10 Gifts That Take Up (Almost) No Space

• Nook, Kindle, or other electronic reader: I love books, but they take up so much space and they're very difficult to move. At this point, we in the Kennedy household would be hard pressed to find more shelf space. The solution: A small device like a Nook or Kindle, which offer thousands of books in one compact, portable place. The Nook is sold at Barnes & Noble and Walmart, both of which have locations in Burnsville and Apple Valley. The Kindle is sold primarily through Amazon.

• Eyelash Extensions (Or a Facial or Mani): Nothing makes your loved one feel more pampered than a day at a high-end spa. Several south of the river offer very specialized services, including eyelash extensions, a semi-permanent alternative to flase lashes or mascara, and some customized skin treatments like an Epicurean facial or chemical peel. Such services are available at Revive Salon in Apple Valley or Brow Bella in Burnsville. 

• Massage: If it's a massage you're after, make sure you're sending the object of your affection to a reputable place. Check it out in person and google it as well. If the "spa" appears on backpage.com they offer services of a more illicit nature. In Burnsville, Sister Rosalind Massage Center and Burnsville Shiatsu Center might be the ticket. 

• Classes: Unfortunately, neither the District 196 nor the District 191 Community Education Departments have put out their spring catalogue yet. However, we still have several local options at our disposal still. Got a foodie in the family? they might enjoy a class at Way-Cool Cooking School, which just opened a little more than a month ago in Savage. For those who are looking to be lighter on their toes, Footsteps Dance Studio in Burnsville offers Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Zumba classes for adults and Elite Gymnastics has an adult fitness class (gymnastics and tumbling for the 18-plus crowd).

• Personal Chef: So maybe your main squeeze actually hates cooking. If you've got the funds, you have a solution to the constant headaches caused by bad baked goods, TV dinners and heaps of dishes: A personal chef or meal service. Beware though. It's spendy, as they say in the North Star State. Here are a few to look into:Solo by Bonicelli is a fresh meal delivery service, ThymeWorks or Kristin Hamaker, author of the Fresh blog and proprietor of Farm to Fork, which uses local ingredients.

• Professional Organizer: So this post started as an attempt to cut down on the glut of stuff in your household, right? Why not pay someone to organize the junk you do have? Your spouse will thank you, believe me. Here are a few in the Twin Cities area: Sarah Gordon has been featured in Minnesota Monthly, Sara Pedersen of Time to Organize, and Seriously Organized of Bloomington has been featured in the Star Tribune's series about hoarding.

• Car Maintenance: It's not the most romantic gift, but believe me, she or he will be grateful that you took this off their to-do list. Everyone know they should get an oil change, their brake pads replaced or their tires aligned but the cost and the time suck usually put car maintenance on the back burner. Lend your loved one your car for the day and take theirs in to get it checked on your dime. Here are a few places to consider: Honest-1, a new Burnsville garage that has an emphasis on eco-friendly practices, or Precision Tune Auto Care and Sundberg's, which both got an A rating from the Better Business Bureau. 

• Concert Tickets: Why go to Minneapolis and pay $14 an hour for parking when we have the Burnsville Performing Arts Center and Mystic Lake right in our backyard? Get a blast of summer-time joy together at the upcoming Beach Boys show or bust a gut at Tracy Morgan's appearance in March.

• Endless Coffee: What could be more perfect for a caffeine addict than a gift certificate to their favorite java shop? Starbucks lovers are in luck. This year the company is offering a limited number of $450 stainless steel giftcards. That's a lot of machiatto. Other local joints, like Buzz Coffee & Cafe or Jo Jo's, could offer you gift certificates as well.

• A One Day Get-away: I'll leave this one to your discretion, but historic Hastings and Northfield are just a hop, skip and a jump away.