For the past two weeks, I’ve been searching all over in stores and online to try to find gift ideas – for us. When you plan on downsizing to a Tiny House, what kind of suggestions do you make to your family for holidays gifts or birthday gifts? With both my birthday and the holidays fast approaching, I knew I had to find some ideas. So here is a list of gift ideas for tiny housers!

Gift Cards

I know some people feel like it’s a very impersonal gift – and I would have agreed with you just a few months ago – but I now have come to fully appreciate gift cards, especially those I know I will be able to put to good use. My suggestions to my family are:

• Gas Gift Cards
• Grocery Store Gift Cards
• Canadian Tire Gift Cards (we’re gonna be buying supplies there for at least the next year or two!)
• Costco Gift Cards (you can’t go wrong with this one)
• Date night gift card – for example, a gift certificate to a restaurant, or to the movies, because we never treat ourselves to go out given we’re trying to save as much money as possible for our Tiny House

Concert Tickets

Our families know us well enough to know we both love music and attending concerts, which we probably won’t be doing any time in the near future. We were so thankful so have received tickets to go see Roger Hodgson for our birthday this year – best in-laws ever!!

Baked Goods

Are you going to see us in person? Why not make us some delicious baked goods! It’s such a nice personal gift and it doesn’t have to cost much! And on the up side for us, they’ll be gone in no time. 😉

Alcohol – in moderation

I would probably never put this on my Christmas list, but it’s always appreciated to receive a nice bottle of wine or some fancy beer because it’s not something we’ll go out and buy for ourselves.

An Item We Need

I know this one is vague, but there are going to be many items we will need for our Tiny House, and those are the best kind of gifts we could possibly receive – whether is be cutlery (yes, we don’t own any), dishware, a doormat, a sink, or some light fixtures. And if you’re feeling generous, we’re on the lookout for a stainless steel propane range stove and a freezer-on-the-bottom stainless steel fridge. 😉

Recipe Book – Handmade

I’m just waiting for the day someone will get the hint – please, someone, make me a handmade recipe book with lots of your favourites, your families’ favourites, my families’ favourites. Or even better – all desserts! (Side note: I don’t care if you even but a few “meat meals” in there, I’ll try to find a substitute, or make them for Max, or pass them along to my kids one day!)

Video or Letter

I’m going to be completely honest with you, if you go out of your way to make a personal video or write a letter to me as a gift, I will most definitely start tearing up from joy. This is such a great idea for lots of different people, whether it be people who are close by, or people who are far away. It could even be for someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time – you would really make their day by sending a personal gift like this.

A helping hand

How can you ask for better than this? Giving us your time is the bets gift you could possibly give us, especially when we need help the most. So make sure to leave some room in your calendar for next summer, we’d love to spend some quality time with you, working together to achieve our biggest dream of living in our very own Tiny House.