Decide once: my favorite principle out of my very favorite self-help book, The Lazy Genius Way. There are so many ways you can apply this principle – but applying it to gift-giving is my favorite. Even with one kid, keeping track of all the birthday parties and teacher gifts can get overwhelming. And by deciding once, I took the decision-making off my plate years ago. Here’s how I do it:
Birthday Gifts
Each kid gets the same thing, with slight modifications, every single year. We don’t pick trendy, but we do pick something useful and still fun. And I buy items in bulk, so there’s always a gift handy for last-minute needs. Here’s what they get:
- A pencil pouch – made from these canvas bags and iron-on patches.
- A mini notebook
- Fun markers or pens – this is the only thing my daughter gets to pick out, but it doesn’t take forever since she knows she’s limited. (We love the fun Ooly products!)
Teacher Gifts
At a minimum, you’re probably doing a gift for your kids’ teachers for the holidays, Teacher Appreciation Week, and the end of the school year. I tend to add a few more gifts along the way, including one at the beginning of the school year and one for Valentine’s Day. Here’s what I do:
- For Christmas, it’s gift cards. Easy, because I’m too stressed otherwise.
- For Valentine’s Day, my daughter’s teachers receive a small pink or purple notebook and some hot-pink pens, along with a note from my daughter.
- For Teacher Appreciation Week, I order this personalized cup from Etsy (which I heart/add to my favorites to easily find the next year) and include a small gift card.
- For the end of the school year, the teacher receives a plant (chosen by my daughter from Root 31, our favorite plant shop in Westfield!) with these cute gift card plant stakes from Etsy and a gift card.
A Note about Teacher Appreciation Week
My daughter’s school sends home a week’s worth of activities/gifts to provide to your teacher. I know there’s never an expectation to do everything; I initially felt so obligated to do it all. I gave that up a long time ago and opted to purchase one bigger gift and just do it once. I have zero regrets.
Keep a List
I can’t remember week to week what I’m doing, let alone what sort of gifts I give each year (beyond the broad categories). So, save yourself some time and just create a list on your Notes app.
Other Ways to Decide Once
Of course, decide once applies to more than just gift-giving. Here are some other suggestions:
- If your child takes their lunch to school, these Bentgo boxes were a lifesaver for us. We bought five and just prepped them all on Sunday.
- Weeknight dinners: Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, so on.
- Vacation packing: Create another list on your notes with everything everyone in your household needs.
I’d love to hear how everyone else applies this principle in their life. Leave it in the comments below!
