The best gifts for minimalists

What to get the person who... doesn't want anything?

By Georgia Dixon

Nov 29, 2023

3 min read

What do you get the person who has everything?

We've all heard this classic question. Some think these people are the hardest to buy for, but they've clearly never met a minimalist. What do you get the person who has very little and wants nothing? Now that's the real conundrum.

Well, we're here to help. Here's our roundup of the best gifts for minimalists to give you some much-needed inspiration.

1. Audiobooks and ebooks

Feed their book addiction without giving them actual books.

The Venn diagram of minimalists who like to read is basically a circle, which is a problem, because the only physical books they have are there for aesthetic reasons.

That said, you can still feed their bookworm tendencies without burdening them with what they would no doubt label as "clutter" (a.k.a. real books). Simply opt for books of the digital or sonic variety.

If they've got a Kobo ereader, grab them a Kobo gift card. If they're a Kindle user, opt for an Amazon gift card (which they could also use to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited). Otherwise, if they prefer audiobooks, you could simply go for an Audible gift card.

Feeling extra generous? If they're not already in the ereader club, usher them in with a new Kindle or Kobo ereader.

2. Memobottle

A minimalist water bottle designed to fit in any bag.

The key to getting a minimalist the perfect present is utility. If it's practical, you're onto something good. If it's practical and aesthetically pleasing, like a Memobottle drink bottle, you've hit it out of the park.

Designed right here in Australia, the Memobottle is an eco-friendly, functional and beautiful solution to bulky cylindrical water bottles that never seem to fit in backpacks and handbags. They come in a few different paper-inspired sizes (A5, A6, A7), making them easy to fit alongside notebooks, laptops and wallets.

Also, for each bottle purchased, Memobottle provides a person in need with two months' access to clean water.

Buy it on Amazon

3. Anything edible or drinkable

Food and drink is the perfect gift for a minimalist - once it's gone, it's gone.

Minimalists don't want things. If they get a thing, they have to find a place for that thing, and it might not go with their other things. That's why food and drink is always a safe bet. Once it's been eaten or drunk, it's gone. No "thing" to deal with.

For your wine-loving minimalists, grab them a few bottles from Naked Wines (or even just your local Dan Murphys), or give them a gift that keeps giving with a Good Pair Days subscription.

For the foodie minimalists, you could either go down the hamper route with a gift from The Gourmet Pantry, or there's always the failsafe option of a voucher to their favourite restaurant.

4. A Streaming service subscription

Photo of someone using Disney+ on their phone

Your minimalist friend might look like they have their life together, but behind closed doors, they still binge-watch on the couch with a tub of ice cream like the rest of us.

Continuing the theme of not giving your minimalist loved one more stuff to deal with, streaming service subscriptions are always a solid choice. They're also pretty budget-friendly, with options to pay for one month, a few months or even a year.

By now, just about everyone's got Netflix or Stan. Here are our top three picks for some of the newer services.

Streaming service	Price	Go to site
Disney+	$119.95 for 1-year gift subscription	Visit Disney+
Binge	Gift cards from $20	Visit Binge
BritBox	$99.99 for 1-year gift subscription	Visit Britbox

5. The Big Book of Less

Sure, they're a minimalist, but they <em>could</em> be even more minimalist-er.

When we think of "minimalists", we tend to think of sparsely-decorated, Scandi-inspired rooms with not a spot of clutter in sight. But minimalism is about more than just living with less stuff - it's also a frame of mind.

The Big Book of Less: Finding Mindfulness and Joy in Living Light by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst is a grown-up activity book designed to teach the art of mental and spiritual decluttering in addition to the physical aspects of minimalism.

Buy it on Amazon

6. An Experience

Because doing stuff is better than getting stuff.

Forget a PS5 - memories are the best gifts anyone can get (or give). Buying the minimalist in your life an experience is a guaranteed hit.

For adrenaline junkies, there's skydiving, V8 race car laps, canyoning, jet boating and more. As for the scaredy cats, you could always go for a cooking class, wine tour, spa package or scenic cruise. Head over to RedBalloon for more inspo.

7. Donation to Charity

To a true minimalist, a charitable donation on their behalf is the perfect gift.

Real, bona fide minimalists don't want a thing. To them, your money is better spent elsewhere - namely, going towards their favourite charity.

If you know what their favourite charity is, you can donate directly to them on behalf of your minimalist friend. If you don't, head over to MyCause for a gift voucher and let your friend do the choosing themselves.

Written by

Georgia Dixon

Georgia Dixon has over seven years' experience writing about all things tech, entertainment and lifestyle, with bylines in TechLife magazine, 7NEWS and Stuff.co.nz. In her spare time, you'll find her playing games and daydreaming about good food, wine, and dogs.