Pragmatic Person on Your List? There’s a Gift Guide for Her
Prudent. Sensible. No-nonsense. If you need to shop for anyone like this, we've got you covered with a gift guide for the person in your life who adores convenience.
These Gifts are Perfect When It’s the Thought that Counts
It’s always easy if you have a gift recipient who loves jewelry or clothes, but what about your other loved ones who may prefer practicality? Sometimes it’s hard to fill their needs and wants with a handy – but still fun – gift to keep in their bag, car, or home. And we know that fun gifts that make something easier, better, or prettier are frequently the most treasured items we can receive.
Whether you seek a stocking stuffer, a white elephant gift, or a more substantial present for the convenience lover on your list, these solutions will please anyone who loves a useful gift that makes everyday life easier and better. Let this gift guide for those who wish for conveniences and solutions serve as your Santa sidekick.
Related: Our Ultimate Gift Guide for Car Lovers
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Useful Things to Keep in Your Purse or Car
Some of these lifesavers are car-only or purse-only, and some are duplicates I want ready access to at all times. Hello, car tweezers, IYKYK. They may be small or large, but they are perfect for this gift guide.
Here are my top picks for convenient items to keep at arm’s reach 24/7.
Folding Trunk Organizer
This $30 folding trunk organizer collapses and stores easily when your trunk is empty and provides easy-to-navigate space for whatever you need to carry. Use this for car care items, like jumper cables or your car emergency kit, sports equipment, or spare clothes.
Seatback Trash Bag
For anyone who loves keeping a clean car, this $8 streamlined trashbag looks much tidier than the random plastic bags you use to store your car trash.
Emergency Escape Tool
While no one likes to think about breaking a car window to escape in an emergency, there’s a tool specifically for that in case it happens to you. This one also comes with a seatbelt cutter, and it’s $7.
Universal Smartphone Holder
This handy gadget that costs $17 has a suction that affixes to your car’s windshield. It allows you to use your phone and keep your hands safely on the wheel. It also solves the problem of “Where’s my phone?”
Whimsical Notebook
Apps haven’t wholly replaced notetaking, especially not when the notebooks are this cute. The set of 24 pieces is priced at $10. Use them for jotting down quick notes, license plate numbers, coordinates, etc. Make sure you include a couple of pens and pencils. You know what they say: you can always find a dozen writing instruments until you need one. These pencil cases are $14 each, and they come in various adorable prints, so you can always find yours.
Cute Coin Purse
Digging for coins in your seat cushions or your console is so last year. Keep track of your car change in a cute purse that’s easier to reach for, like this one that is priced at $17. Most on-the-go purchases are cashless, but everyone has a few grimy coins in their cupholder.
Charging Cables
Whether you have a cable that lives in your car (because CarPlay or Android Auto) or use your car’s wireless or Bluetooth capabilities to get your apps onto the media display, an extra charging cable is handy. This rainbow-hued cable is fun, durable and priced well at $14.
I keep a spare cable in my console, backpack, and handbag, so basically everywhere.
Haircare Essentials
I carry a small pouch with a mini hairbrush, hair ties, and a few bobby pins in both my car and purse, just in case I need to refresh my hairdo when I’m running around. If you use styling products or dry shampoo, mini sizes of those are great to include.
I’m obsessed with this $10 set of Kitsch scrunchies. They come in different sizes and lots of colors. My favorites are the satin and velour scrunchies, which are easy on my hair.
On the Go Beauty Bag
Even though I carry beauty essentials in my handbag, I like to keep a small bag in my car for touch-ups when I’m out and about.
This set of four corduroy bags for $28 makes a great gift for any beauty lover who wants to stay on top of their organization.
I stock my car beauty bag with mini face wipes, blotting papers to absorb oil, neutral lip color or tinted lip balm, and a bronzer stick. If you’re gifting, provide a selection of products you know your giftee uses. You’ll have to modify your car beauty bag contents during hot weather because, well, nobody likes melty lipstick.
Related: Our Favorite Beauty Essentials to Keep in the Car
Clear Plastic Envelopes
The organization doesn’t come naturally to me, so these plastic envelopes priced at $11 help me keep track of paperwork in all aspects of my life. I use these in the glove compartment of my car to keep my insurance and registration documents in. I also use these for business receipts when traveling or any other paperwork I need to keep track of when I’m out and about. I use larger letter-sized envelopes for full-sized documents that I don’t want to bend. Using different colors for different functions helps me find what I need quickly.
Related: You Need a Car Emergency Kit. Here’s What to Put in It.
Convenient Gems for Travelers
As a person who is always on the go, here’s what I don’t leave home without. And, some of these are interchangeable with the above section on convenient things to keep in your purse or car.
If you have a travel lover on your gift list, here are some practical but still fun ideas.
Related: Our Favorite Fall and Winter Boots
Portable Door Lock
I travel solo often, and I love having this $15 extra layer of security in my bag even though I don’t always use it. Solo travel as a woman is all about keeping within the boundaries of your comfort level and being aware of your surroundings. I avoid staying in hotels where I feel an extra lock is necessary, but it’s comforting to know I have this easy-to-use gadget when my senses tell me to increase my vigilance.
Pro-tip: Always utilize all the door locks available to you, don’t stay in a room without a functional peephole, and don’t open your hotel room door to someone you don’t know, even if they claim to be an emergency response or hotel staff. There’s always a way to verify.
Travel Hangers
While most hotel rooms have hangers, sometimes you’ll run into the kind that doesn’t completely detach from the closet. These collapsible hangers are priced at $12, work great, and don’t take up much space or weight in your bag. These make a great gift for the fashionista or anyone who travels with multiple outfits.
Mini Backpack
A lightweight day pack for $19 that folds up to fit in the palm of your hand is something I always throw in my bag.
Mini Steamer
No-iron clothing is easy to find, but rolling and vacuum-sealing your clothes for travel can result in wrinkles. This easy-to-pack travel steamer costs $50; it is your friend that will make you never want to lift an iron again.
Passport Holder
International travelers can protect their passports in style with this passport holder. It’s distinctive, pretty and $36.
Inflight Bluetooth Transmitter
This device, which you can purchase for $50, allows earbuds to connect to hard-wired inflight entertainment. Why use those cheap airline headphones when you can use the comfy earbuds you’re used to?
Travel Bidet
Bidets are having a moment in the U.S.A. – they’ve been popular for ages in Europe. If the person you’re buying for loves their bidet, here’s a travel version available for $25. And obviously, you have to be very familiar with your giftee before you snag this as a gift. “Gosh, I really love my bidet” is not something that usually comes up in casual convo.
Related: Our 9 Favorite Road Trip Bags
Labor-Saving Housewares Gift Guide
You’ll want to make sure your giftee either enjoys spending time in the kitchen or has a kitchen pain point before giving kitchen items. If you’re gifting something for a person’s home, be familiar with their living space or take cues from what they say they wish they had or don’t love about their abode.
Electric Wine Opener
This is a foolproof way to pop a bottle. At $29, this sleek Cuisinart version looks great on any home bar.
Olive Oil Spritzer
This is a great choice for anyone who strives for a more sustainable kitchen. This spritzer, which you can purchase for $11, works with a variety of oils and allows you to ditch the aerosol sprays.
Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner
Even if someone hates cooking, they probably use a microwave and probably hate cleaning it. Enter the Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner. This whimsical $8 gadget cleans your microwave using steam.
Pizza Scissors
Pizza scissors are a must for anyone who makes their own pizza or flatbread. This pair, which costs $29, is also great for the frozen pizza crowd, too.
Decorative Mini Humidifier
Winter air is dry air, and using humidifiers at home can ease sinus symptoms and chapped lips. While a full-sized utilitarian humidifier might not make for a very exciting gift, there are a variety of mini humidifiers for $13 that are both pretty and functional, and you can match them to the aesthetic of your giftee’s home.
Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets can reduce stress and promote better sleep. This loose-knit blanket by Bearaby is $200, and is so gorgeous that you’ll want to keep it on display.
These practical gifts are things the people you’re buying for might not think to snag for themselves. Whether you want something small and inexpensive to tuck in a stocking or a main gift, we hope this list inspires you.
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