12 Days of Underconsumption is a special series from one5c laying out everything you need to know to celebrate more sustainably.
12 Days of Underconsumption is a special series from one5c laying out everything you need to know to celebrate more sustainably.
Gifting can be humbling. However deeply you know someone, that feeling when your thoughtfully researched present doesn’t land smarts like a snowball to the face. The risks are real. According to one survey, roughly 30% of people take back their holiday gifts.
Those returns—worth $148 billion according to the National Retail Federation—deal a blow to more than just your ego. The steady stream of unwanted purchases amounts to 5.8 billion pounds of landfill fodder every year. This happens for a multitude of reasons, from panic purchases to simple overbuying. Still, most adults already have a lot of stuff, and a great way to avoid the “gee thanks, it’s great” is to give the gift of extended life to something they already own and love. Replacing a dodgy iPhone battery, sharpening a well-used kitchen knife, or mending a beloved jacket can show your appreciation without piling on junk. Here’s how to think through some potential repairs—and how to find the right pro to get the job done.
But first, a tip: Dropping a well-intended surprise on someone can be fun, but the logistics of arranging most of these fixes in secret will be too difficult to pull off. A simple fix: Opt for a prepaid cash card or a gift certificate, or bring the person in on your plans and make a date out of it.
For the techie: Fix their phone
When/why it’s a good idea: People are unfortunately more likely to just replace their device than get it fixed, and that can be costly if a phone’s outside its warranty or extended care plan. According to a 2021 study from Consumer Reports, only 16% of people with a broken phone pursue a repair. Helping someone swap out a cracked screen or a fading battery (the two most common issues) can easily extend the life of a handset and keep it out of the world’s fastest-growing waste stream.
Where to go: A flagship brick-and-mortar shop like the Apple or Google store will repair un-warrantied tech for a fee, or you can look for a reputable third-party repair spot like one associated with Assurant’s Cell Phone Repair.
How much to give: Depending on the device, a battery replacement will run between $69 and $99, and swapping a screen can be costlier at $129 to $349. If you or your recipient are DIY-y, you can also find kits from iFixit and others with prices starting at $45.
For the fashionista: Mend their clothes and shoes
When/why it’s a good idea: Whether that torn jacket or frayed sweater is still in style isn’t necessarily the point of this gift. It’s the attachment the owner has to the item. In some cases—like, perhaps, a well-lived-in leather jacket—it doesn’t even matter if the repair costs more than the article is worth.
Where to go: Scouring online reviews and asking friends, especially more fashionable ones, for a tailor or a cobbler can be helpful. Local boutique and vintage clothing retailers are also a good resource: Give ’em a call and ask where they send stuff to get fixed up before putting it on the shelves.
How much to give: Online tailoring marketplace Fash has a useful breakdown of typical tailoring costs, with prices ranging from $10 to $250. For shoes, online shoe renewal service NuShoe has a similar price list, with most repairs coming in below $100.
For the shabby-chic: Repair their furniture
When/why it’s a good idea: Whether it’s a $75 Ikea dresser or a family heirloom, repairs can add years for a piece of furniture. That’s a pretty big deal when you consider that making the average office chair nets around 72 kilograms of carbon dioxide—about the same as a drive from Philadelphia to Boston. According to Michael Smith, owner of Furniture Restoration Services in Billerica, Mass., “if you like it, and you’re going to use it, it’s worth it.”
Where to go: If you don’t have a go-to restoration spot, you can ask a local antique shop or dealer where they send their wares to get freshened up. Most restorers will help you figure out if the repair will cost more than the item is worth—though if it’s grandma’s armchair we’re talking about, the economics might not matter.
How much to give: For cosmetic fixes and simple structural repairs, plan to spend $100 to $275. Full reupholstering is pricier and depends on the piece and the material, topping out at more than $4,000 to redo a leather sofa. HomeAdvisor maintains an extensive list of typical costs for furniture repairs.
For the cook: Sharpen their knives
When/why it’s a good idea: There’s a lot more to knife sharpening than a few passes on a honing steel. You can find a proper whetstone set for around $30 on Amazon, but not everyone is comfortable with the DIY approach for their expensive cutlery. The alternative is finding a professional sharpener.
Where to go: Many sharpening services use a simple shop grinder, which can slash a blade’s durability. Instead, a specialty kitchen retailer or even a well-regarded restaurant can likely point you in the direction of someone that can do the job properly. There are also online services like Carisolo, Eversharp, Knife Aid, Knife Flight, Korin, Sharpenters, and Wisconsin Cutlery. Check out the details of each provider to ensure they can service the particular knives you have in mind; some are better equipped to handle different materials, for example, or Western- versus Japanese-style blades.
How much to give: Expect to pay around $15 to $20 per knife, but some services will require you to send in multiple blades at once, which can come to $75 or more. Some sites, like Knife Aid, also offer subscription services that mean a lower per-knife cost than one-off sharpening.
For the cyclist: Spring for their service
When/why it’s a good idea: Any work you can take care of in the winter will ensure a cyclist’s whip is clean and ready to go when the weather gets warmer. Covering the cost of a regular tune-up—which typically includes checking the gears, brakes, chain, tires, and more—is a great idea for anyone from a commuter to a recreational rider.
Where to go: Look for some kind of mechanics certification among the staff at your local bike shop. The United Bicycle Institute is one well-known training program, but many shops and organizations have their own certifications as well.
How much to give: A bicycle tune-up can run from $40 to $250. This gets you basic cleaning and lubrication services at the low end, and cable and brake pad replacement along with an assessment and maintenance for every component on the high side.
For the bling-lover: Fix their jewelry or watch
When/why it’s a good idea: We hang on to jewelry and watches because they often carry personal and family histories, records of our milestones, and memories of our relationships. Chances are you’ll know if a loved one has a sentimental piece languishing in a drawer or jewelry box.
What to look for: Jewelers of America is the certification body that provides accreditation for jewelers, and the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute provides the same certification for watch repairs. Keep an eye out for those industry memberships as you’re researching where to take someone’s watch or precious heirloom necklace.
How much to give: Pricing will vary widely depending on the work and the quality of the piece. Basic jewelry and watch repairs like resizing a ring, repairing a broken watch stem, or resetting a loose gem should come in around $75 to $100. When it comes to vintage watches or particularly expensive jewelry, you also have to factor in shipping insurance and often having to pay for an estimate of the work itself, so costs can rack up into the hundreds.
For the driver: Get their car detailed
When/why it’s a good idea: The gleam of a perfectly clean car can certainly put a skip in someone’s step, especially at the end of winter when the grime of slush and salt on the roads can have a ride’s exterior looking its worst.
Where to go: Online reviews of local providers on Yelp and Google Reviews will be your best resource for picking a detailing service. If you’re the one dropping the car off, remember to remove any obvious clutter or trash inside the car first.
How much to give: J.D. Power estimates $150 to $500 for a top-to-bottom detailing package. The variation comes down to the size of the car, how dirty it is, and whether you want a basic wash-and-wax or a full cleaning of both the interior and the exterior.