What types of gifts do people dislike receiving?

Here’s a clue. It’s not a saucepan!

I was surprised, and, gulp, a little bit nervous when I read this. Apologies, in advance, to my family if you are reading this. According to a survey, clothing and accessories topped the list of most unwanted gifts, followed by cosmetics and fragrances and then household items.

The survey also said that the majority of us are likely to politely keep our unwanted gifts and estimate £5 billion is wasted on them every year.

On reflection I realise just how familiar this situation is. I can’t actually recount a client’s wardrobe which did not have at least one ‘It was a gift, I never wear it’ item in it and usually more than one. After a few early present, shall we say, mishaps, my husband now refuses to buy me anything without an actual website link!

So what can you do about this?

What you shouldn’t do is keep a gift you have no intention of using. Not only does it add useless clutter to your home it will make you feel guilty every time you look at it.

Here are three ways to turn your unwanted gifts into something useful:-

1. Return  
 It’s a very unBritish thing to do but asking for the receipt is really no big deal. You can always say that it doesn’t fit instead of saying it’s ghastly and you’d never wear it in a million years. This way you’ll gain a garment you love and avoid having one more item you don’t wear in your wardrobe.

2. Sell
 There’s never been a better time to sell your unwanted goods. Ebay is the obvious site to use but there are also lots of others such as Vestiaire Collective for designer goods, Depop which is popular with young adults and teens and Vinted for high street gems. It’s a great way to ensure the unused stuff doesn’t go into landfill and recoup some funds towards a new purchase.


3. Charity
 Your local charity shop is always a good option and there are other causes around you can help depending on the type of clothing you are giving away. If you have smart items in good condition then Smart Works and Dress for Success would make great use of them. These are Charities that coach and dress people for job interviews so they are in high demand because of the pandemic.

Just in case you are interested it appears that music and tech are fairly safe bets when it comes to present buying. I’m not sure that helps me at all……

Gift vouchers on sale now

Do you know someone who is stuck in a style rut and needs a bit of a helping hand to feel good about themselves?

If so, a Queen Bee Styling voucher is the ideal Christmas gift. I offer a range of online and in person services designed to inspire, boost self esteem and eliminate frustration when you open the wardrobe!

If you would like to purchase a vouchers simple reply to this email or contact me directly. Better still, forward this email as a very big hint!

Vouchers are available in sums of £100 or you can pay for a package, the choice is up to you. They are valid for one year and can be used anytime at your convenience.

The vouchers will be posted first class to you so don’t forget the last Christmas post is Monday!