WFMW: Write Down Your Gifts

Have you ever bought someone a Christmas gift, then hidden it, and lost it?  And then you clean out your closet two years later, and there it is, right behind the too-small jeans, except now nobody plays with Rescue Heroes anymore?

Uh, yes ma'am.  Many times.  The more kids I had, the more likely this scenario became.  Or--and this is the worst--I'd find that I'd spent too much one person and not enough on another, and the whole thing felt unbalanced, causing a last-minute scurry. 

A few years ago, I started keeping a close record of what I was buying, and for whom.  It's simply a list, {DRYER CHILDREN, STOP READING} kept in the back of my daily planner.  I start it in the fall, when I first start mulling over gift ideas.  When a child mentions something they'd like, I record it on my list.  When I've actually purchased it, I circle it.  When I've gift-wrapped it (oh, the sense of completion) I cross it off. 

Then (and this is key), if I hide it someplace weird, I write down where I hid it.

This list isn't only for my kids' gifts, either.  I keep every gift idea/record I have on ONE piece of paper, with notes jotted about sale prices and sweater sizes and any other relevant bit of info.  That way I can take it with me when I go shopping.  It has saved me a ton of stress, and a good bit of money, too.

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Comments

[Blue Castle]

I have had this same problem. So, earlier this year I started a list. Now I can't find the notebook that contains the list. I think I'm hopeless. :)

[We are THAT family]

This such a practical tip! For years, I could just stick things in the top of my closet or under my bed. But something happened: my kids got smart and older. I must be creative.

But I'm also forgetful!

[The Happy Housewife]

Great idea! I just found a bunch of gifts in my closet, a few that were wrapped in Christmas paper from last year! I will definitely be making a list this time around!
Toni

[Beyond Just Mom]

Excellent advice. I'm still looking for that toy bow & arrow my boys would have loved five years ago.

[Steph at the Red Clay Diaries]

I do the gift imbalance thing every year. And it's always my middle child who gets shorted. The one child who notices any difference in gift value or amount.

I'm tired of running to Walmart on Christmas Eve to even it out.

I'm gonna do a list like yours. Great idea!

[Amy @ Experience Imagination]

Nifty idea. I will definitely keep that in mind when I have the resources to buy more gifts!

[Kitty]

That's a very good idea. Just the other day I found a couple of Christmas presents I had bought (not too long ago either) and had completely forgotten about. Luckily, I keep them all in the same closet so I figure I'll just go through there before finishing my shopping. But a list would definitely make it easier.

[Raise Them Up]

Oh, how I need to do something like this!

Unfortunately, like so many other things, I haven't seen my planner for weeks. Sigh. Hidden gifts can go for years around here.

This year I'm actually giving a gift to my third son which I bought for my first--9 years ago!

[Nicole @ Here's The Diehl]

I do something similar, except on the computer in a Word document. I add to the kids' (and my!) lists throughout the year as things are mentioned, and when it's purchased, I put how much it costs in parenthesis behind the item, so I can be tracking what I've spent per person as I go.

My husband loves me for this!

[AmberStar]

Oops...I couldn't find this comment form and posted my blog page up above. I don't have any useful information on my blog at all.

However, I do find that if I keep a list I panic whenever I see one of my children reading any list in case it is that special list. I haven't started keeping it in a special place where they would know NOT to look...since they are probably your age.

The writing down where you hid it is really good. I am still finding gifts I'd picked up all year and put away. Oh aggg..if I have to go out for more.

[Christy]

Nice. I keep a Google Doc Spreadsheet with "Ideas, Boughts, and Wrappeds". It has saved lots of heartache.

And my mom is the WORST about buying gifts and then losing them. I've gotten Christmas presents for Easter before. Several times.

[Julie From Inmates]

I was just thinking this evening that I have gifts hidden all over this house. This WFMW tip would have been great, say, two months ago. J/K =) Thanks for the tip. I'm starting that now.

[Carol]

Shannon! If I did that someone might mistakenly assume I was organized or something. It makes way too much sense. And it's way too simple and sensible. I couldn't possibly!

[asnipofgoodness]

I love this idea, and I am going to implement it today!!! What a simple but perfect system!! Thanks for sharing! (I always forget that place that "I'll never forget"!)

[Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers]

Oh, I so totally do that! Well, except I haven't had to write down where I hide them because, so far, I've managed to fit them all in our top secret hiding place (which is in such plain view it's scary...shhh, don't tell my kids!).

I typically use the list to make sure that each child has a comparable number of gifts. Dollar figures mean nothing to them so long as one person's pile isn't bigger than the other's.

Ah, the joys of raising kids who don't hyper-focus on material things.

[col @ gigablonde :: things to do in ny when you're [alive]]

Ooh, ooh, sweet idea! I'm a gift-packrat, buying as soon as January for the following Christmas ... and forgetting. I love organization and your method rocks!

[Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings]

This is something that works for me, too! I couldn't go without making a list of gifts since I'm pretty good at putting things in odd places. Last Christmas, I even typed up a list on the computer for things in a Rubbermaid container that we stored in the attic that were intended for gifts for this Christmas.

[Melissa]

My mom is the queen of losing presents. This sounds like a great idea!

[se7en]

We always craft our own gifts and this post has a list of tips of things that work and things to watch out for!

[Steph @ Problem Solvin Mom]

I love this idea! I aimlessly jot down ideas here and there and then struggle to find them {blushing} I need a central location and some organization! ;)

[Jolanthe @ No Ordinary Moments]

I do the same thing - works well!! :) Sorry I messed up my link today!

Jolanthe

[Carey]

I do the same thing! I usually don't forget that I've hidden something, but I have the same problem you do of pulling everything out later and realizing that I've spent much more on one person and too little on another. Only difference is - I keep my running list on my computer - away from curious eyes!

[Sheila Gregoire]

When I was young I collected coins. For Christmas when I was 13, my aunt and uncle bought me a mint set of 1967 coins.

My aunt put it away in a safe place. And when Christmas came she couldn't find it.

She looked and looked. For years. Whenever anyone lost anything in our family, we would joke, "it must be with the coins!".

Last year she went to a formal party and had to carry her formal purse. In it were the coins. So she wrapped them up for Christmas for me. I am 37. You do the math!

She needs to go to formals more often!

Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!

[Llama Momma]

Have a wonderful thanksgiving, Shannon!

[Jen TuTu's Bliss]

LOL I find hidden Christmas presents around April. I love your blog..what a fun way to share. Please be warned this entire month on my blog is about mom's, birth and breastfeeding and celebrated in art. I hope that doesn't yank my G status!!

[Amblin]

Great idea!!

[Heather L.]

Great plan! I do the same thing. Thanks for sharing and have a blessed Thanksgiving!

[A Frugal Housewife]

Fortunately my little one isn't big enough to start snooping yet... so I can hide everything in my hugemongus closet (which is the only thing I'll miss about this otherwise poorly laid out house when we move...) but this is a great idea! I'm good about writing things down, but never thought to write where I hid them - thanks for the tip!

[JanMary, N Ireland]

You realize how highly sought after your daily planner will now by your family members. You better hide it somewhere weird, then write a note about where, then hide that note somewhere weirder......this could continue right through Christmas into next year!

I love to start lists like this, then lose them and start another!

[Octamom]

You'd have to add in big letters for me REMEMBER TO READ THE LIST--yep, I'm a great list maker, bad list reader and found a few hidden Christmas presents in the garage, very well camouflaged, when we moved a couple of years ago.

On the up side, we had a mini-Christmas in the garage with the movers swirling around us--so it did lighten the mood a bit....

Blessings!

[Joanna @ Grace in the Home]

I started keeping a Gift notebook about three years ago. There is a section for Christmas as well as birthdays, etc. What a great resource it has been for me! More than once, I have stopped myself from buying repeat gifts for relatives thanks to my little notebook!

[angela]

I've done the same thing in the past. I've purchased something - hid it away and forgot about it. And I've wrapped gifts and forgotten what they are.
I now make lists of lists of lists. They sure do help me

[Lorie]

I woud so use this idea...if I ever shopped before December 15th! I am so bad! Have a great THanksgiving!!!

[Elizabeth Esther]

Totally! I've done this so many times and it's SO frustrating! This seems to happen with baby clothing, for me. I'll purchase things in advance (because its' on sale!) and then totally forget to actually pull them out and have the twins wear the outfits! Grrrrrr. Great idea!

[MamaHenClucks]

This is great! I shop all year and usually hide gifts in the same spot, but this year I felt like I needed a new system! Thanks

[Mel]

Wow that is a great way to keep track!!!! I am so not organized in stuff like this.

[Marie]

My kids constantly make fun of me for this very thing....I'm always finding things the summer after Christmas....'Oh, that's where that is'......:0)

[Reading Rosie]

I keep a small notebook with me and as I see something for a gift idea through the year, I write it down with the persons name beside who I think would like it for a gift. Then when I am in the shopping mode, I can refer back to this list.

[Holli T.]

Hi -

This is my first time posting for WFMW. I agree with you - I have to write things down or I NEVER remember them. The challenge is to remember where you wrote it down...

[Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama]

I keep a list, too! I even keep a list of gift ideas for the kids that I told people about so I don't end up telling 2 people the same gift!

[Jerri]

Great idea! I like the idea of keeping the list on the computer and maybe naming it something crazy like "Tax Information" so that nosy nellies don't see it.

[Betsy]

Clever. Last year, while moving, I found a stash of gifts that I had hidden when my nephew was FIVE. (He's nine now.) Pretty sure those jeans won't fit him, and he's a little old to be reading "Go, Dog, Go."

[Adventures In Babywearing]

SUCH a great tip and one I am doing this year! I have to- I have no memory! The baby has sucked it all away! I make my list on my iPhone as well as my computer (and label it something other than Christmas so that no one finds it!) But then you have to remember what you labeled it...

Steph

[Toni]

Just this year I started using my Outlook to do the same thing. I created a task called Christmas then kept adding notes to it as each gift was purchased.

[Crayl]

I have indeed forgotten where I put presents in the past, oh yes. Good idea in the date book however. Like it.

[Jen]

What a great idea - I've lost more gifts than I care to admit...

[Brandi]

Thanks for hosting WFMW!!

I don't think I have ever forgotten where any presents have been hidden but what a great idea!!

[Kathy]

I have presents currently hidden from last Christmas that were forgotten! You are so right - lists are a must. Thanks!

[Forgetfulone]

Oh, yes, I've done that! It's terrible! Great tip.

[Anna]

Easy hems, come and get em.

Good idea on the list. I've had the same issue before.

[Melissa]

That's a great idea. My mom needed that one. We'd always get a shipment of presents from Grandma and Grandpa (spoiled, yes). She hid them around the house. I remember probably about 5 years ago, it seemed like I got a lot more presents than my little sister did, but she didn't say anything. My very embarrassed mom found the rest of the presents (a whole box-full) two days later in her closet!

[susieshomemade]

That's a great idea!! I will have to implement this!!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving:-)

[jen TuTu's Bliss]

This has been such a fun day for me!! This is my first time to join in and I have met and surfed some of the neatest blogs!! Three cheers for mommy power!! Thank you for putting this together

[Patsy Clairmont]

The worst is when it's a food item that has "seasoned" beyond recognition.

Once a friend sent me her awesome potato rolls, but by the time they arrived they had grown toupee's. Not appetizing.

Rocks you rock!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Watch out for the turkeys I hear they are everywhere! ;-)

[Abbie]

Good idea.
I've bought a few things over the past year that are intended to be Christmas gifts...& I'm relying on my memory to help me find them throughout the house. yikes!