How to Dispose of an Unwanted Gift

You know what they say about gifts, it's the thought that counts. While that is true, sometimes we get gifts that we just can't or won't use. Keeping them does nothing but clutter up our living space, so we need to find some way to get rid of them. When you get a gift that you don't want, the first thing to do is thank the giver. Then you can think about how to dispose of it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. If you can figure out where the gift might have come from, find out if they will let you exchange it without a receipt. If you are not sure where it came from but know of a store that sells it, take it there. They might let you exchange it even if it came from somewhere else.

2. Consider donating the gift to charity if you can't exchange it. Charities accept a surprisingly wide variety of items. If the first charity you take the item to won't accept it, they may be able to direct you to one that will.

3. Rewrap the gift and give it to someone else if you know someone who could use it. There's no harm in 'regifting'. It will save you money and put the gift to good use when it would have otherwise been tucked away and not used.

4. Keep the gift to give to someone in the future. If you can't find any way to get rid of the gift, put it away and give it to someone at a later date. Having gifts on hand can be a lifesaver when you forget about a special occasion or get unexpected gifts for the holidays.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep some all-occasion gift bags on hand, and store them close to your on-hand gifts. When you get an unexpected gift and want to reciprocate, you can easily toss something into a bag instead of wrapping it.
• If you have no intention of keeping a gift, don't open the box. It's much more appropriate to regift something that hasn't been opened.

[Haoie]

on 12/22/2008 Dispose is a harsh word. How about just not keep?