Unique Holiday Gift Ideas | 2018 Gift Guide

This year has been a big one for us at Clean My Space; I had a baby earlier in the year and we recently moved into a new house, complete with massive renovation projects. So, Chad and I haven’t really had a chance to get much shopping done, but we have started thinking about what we’re going to be buying for family and friends. So we thought, “You know what? We should put a gift guide together this year!”. There are so many great gifts out there and it can be difficult to find the right gift. When I shop for a gift, I look for something that has lasting power and that is truly useful and meaningful for the recipient—not just something that looks good on a shelf. So, without further ado here are my picks for the best holiday gift ideas for 2018.

Hydro Flask

You know a gift is good if you’re willing to buy it for yourself. I treated myself to a brand new Hydro Flask this past Black Friday and I’m so glad I did. I’ve had other stainless steel bottles in the past, but they tend to get dented and dinged, or they just don’t hold enough water. I wanted to get myself a nice big bottle, something that can keep hot liquids hot, cold liquids cold, and has a nice wide mouth. And most importantly—isn’t made of plastic! I ended up with a 32-ounce Hydro Flask, which I’ve since dropped a few times, and no dents! This will save countless plastic water bottles over the years and will really encourage me to stay hydrated.

Klean Kanteen (Child Size)

Now that we’ve covered off the adult-sized sippy cup, let’s talk about what I picked up for Riley—a kids water bottle made by Klean Kanteen. This is a wonderful gift idea for any little ones in your life. It’s not vacuum sealed liked the Hydro Flask, but it is a stainless steel sippy cup which can be converted into a sports cup as kids get older. I did a lot of research online because daycare had asked me to get a sippy cup for Riley. I know that lids got really gross and moldy and that straws are hard to clean, and I also knew that I wanted a stainless steel one. The Klean Kanteen has simple components that are easy to clean, they’re super durable, and ultimately should last until the child is 3 or 4 years old. It was also really affordable, so all in all this is a great gift idea.

Weighted Blanket

When it comes to wellness, one of the most important things that you can do for yourself, is get a good night’s sleep. One of the hottest gifts this year is the Embrace Weighted Blanket. It comes in three different weights and is said to reduce stress and bring on a deeper, better quality, sleep. It’s also has been known to help reduce some chronic issues like anxiety, stress, insomnia, fibromyalgia and restless leg syndrome. If someone got me a weighted blanket I would hide under it and sleep for 3 days. I think this would be a fantastic gift for anybody in the family.

Paper Storage Baskets

If you’re looking for something that’s inexpensive, but super unique and stylish to boot, I have to suggest these paper storage baskets from West Elm. The first time I saw these, I was like, “What is this?”. These storage baskets are made out of paper, are machine washable, and are super durable. You guys know plastic storage containers drive me a little bit crazy, so I love seeing more sustainable options out there that are also visually appealing. If you have a cactus or plant that needs to level up a notch you can put it in here. Or, if you need a place to hold pens, scissors or any other type of knick-knack storage, definitely give these a try!

All-Clad Frying Pan

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves to cook, or someone who’s looking to eat a little bit healthier in the new year, you might want to consider getting them an All-Clad non-stick frying pan. I actually bought this for my Mom a few months back. She loves making eggs—she makes them pretty much every day—and she uses this old-school stainless steel frying pan that is such a pain to clean up afterward. I love this All-Clad non-stick pan because it’s oven safe, dishwasher safe, it’s PFOA free and it’s easy to clean. It also allows you to cook with less fat because it is non-stick, so this is also a great gift for those on the health tip.

Safety Razor

Now here’s an item that is certainly an unexpected gift, but from a sustainability standpoint (and from a female standpoint) I can assure you that this is a wonderful gift. I’ve always used plastic razors because that’s what I’ve known. However, I was at an event a few months ago and I met some entrepreneurs who had started up a company where they sell these beautiful safety razors. You essentially have a single blade—it’s a really thin, good quality blade that costs next to nothing to replace—the handle is made of brass, and ultimately contains no plastic at all. The initial investment is a few dollars, but it’s much less expensive in the long run and will last you the rest of your life if you take care of it. I was a little bit intimidated using it initially, but I watched a video and figured out how to use it, and now I can honestly say it’s easy to use and results in a great shave.

Spectra eTouch Shower Head

An easy upgrade in just about any home is a new shower head. Particularly if someone has just moved into a new space, or if someone has an older home that could use a modern touch. The American Standard Spectra eTouch shower head has the standard four spray patterns, but it’s touch changeable, which means you can just touch the showerhead to change the spray pattern. There’s also a remote you can mount for easy access which does the same thing. This is a really wonderful way to upgrade somebody’s space and it gives you an amazing shower experience each and every day at home.

Smart Home

Since moving into this house we’ve had to make a number of decisions about the appliances and fixtures we’ll be using. Wherever possible we’re making energy-efficient choices as well as smart home choices. A few things that caught our eye are the Sengled LED bulbs, the WeMo Mini Smart Plug, and the Google Home Mini. Each of these is smart capable, meaning we can control it from our phone as well as the voice control built into the Google Home Mini. The Sengled LED bulbs are not only energy efficient but offer you 16 million different colors which you can, of course, adjust using an app on your phone. The WeMo is a wi-fi enabled smart plug—so I can plug in my flat iron and schedule it to turn on every morning at 7:30 am, or I can turn it on remotely from my phone while I’m making breakfast for Riley.

Nanoleaf Light Panels

Lighting is really becoming a part of home design as we suddenly have unprecedented control of both the brightness and color of our lighting with all the new smart products hitting the market. The Nanoleaf Light Panel set is a perfect example of this. This product is great for gamers, home musicians, and people who love home entertainment gadgets, but it’s also perfect for people looking for a really unique way to step up their design. Chad has this in his office and he can’t stop talking about it. He mounted the triangle light panels opposite his desk in this cool pattern spanning the roof to the floor. Every time I go in there he’s got different light configurations going—Forest, Snowfall, Northern Lights, Music—you basically pick different light configurations to match your mood or the sound in the room. It’s not something you might think of getting somebody, but once you see it in action, you will definitely be impressed.

Maker’s Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Last, but not least, this is the perfect time of year to pick up a set of our Maker’s microfiber cleaning cloths. The waffle weave towels are a tasteful and practical accent to any kitchen or bathroom, while the general purpose cloths are just great to have around the home, dorm room or car for those daily dusting and cleaning tasks. All of our cloths will be on sale at 20% off up until Christmas day, so get yours today! Oh, and we now have a Canadian store for those who want to purchase in CAD.