attest that many points in this article are surprisingly TRUE. 

For example, the topic want - TO BE HEALTHY and don't want A TV. 

This may be shocking but think about it. Are you saving furniture or electronics for your child for a college apartment or their first house?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. How long before the child will be able to use it? 

2. Do you have a place to store it? 

3. Will your child actually want it? 

Electronics are updated every 3 months: Lighter, more intelligent, more features. 

Goodwill does not accept televisions with a tube. 

Electronic Waste costs money to recycle - see fee schedule below 

Electronic waste is collected for proper disposal each Monday through Thursday, and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at 1140 Haley Road in Murfreesboro. The County provides a small crew to assist residents in unloading electronic waste. The center will accept anything with an electric cord and batteries on those days. Because of the hazardous materials in televisions and computer monitors, the County is accessed a fee per pound by the vendor, therefore this fee is passed on to customers. All other electronic devices are disposed of free-of-charge. The current fee structure for televisions and monitors is as follows:
1- 20 pounds = $5.0021- 40 pounds = $10.0041 – 60 pounds = $15.0061 – 80 pounds = $20.0081 – 100 pounds = $ 25.00101 – 120 pounds = $30.00121 – 140 pounds = $35.00141 – 160 pounds = $40.00161 - 180 pounds = $45.00181 - 200 pounds = $50.00 
Fee continues at $5.00 per 20 pound increment.

Saving items for your children in the attic? Think about the timeline.

An article in that appeared in the Washington Post inspired me to share our ideas about saving stuff for your kids. 

Take a look at it here: Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents’ treasures 

The first thing to consider is the timeline. 

1. How old is your child right now?
2. What date do you think the child can take the items from you?
3. Do you have the space to properly store it? 

Think about this example of collecting your child's recreational sport t-shirts. 

If your child is 10 and you plan to collect 4 shirts for the next 4 years, you will have 16 shirts. 

1. Where will you store them? 
2. After you finish collecting and store them, how old will the child be when he/she will want them back? 28?

So, you are going to keep these 16 shirts for 14 years. 

We suggest another option. Collect shirts for 4 years, store them in your child's bedroom and then make a quilt. Whatever you don't use, give away. ~Amy 

Cleaning Out Your Closet

This month begins our 5th year of cleaning out closets!  

Our best tip is to clean our your closet with an honest friend. Here are a few more:

1. Pull items out of your closet and go to a room in your home with the best light to make your decisions. You will quickly identify items with those little balls on them, holes, rips, tears, stains, ring around the collar. 

2. Place like items together before you purge - like with like. Do you have 9 pairs of clogs? 11 pairs of flip flops? It's hard to make a decision on which items to keep if you have them stored in every closet in the house. Round all of them them up in one place. 

3. Decide what to keep by choosing your top five must-haves in each category. Then, put them away in your closet. Go back to the pile and pick a few more. Be honest with yourself. You are 1 person. How many days are in the week before you wash and hang it back in your closet? How often do you need to wear it?   

~Amy 

Utility closets ~ Like with Like

Before and after photo of a utility closet. A few tips:

1. Place extra large bins on the floor. Gretchen and I call these bins coffins because you feel like you are gonna die if one ever falls on you. Stay safe. Keep them on the floor. This client is storing dog bedding in this one. Notice we kept the lid with the bin. Tuck it under or behind. 

2. We advocate that all furniture polish be stored in 1 area. All pet supplies in 1 area. No matter what the items are, keep like with like folks and keep them together so you know what you have. 

3. Store items that don't stack in a bin. Cleaning rags are in a bin on the floor. Gloves are in a small bin on the shelf. Cleaning brushes are in a small bin on the shelf.

~Amy 

Desk area

Before and after photo of a Bonus Room - ping pong moved and sewing nook established.
See that desk over to the right and in front of a window? You may think that's the best place to have a desk, in front of the window, right? Wrong! 

If you need to look at your computer screen, the glare from the window will be a nuisance. Instead, choose an area that has a view of the window but does not compete with the lighting from it. 
Also consider proximity to electrical outlets. A desk area usually requires access to multiple power sources for multiple need such as task lighting, printing and charging. ~ Amy 

Grocery Long-term Storage

Before and after picture in part of a bonus room of the sewing nook. After establishing priorities in this room, we determined that grocery storage was not on the list. So, we relocated long-term grocery items to the kitchen. 

We do not recommend shopping in bulk. We know the benefits but Gretchen and I have also seen the side effects. For example, If you insist on purchasing 48 granola bars, then when you get home open the box and take all of them out and store them in your pantry. If they are out of sight, then they will be out of mind. You may end up accumulating grocery items that expire and actually lose the money that you saved at the store. ~ Amy 

Establish Priorities

Bonus rooms are hard to capture in photos but here is a shot of part of a bonus room we worked on lately. 

One of our first questions to a new client is "What is the top priority of this room?"  Top priority here - ping pong! Next, sewing, desk/office, wrapping center, photo/scrapbook, and art supplies.

In order to better utilize the space, we relocated the ping pong table and moved the sewing area to another location in the room nearer to built-in storage cabinets. Talk about storage...this room had built-in storage, 3 small closets, and a bathroom with built in cabinets. 

Laundry Organization Tip

Keep a "Rub-a-Dub" Sharpie in my cabinet above your washer. I use it often to label the toes of socks, underwear and t-shirts. No excuses knowing which family member all of these clean articles of clothing belong to! 

~Amy 

How I process paper

A friend just asked me so I thought I'd share my process:

• I sort junk mail over the recycle bin. 
• I place my kids important papers in a folder with their name on it in the kitchen drawer with pencils, grocery list, keys, take menus and such. 
• For Coupons, I have a small accordion file that I keep in the car. I place the coupons in the car and ask the front seat car rider to file for me.This is where I keep ulta and Dicks rewards money.  
• I go paperless for Kroger and publix coupons and use the app/phone #. Recently I save over $20 with ecoupons on a visit at Kroger using the app. While I wait in the car once a week, I add coupons to my account via my smartphone. 
• I subscribe to coupons/websites and have them sorted into a folder automatically in my email so I never see them until I look in that folder. I use the Hobby Lobby & Michaels App. 
• For bills, I am paperless but if I receive something that needs my attention, I place it in a To Do File folder on my desk. Once and sometimes twice a week, I empty the folder. If it needs long term storage, I move to separate file folders in a desk drawer. 
• Once a month, I reconcile my budget. I am able to archive all of my banking on my bank's website. USAA is awesome. I have separate accounts for business. 
• If you need to store paper long term, you should divide in bankers box by year. And, never have more than 7 years/boxes. When you go to put in the attic, remove the oldest. Some papers you need to keep forever (car title) should be stored in a safe either in your home or off property. 

~Amy 

The Season of Giving

Christmas Ornaments

As we decorate Christmas trees for clients, Gretchen and I inspect and cull ornaments as we go. What to do with the leftovers: 

• Broken ornaments can be re-purposed to decorate an outdoor wreath. 
• Ornaments that do not make it onto the tree can be shared with family members. Just purchase an ornament box and fill it with your extras to pass along to a child or grandchild.
• Wrap special keepsake ornaments and give to your family members as gifts. 
• Do not store unused ornaments. If you are tempted to store something, consider these choices: Use it. Honor it by displaying it. Give it away to a local donation center and give someone a job.  

Enjoy the season of giving!

~Amy 

Yes, you can!

Wish you could snap your fingers and have your master bathroom and closet neat and clean? 


Gretchen and I can help you knock that project out in just a few hours. 

-Amy 

Love this container!

I love this container, let me count the ways:

1. I dislike earring trees
2. The container is clear
3. The container fits in my bathroom drawer
4. It is small and portable
5. The little compartments are rectangle allowing for my large fingers and dangly pairs too. 

~Amy 

Collecting something?

Shark teeth? Shells? Rocks? Coral? What do you collect?

Collection tips:

• Always store/display like with like. 
• Honor your collection and display it! 
• If you store it, choose a clear container so you can see your goods. 
• Limit yourself and remember less is more. Shop your collection for your favorites to keep and donate or gift the less favorite pieces. 

~Amy 

Share a bathroom?

Lack counter space? 
Tired of clutter on your sink? 

Purchase a bin to contain those items you use every morning. Pull out the bin, use the items and then put them away. This is especially helpful if you share a bathroom. My kiddos have different colored bins. I purchased the kind that are stack-able. I ALWAYS lean towards stack-able options! ~Amy 

Store your guns

I read about an unfortunate accident in O Magazine about a toddler gun accident. Click here to read the whole story: 
billingsgazette.com/news

As mothers, Gretchen and I are thrilled when we see a client with a gun safe. 

Recently a client, an avid sportsman and father, advised that he was the only person that new the code to their safe. 

Keep your children and their friends safe! Store them appropriately. 

Thanks!
Amy 

Sunscreen & Bug Spray

Keep a small basket with sunscreen and bug spray in the mud room or by the most frequently used door in your home.  This reminds everyone in the family to apply before yard work, exercise, or playing outside this summer.
~Gretchen

De-clutter Your Mind

~Amy 

Sunscreen Expires

Check the expiration date on your sunscreen to prevent a wicked sunburn.  Be sure to throw away the old stuff so no one gets accidentally fried this summer! 
~Gretchen