Gifts for forgetful parents
If you’re looking for a practical, useful gift for a forgetful parent or senior, here’s a short list of gift ideas we think will be a great choice!
What do you get a friend that can’t even remember what they had for lunch…
Remembering things can be a real struggle for some and if you know anybody who constantly loses their things no matter where they put them, one of these might be the perfect gift.
We mostly misplace things around our home, so let’s start there:
The 'don’t forget' door knob organizer
These range from simple notepads with hooks to simple small pouches to tiny full-blown organizers with hooks and pockets. You can hang all of them on the doorknob, so you can’t miss them the next time you walk out the door.
If you’re handy, you can make one yourself or you can easily find one online. This is also a budget-friendly idea, as their price is usually between $10 – $15 USD.
A simple whiteboard
A small dry-erase whiteboard can be attached to the wall near the door or even the door itself. Your forgetful friend will be able to write a message for themselves whenever necessary and attach important documents with magnets so they don’t get lost in the fray of other papers around their home.
Most whiteboards and similar frames aren’t that heavy, so they can easily be attached with some professional double-sided tape. The price depends on how big or how complex the board is and how many accessories it comes with, but you can get one on Amazon for as little as $15 USD.
An outlet timer
Does your memory-impaired friend often wonder if they left any of their appliances on? Get them a couple of outlet timers. They can plug them in between the outlet and their appliance and have them switch off automatically at a preset time.
These also come in handy for people who forget to switch off lights when they leave.
Doormat checklist
This is one checklist they won’t be able to miss. Phone, car keys, and wallet are the top 3 things we forget to take with us, and a giant checklist at their feet every time they’re at the door will surely help them remember.
A doormat checklist search on Etsy will also provide you with a number of personalized options if you want to remind them to take their glasses or unplug their appliances too.
A checklist art print
With a little imagination, even the most basic checklist can be fun. If you have some design skills yourself, you can make a custom art print that will fit your friend’s art tastes. Or you can find one that they will be happy to look at with a quick internet search.
Key + wallet finder combo
If they're always looking for their keys, wallet, and phone, get them a combo of Chipolo finders that they can attach to their things and connect to their phone.
No more stressful, last-minute searches, they can simply make their things ring to find them. And even better, the Chipolo app on their phone will later them if they ever forget to take anything with them!
Useful gifts for people with bad memory
Board games
This one won’t remind your forgetful friend to take their things with them, but it will train their brain.
We’d call this gift a win-win: it helps train your friend's memory and helps you spend a few fun hours with them.
The Memory board game is an obvious choice, but other board games like Scrabble, Clue, Trivial Pursuit, Ticket to Ride, and chess have also been recommended for training your memory.
A gift basket full of reminders for someone who always loses things
Some people need all the help they can get to find their things.
If you can’t decide which gift on the list would work best for you, make it a gift basket and give your forgetful friend the best combo of reminders they’ll never expect!
