Among the practical items, she included an ATM card, a laptop in lieu of lugging guidebooks, a corkscrew, bandages and pain reliever.

BBC: Packing secrets from savvy travellers

"At the end of the day, while everyone laughs at the silly products, I have to imagine that the thing that keeps them going are the practical items, " Barish said.

CNN: Need a garden zombie? SkyMall has it

Last spring, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation reached out to Claussen with the challenge of creating practical items using over 15, 000 linear feet of banners from Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

FORBES: Connect people in your network

For example, it will become practical to track items such as razor blades (10% of which apparently disappear on their way from the factory to the shop).

ECONOMIST: Moving up the stack

Indicative of The Year of Practical Living is the lack of hot gift items.

FORBES: Black Friday 2011: The Year Of Practical Living

Showpiece closets are also an answer to a minimalist design aesthetic found in contemporary homes, becoming a practical space to house bulky furniture and other items.

WSJ: The $100,000 Closet