If mom is trying to clear out clutter and downsize, you may find yourself with the delightful task of finding a gift for a mom who says she doesn’t want anything.
As if buying mom a Mother’s Day gift she’ll love wasn’t challenging enough!
Since I’ve recently downsized and said this to my own kids, I thought I’d share a few gift ideas for moms like me. You know, gifts for moms who don’t want anything…but that they’ll actually use and love.
These are all really cool gifts that either save space or make a mom’s life a little more pleasant, or both.
And none of them add clutter!
Space Saving Gifts for Moms Who Don’t Want Anything
Quick Links to the Ideas on this Page
Over-the-Door Jewelry Organizer and Mirror
This is the perfect gift for moms who say they don’t want anything that adds clutter…but can’t bear to part with any of their jewelry.
*raises hand sheepishly* 🙄
This lighted and mirrored jewelry organizer hangs conveniently over a door, eliminating the need for a bulky jewelry box or armoire. Plus, all mom’s pretties are neatly hidden away by a mirrored door.
If mom has more makeup than jewelry, there’s also this over door makeup and jewelry organizer or this one just for makeup that also has a built-in table.
Magnetic Spice Holders
Mom may think there is no gift she wants…until she sees these little space savers! This set of 12 magnetic spice tins comes with 120 stick-on labels so mom can customize them any way she wants.
I love that you can twist these to reveal holes in the side to shake the spice, or you can screw off the lid to measure out a larger amount.
If it’s not convenient to stick them on the side of the fridge, this stainless steel wall plate can be mounted to the wall or side of a cabinet for them.
The same maker of the wall plate, also makes these magnetic, hexagon-shaped spice jars which look really cool too.
Either one of these sets will help space-challenged moms gain some cabinet room. They’re super useful gifts for moms who say they don’t want anything.
Magnetic Knife/Tool Rack
Help mom clear up some kitchen drawer or counter space with a magnetic knife and utensil strip.
It’s easy to install and puts her most-used kitchen utensils in easy reach. She might appreciate a second one for sewing or office supplies too!
Instant Pot
The wildly popular (for good reason!) Instant Pot is THE gift for moms who say they don’t want anything.
It’s practical, convenient and saves space and time in the kitchen. What mom wouldn’t want that? Me included…this is going on my list!
The Instant Pot is a slow cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker, steamer and yogurt maker all in one. That’s a whole cabinet full of appliances mom can clear out!
It comes in 3 sizes, so whether mom lives alone or with family still at home, there’s a size that will work for her.
Kindle Paperwhite
I’m a book lover and I LOVE my Kindle Paperwhite! It’s like having a library at my fingertips all the time, without a single bookshelf.
It’s backlit, so I can read in bed without having a light on and disturbing my husband. It’s great for reading in the tent when we’re camping too.
The Paperwhite holds 4GB of data, which is enough for well over 3,000 books! Plus, all the books are stored on the Amazon cloud, so if I do surpass that amount, it’s no problem.
You can buy Kindle books on Amazon, of course, but you can also check out ebooks in Kindle format from the library. You can find out how to do this at your local library’s website.
Even tech-challenged moms love Kindles. My mom is 78, still has a flip phone, and sends real letters with stamps, instead of emails.
But she uses her Kindle like a pro! It turned out to be the best gift mom never wanted!
AND what’s also cool is that I can share my Kindle library with my mom so if I buy (or borrow) a book I think she’ll like, she can read it too.
The latest thing in Kindles is the Kindle Oasis, which holds twice the data, is thinner, has a built-in light and is waterproof. But if that’s a little too pricey, the Paperwhite offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Speaking from experience, a Kindle is a fantastic Mother’s Day gift for a book-loving mom who doesn’t want anything that takes up more space.
Nixplay Digital Picture Frame
I love digital picture frames because you can display hundreds of photos in one frame – super space saving. But boy have they come a loooong way, baby! I have one from about eight years ago which I really liked at the time…but it doesn’t hold a candle to this Nixplay Digital Photo Frame.
With a Nixplay Digital Frame, you can email or use an app and send photos straight to mom’s frame. This is totally perfect for older parents.
Imagine mom sitting in her favorite chair, watching a digital picture slide show on her frame and all of a sudden she sees brand new pictures coming through of you partying on the deck of the cruise ship. Wait…how did that one get in there? 😉
You can even caption the photos, make playlists, mix them up with video and all kinds of other cool stuff.
AND the Nixplay has motion sensors so they turn on when mom walks in the room and turn off when she leaves. It’s all very George Jetson-y.
There are different sizes of the Nixplay frame to choose from, so if 15″ is too big, there’s options, like this Nixplay Edge 8 inch frame.
Like the Kindle, Nixplay frames are great techy space-saving gifts for moms who don’t want anything that adds clutter.
Gifts for Moms Who Don’t Want Anything…Except Their Favorite Beverage
Coffee Maker and Mug All-in-One
If mom’s a coffee drinker, she’ll love the highly-rated Kohipress french press coffee maker and travel mug. It makes delicious brewed coffee in shorter time and with less acid than conventional coffee makers.
You just put the coffee grounds right in the cup, add boiling water, push down the press and let it steep for about 3 minutes. Voila!
It’s a perfect gift for moms who don’t want anything that clutters up their space. No coffee mug or carafe to clean, no filters to buy and store, no wasteful K-Cup pods.
The best coffee to use with this is a coarsely ground coffee, like this this one from Primos Coffee Company. Or mom can use her favorite coffee beans, just set the grinder to coarse.
Infuser Water Bottle
Improve the flavor and health benefits of mom’s water with a Live Infinitely Infuser Water Bottle. Just add fruit once and refill with water all day for a tasty alternative to diet drinks and soda.
You can also use it to make cold-brewed tea.
This bottle not only looks fabulous, but is BPA-free and dishwasher safe. Plus, the infuser rod can be removed and used in a larger pitcher for group servings.
As a mom who tells my kids I don’t want anything…I want this!
Loose-Leaf Tea Maker and Mug All-in-One
For moms who like herbal tea from unprocessed dried herbs, the Teabloom Ceramic Cup with Infuser makes loose-leaf tea drinking so easy. It comes with a built-in infuser and lid that doubles as a coaster.
It’s dishwasher and microwave safe and comes in four pretty zen designs.
What’s really nice is the whole thing fits together and takes up the same room in the cupboard as a single tea mug.
It’s a nice little tea-lovers gift for a mom who doesn’t want anything that takes up unnecessary space…but likes convenience!
Pampering Gifts For Moms Who Say They Don’t Want Anything
These next few gifts for moms are things she probably won’t buy for herself but will make her everyday life just a little more pleasant. They fall in a category I call, Practical Pampering.
They aren’t clutter because they will be used, and they don’t take up much space.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker
If mom listens to music from her phone or ipod, a good quality portable bluetooth speaker is always appreciated.
The sound is so much better than just coming from the phone and this one is only about 2″ square and plays from 50 feet away from the music device.
Mom can enjoy her tunes all around the house, outside, camping or wherever she likes. The tiny size makes it easy to tote it anywhere.
Essential Oil Diffuser Necklace
Help mom pamper herself a bit with this highly-rated oil diffuser necklace. Not only will her favorite essential oil scents lift her mood, but it’s a lovely piece of jewelry that goes with anything, dressy or casual.
The necklace comes with nine insert pads in different colors so she can coordinate it with her outfits. She can use her favorite brand of essential oils in it and the pads are washable and reusable.
If you want to start mom out with a couple of soothing scents, Edens Garden is an excellent brand and their Anxiety Ease and Stress Relief blends are very good.
An oil diffuser necklace is a thoughtful gift for moms who don’t want anything, but don’t know how much they would love this!
One Line A Day Journal
The simple One Line A Day journals are a concise way for mom to jot down a thought or two, a gratitude, an event or feeling – whatever moves her.
It takes the tediousness out of journaling because anyone can write one line. And it’s beneficial to look back and see what you were doing last year or three years ago, on this date. Kind of eye-opening, actually.
The beautiful thing is that mom can pass the journal down so future generations can get a glimpse of the life of their ancestor.
Flameless LED Candles with Remote
I love the ambiance of candles in a room, but hate how they look when they’ve burned partway down and can’t bring myself to throw them out when they’re still burnable. So this Illumicandle set of LED candles is the perfect solution.
These change colors with the touch of the remote and you can put them on a timer so they shut off automatically. I’ve actually forgotten that I had a candle burning before and went to bed. Not good. With these you don’t have to worry about that.
They look lovely all together on a mantle or table, or scatter them around the room for a little candlelight everywhere. And no more storing half used candles.
LED candles are nice little gifts for moms who don’t want anything, but would love a little hassle-free ambiance in their home.
Ted Baker London Watch
Ted Baker London is a lovely designer line sold at Nordstrom and other high-end stores, and it’s available on Amazon as well.
The Ted Baker London ‘Kate’ watch is beautiful, simple, elegant and can be dressy or casual. I’m a big fan of pinks and rose gold, so this one jumped out at me and begged to be bought. But there is a large variety of designs by this brand, and they are all lovely. You can check out the whole selection of Ted Baker London watches for women here.
Sure, it’s a little old-school to get mom a watch. But as a mom, I’ve gotten back in the habit of wearing a watch because it’s just so much easier to glance at my wrist for the time, than to dig in my purse for my phone, pull it out and tap it.
So yeah, a mom who says she doesn’t want anything might actually love a pretty watch.
Shiatsu Pillow Massager with Heat
Treat mom to a massage whenever she wants with the Shiatsu Pillow Massager. This portable massager attaches to the car seat or chair so mom can lean back for a shoulder, neck or back massage.
The balls reverse direction every so often, so you don’t get sore after a couple minutes like with a lot of other massagers. It has heat too, which is great to loosen tight muscles.
The reviews on this thing are pretty darn impressive! It comes in five color choices (including pink!) plus it has a one year warranty.
A massage whenever I want? Yes, please! This could turn out to be the best gift your mom who doesn’t want anything ever got!
DNA Test or Ancestry Search
This may seem like an odd gift, but it definitely doesn’t add clutter and will provide mom with the enriching experience of discovering her (and your!) roots.
I’m talking about the gift of a family tree search. You can try Ancestry.com and get 14 days FREE with this link.
Moms who say they don’t want anything probably never thought about the gift of discovering their ancestry. And if mom has mentioned an interest in researching your family roots, this is the perfect thing to help her get started.
You can also get mom an Ancestry DNA kit. It’s just a cheek swab and when mom gets the results, it could be an enlightening experience for her to see her true heritage.
Ancestry.com often runs sales plus you can get free shipping on Ancestry DNA Kits with Code: FREESHIPDNA.
So there you have it. My…I mean…THE list of great gifts for moms who don’t want anything. 😉
Whether your mom is downsizing, trying to save space or just doesn’t want more clutter, she’s sure to love one of these.
We update our gift ideas all year long, so you can pin this post and save it for later!
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