I came across a post on Joshua Becker’s becoming minimalist blog entitled 101 Physical Things In Your Home That Can Be Reduced. That title of that blog is probably a nicer way of saying items you have far too many of. With Mother’s Day weekend upon us, you may want to peruse this list to see if your gift to Mom falls into one of these categories.

Some of the more likely Mother’s Day gifts from the list include kitchen gadgets, kitchen appliances, candles, figurines, jewelry, cookbooks, photos, CDs, DVDs and glassware to name a few. On one hand, if that’s an item that your mother or your spouse really enjoys and has said she specifically wants, then there’s really nothing wrong with giving her that. On the other hand, clutter builds up in our world when we select gifts based on the category (e.g. “Mom loves to get cookbooks.”) rather than a specifically requested item.

Whether the gift is for your mother or the mother of your children, adding inventory to the 101 Physical Things In Your Home That Can Be Reduced will impact you directly at some point. If its for your spouse, you will deal with the clutter of an additional gadget—unless it’s a replacement for one you are donating. If it’s for your mother, you will probably have to make a similar decision when Mom downsizes to a smaller residence or passes on.

One of the more controversial newsletters I’ve written was very much related to this topic, Start selling your parents’ furniture- NOW! It may sound heartless to reference that post on Mother’s Day weekend. The point in bringing it up now is that if you have an elderly mother or even if it is your spouse, let your Mother’s Day gift be about your relationship and not a physical item that will only add to her clutter or yours (now or eventually).

Take the Mom in your life out to dinner. Bring the grandchildren over for a visit. Go for a nice long walk. Maybe take in a movie or see a show. If you can’t be there with your mother on Mother’s Day, a gift card to her favorite restaurant is a good idea so she can go out to lunch or dinner with her friends.

Mother’s Day is about memories, old ones and making new ones. After she’s gone, chances are you won’t be thinking about the time you gave her that new kitchen gadget. The odds are much greater you will be talking about the great time and all the laughs you had when you took Mom to (fill in the blank with your own great memory).

Happy Mother’s Day!