A Gift Guide for Your Well-Being
As someone who helps people declutter their unwanted possessions, I’ve come to believe that gifting experiences is far better than gifting physical objects—the last thing most of us need is more stuff. In this Minima Journal post, I’ve put together an experience-based holiday gift guide centered on services I’ve personally used to enhance my well-being.
At its core, this guide is a collection of small businesses and artists who have deeply influenced me and added immense value to my life through their work and friendship.
Niche Pilates Studio
Niche Pilates Studio
I started my practice at Niche in 2019 after nearly two decades without regular exercise. I’d tried everything, but nothing stuck until Pilates. It’s high-result, low-impact movement—I leave feeling refreshed, stronger, and happier. I always look forward to seeing the instructors and the friends I’ve made through class. The studio space is located in the Fan, so I’ve also built a 20-minute walk to and from class into my routine.
Jelena Nikolajevic, Boketto
Boketto
For over a decade, I struggled with gut health issues that conventional medicine couldn’t resolve. A friend suggested acupuncture, so I began receiving treatments from Jelena Nikolajevic, owner of Boketto. Beyond acupuncture, Jelena is licensed to order and analyze GI labs as part of her holistic approach. Based on my results, she recommended a combination of customized supplements and dietary shifts; today, my symptoms are at bay, and I feel better than I have in years.
I’ve continued routine acupuncture appointments and always look forward to catching up with Jelena in Boketto’s beautiful space—we’re aligned on so many levels.
Molly Jaek, Molly Scott Photo
Molly Scott Photo
Molly Scott, owner of Molly Scott Photo, and I first connected in 2016 when she hired Minima to organize her Southside Richmond home. In 2020, I hired her to photograph my and my husband’s minimalist elopement.
Since then, we’ve grown from clients into close friends. Molly and I both value simplicity, downtime, rest, travel, and finding beauty in the details—all of which show up in her stunning photography and video work.
Her family portrait sessions make a wonderful gift.
Rebecca Thomas, Not Another Diet
Not Another Diet
Rebecca and I have a ton in common (aside from cute short hair and a love of striped shirts), and whenever we get together, it’s hard to wrap up the conversation. We both understand the power of simplicity and bring that philosophy to our client work. Rebecca helps people learn about real food and joyful cooking without the trap of long-term dieting.
Her teachings helped my husband and me understand the difference between real and processed food, which transformed how we shop for groceries. She packaged her expertise into an online, lifetime-access course called Cook!—which we also discussed in our conversation on kitchen simplicity.
Gift a subscription to Cook! (affiliate)
The Minimalists and me
The Minimalists Podcast
Every episode of The Minimalists Podcast is filled with well-articulated wisdom on intentional living—it often feels like therapy, and I recommend it to everyone. No matter what I’m navigating in my own life, their conversations are always relevant and grounded.
After appearing as a guest on the show in 2023, I upgraded to their paid Patreon subscription. It includes the full two-hour private podcast plus access to a community of like-minded minimizers. They close every episode with their signature mantra: “Love people and use things, because the opposite never works.”
Megan Perry Fisher
Pensées
Megan Perry Fisher
Megan is a composer, pianist, and musical artist who writes and performs music for film, ballet, and runway shows. We first connected on Instagram over a mutual appreciation for architecture and design, and we became fast friends after meeting in person a few years ago.
Megan recently released her first full-length album, Pensées. It’s breathtaking—so much so that I cried the first time I heard it—and creates the perfect backdrop for a relaxing evening, a focused work session, or a quiet dinner party.
Carlton Bodyworks
I’ve been receiving massage therapy from Jason Carlton, owner of Carlton Bodyworks, for nearly a decade. He is a skilled, consistent, and kind therapist. Over the years, we’ve bonded over minimalism, financial independence, holistic self-care, and home organization. His space in the near West End is warm, inviting, and incredibly calming.
Purchase a Carlton Bodyworks gift certificate
Personal Finance Club
Jeremy Schneider founded Personal Finance Club (PFC) to provide accessible, transparent financial education. After completing his online courses, I shared the material with my husband, and we immediately implemented his recommendations. For the first time, concepts like stocks, bonds, index funds, and target retirement dates actually made sense. His approach is simple, effective, and free of “get rich quick” gimmicks.
The courses were so valuable that I purchased them for the entire Minima team. His slogan says it best: “Live below your means and invest early and often.”
Purchase a PFC financial literacy course (affiliate)
Minima
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Minima offers gift certificates for our home organizing services. Our organizing action plan makes a thoughtful, transformative gift for anyone looking to simplify their physical space.