Less is More // Your 2024 Guide to Meaningful Gifting

We believe the most meaningful gifts aren't always the ones wrapped in bows—they're the ones that create lasting memories or bring joy in simple ways. This holiday season, we’re focusing on experiences over things, quality over quantity, and highlighting some incredible local businesses we love. Whether you're treating yourself or surprising someone special, this guide offers a range of thoughtful gifts to make your holidays more memorable, without adding clutter.

I have been lucky enough to experience the creativity and talent from each of these businesses over the past several years, so take my word for it…anything from these local businesses would be a hit for those on your gift list. But to make the season of giving even more fun, each of these small businesses has a special offering for you, TBM friends! Enjoy and support local this holiday season.

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerNovember 25, 2024The Baer Minimalist, LLCHolidays, Gift GuideComment

Our 2022 Gift Guide

Gahhhh….it’s time for one of our favorite (and let’s be honest, only) blog posts of the year. Each year, we LOVE pulling together a list of intentional + thoughtful gifts for those gracing your list, many of which will add zero clutter to the recipient’s home.

This year we’ve broken it down into categories, and honestly, think there is something for just about anyone that you might have on your list (parents, kids, spouses, friends,…the dreaded minimalist).

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerNovember 22, 2022The Baer Minimalist, LLCGift Guide, HolidaysComment

20 Days of Giving // A Printable Checklist

In honor of National Gratitude Month, we wanted to share our guide to Donate + Do Good this holiday season. Because after all, isn’t that a huge part of what this season is about?

Doing yourself the favor of decluttering your space before the gifting season gets underway, while benefiting our community in the process is something that is near and dear to our hearts.

We’ve created a printable guide (click on the image below to download your very own copy) and would love to hear all of the little ways you impact local in the coming weeks.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves this holiday season and work to give back while we also take notice of the bounty that each of us is fortunate enough to have.

Organized | RESOURCESMaria BaerNovember 10, 2022The Baer Minimalist, LLCDonate, Holidays, DeclutterComment

Acts of Connection Advent Calendar

Organized | HOLIDAYS, Organized | PARENTHOODMaria BaerNovember 29, 2021The Baer Minimalist, LLCHolidaysComment

The Baer Minimalist's Annual EXPERIENCE Gift Guide

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerNovember 22, 2021The Baer Minimalist, LLCHolidays, Gift GuideComment

DONATION RESOURCE // Mars Hill Arts Center

Have you ever looked inside your craft box and thought to yourself, what on Earth will I ever use these for? Maybe you have a pack of pipe cleaners or googly eyes, or maybe even a whole stack of construction paper? Well have we got news for you - we’ve located the perfect place for you to put all of your crafting supplies to good use!

Organized | RESOURCESKamy MitchellNovember 19, 2021The Baer Minimalist, LLCDonation Resources, Donate, Holidays, CraftsComment

The Baer Minimalist's Cozy at Home Gift Guide

I absolutely LOVE finding the perfect gift for each person who graces my gift list. In a “quote normal year,” I create a budget, have a Pinterest board that I fill throughout the year with gifts ideas for each of my family members, and do a pretty good job of not overbuying. But this year is….shall we say, different.

This year, I find myself getting sucked into every Instagram ad, clicking “add to cart” way more than normal, and then feeling this crazy sense of overwhelm when I look in “Santa’s workshop” (aka, the guest bedroom), and see the growing pile of stuff. I may have to book a session with myself after the holidays just to get the house back in order.

So as I think through the final gifts on my list and try to come up with a list of my own, I’m going back to the basics. Gifts that can be consumed, or provide a new skill or fun night in. Enter the 2020 Gift List Full of Things You Can Do Safely from the Comfort of Your Home. ;)

Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerDecember 4, 2020The Baer MinimalistHolidays, Gift GuideComment

How in the Heck Do I Store My...Holiday Decor?!

This time of year, one of the most frequently asked questions in the world of organizing is something along the lines of…How do I store my wreaths?! Is a bag or box better for storing my tree? What on earth do I do with all of these ornaments?! Is it normal to spend 5 hours unraveling Christmas lights each year?

So today, I’m sharing some of my favorite hacks and the products needed for organizing your holiday decor just in time to take advantage of those big SALES starting on December 26! And better yet, a lot of these solutions utilize items you might already have on hand.

WREATH + LINEN ORGANIZER

If you’ve got a blank wall in your storage space begging to be filled, consider using Command Hooks to create a gallery wall of wreaths. Bonus points if you organize by season! Imagine a tidy grid of wreaths with Spring on the top, summer in the middle, and Fall/Winter below. I can envision it now and it has me E X C I T E D.

The Baer Minimalist's Party Prep Checklist

Planning ahead has always been my jam - dare I say, a hobby?! I’m always making lists so that I can feel like I’ve got it together and the holidays are certainly no exception.

I’ve been updating my online address book so that I’m ready to order my holiday cards on Cyber Monday (with pre-printed envelopes saving tons of time), creating a list of gift ideas for those lucky recipients in my life and of course, planning out the menus for the events we are hosting over the coming weeks.

One of my favorite resources to utilize for events is my Party Prep Checklist and I thought it was due time I shared it with you! If you subscribe to Haven, you’ve already got a hard copy at your disposal as it was featured in the November issue. (And if you don’t subscribe, what are you waiting for?!)

Top Five Consumable Gifts for 2018

I’m constantly working to help others declutter their spaces, so when it comes time for the season of giving, I’m always trying to think of gifts that are consumable or feature some sort of new experience as an alternative to gifting another ugly Christmas sweater!

Of course there are exceptions, but the idea of treating those you love to something unique that doesn’t add clutter to their space is the perfect way to be a gift-giver extraordinaire. And that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative when it comes to wrapping if you still want to create a thrill around opening!

Here are five gift ideas to add to your arsenal this holiday season:

Indianapolis Food Tour Experience: This past summer, our wonderful city launched food tours in Fountain Square, Fletcher Place and Mass Ave. Food tours have got to be one of my FAVORITE things to do when exploring a new city, but I feel like this is also a really fun thing to do right here in our own backyard. Foodies will be pumped to receive this as a treat to use in the new year, giving them the chance to devour bites from a number of restaurants AND see behind the scenes of some innovative Indianapolis establishments. Tours start at $55 per person and can be booked here. Gift certificates can be ordered through Sarah Frey with the Indy Cultural Trail (sfrey@indyculturaltrail.org).

Organized | LIFE, Organized | HOLIDAYSMaria BaerDecember 3, 2018The Baer Minimalist, LLCGift Guide, HolidaysComment

Hacking Your Way to a Chic + Organized Holiday | Part 2

We’re back with Part 2 of our guide to hacking your way to a Chic + Organized Holiday Season. If you missed last week’s ideas, hop on over to learn the importance of a Holiday Checklist, best practices for hosting and attending events first.

These ideas are the brainchild of Caryn O’Sullivan, CEO of Drapery Street, and myself and were presented to an amazing crowd at the Indiana Design Center on November 8.

Hacking Your Way to a Chic + Organized Holiday | Part 1

Raise your hand if you are in charge of shopping for gifts each holiday season?

How about prepping the meals?

Planning out outfits for family photos? Not to mention scheduling them?

My guess is everyone has three hands raised, so we don’t even need to mention wrapping the gifts, booking flights for distant celebrations, hand addressing the holiday cards, decorating the house. I mean the list is LONG, and can certainly be a major stress during the most magical time of the year.

So when the Indiana Design Center reached out to see if I’d be open to sharing best practices and tips for a chic + organized holiday season, I jumped at the chance. I partnered with Caryn O’Sullivan, CEO of Drapery Street, and last Thursday we presented to a full house.

But I couldn’t leave you out of it, so without further ado, here are a few tried and true holiday hacks to add some joy back into your season.

The Baer Minimalist® Blog -- Tips, Tricks and Hacks on living a more ORGANIZED + STYLIZED Life