I picked up this gift-giving hack from an ex, and it guarantees the most thoughtful presents

• Using a Pinterest board to save gift ideas ensures thoughtful, personalized presents.
• Digitizing gift lists streamlines holiday shopping and helps avoid last-minute stress.
• This gift-giving hack supports buying unique items and shows loved ones they are valued.

I had an ex-boyfriend who wasn't the best gift-giver, but he really wanted to be.

So he started writing down ideas for gifts throughout the year, and by Christmas, I couldn't believe he had remembered something I mentioned months ago.

He shared his trick with me, and I was impressed. I've used it ever since, even with my husband and son.

Instead of handwriting ideas, I started using Pinterest

I started out writing down ideas, but now I have a Pinterest board divided into sections for my husband, my son, and other close family and friends. Digitizing this gift-giving hack has made it easy for me to refer to my folders when it's time to buy a gift.

Since I always have a handful of things saved that I know my gift recipient will like, I can then narrow them down to one or two things they'll like the most. I can also easily compare prices and factor that into my decision. In this way, I feel like I'm optimizing my gift-giving system.

My system especially simplifies shopping around the holidays

Many of my saved ideas are linked directly to the website that sells that item. That makes it easy to place an order quickly, once I've made my final decisions. This simplifies the online shopping process for me, especially around the holidays when I have a lot of gifts to buy at once.

Many unique, one-of-a-kind items are made-to-order and shipped by individuals and small businesses. These things take time to arrive and require some forethought. This gift-giving hack helps me avoid arrival delays or completely miss out on those options.

To avoid this, I review my boards right after Thanksgiving and start placing orders. Additionally, completing my shopping and being able to simply enjoy the holiday season is a huge bonus.

I used to approach gift-giving as an errand

The first time I realized my ex had saved up gift ideas for me, it made me feel really special. I felt important enough to him that he wanted to make sure he got me gifts I'd really like. While I had always given thought to my gift-giving, I often shopped at the last minute.

I would make a list of the people I needed to buy gifts for and come up with some ideas before going shopping. I still bought things I knew people would like, but I didn't plan. The objective was to make sure I had presents for people, rather than making sure I had the perfect presents for them.

As I grew older and became a parent, it became increasingly important to me to show the people I love just how much I care for them. Getting them truly thoughtful gifts is an easy way for me to do that.

Now I care more about giving the right gift

I, too, get a lot out of this gift-giving hack. I enjoy thinking of my family and friends throughout the year, saving ideas for them regularly. I feel so happy just thinking about giving them those gifts and looking forward to those special occasions. It proves to me that giving is often the most rewarding part of gift-giving.

I can tell that my loved ones know I put thought into their gifts, even if they don't know about my Pinterest hack. I don't just try to get them an item they like. I want it to be something they've mentioned, maybe offhandedly, when they didn't even think anyone was listening. Or even better, it's something even they didn't realize they'd love.

It's about making someone feel thought of. That's the part that I think really makes someone feel special.