Practical Housewarming Gifts for Small Apartments: here's what actually helps. If you're looking for housewarming gifts for small apartments, chances are most of the ones you find online are pretty large and impractical. This can be frustrating since you want to give something thoughtful and useful.
Why Most Housewarming Gifts Work Against You in a Small Space
I've lived in a one bedroom apartment, a two bedroom townhouse, and currently a three bedroom townhouse with my family of four. So, I'm no stranger to having to find furniture and decor that fits into a small space. While it can be fun to shop with an objective in mind - it can also be quite overwhelming.
The truth is, most housewarming gifts are big and take up a good deal of room. Things like massive rugs, king-sized blankets, and large vases look great in large homes, but in small spaces - they often get in the way. So you need to think outside of the box when it comes to housewarming gifts for small apartments.
What you have to understand is that small apartment living means every item has to earn its place and so a gift that has no clear daily use will just end up stored in a closet or given away. The simple fact is that a gift taking up floor space in a small apartment is not a neutral thing and it can actually add stress to the person who received it because now they have to figure out where to put it.
Keep in mind that a common mistake people make is buying something that looks good in a large staged home photo online and then assuming it will work the same way in a small apartment and it does not work the same way at all. Your best fix for this is to think about whether the gift can be stored flat, hung on a wall, or tucked into a drawer when it is not being used.
Practical Housewarming Gifts for Small Apartments That Fit Real Needs
When you receive a housewarming gift that's beautiful and functional, it's hard to beat. This is especially true when you're working with limited space. Here are some of the best housewarming gifts that will fit into any small apartment.
- An organizing system for clutter: Every home could use better organization. One of the reasons we never seem to have what we need is because things get misplaced. Help your friend or family member keep track of supplies by creating an organizing system.
- Useful kitchen gadgets: There are several very useful kitchen gadgets that are small and lightweight. Some of our favorites include silicone oven mitts, a sheet pan with a fitted lid, and a selection of silicone baking mats.
- A bookshelf: Whether they're reading physical books or e-books, there's nothing quite like having a bookshelf in your home. Bookshelves aren't just for holding literature either. They're great for displaying plants - photo frames, decorative baskets, and other décor.
- A basic tool kit: If your friends are new to homeownership, they may not have some basic tools to tackle small repairs. Consider putting together a basic tool kit with a flathead screwdriver, Phillips head screwdriver - pliers, wrench, and a roll of duct tape.
- A water filtration pitcher or faucet attachment: Tap water can taste terrible depending on where you live. Even if the taste isn't too bad, some people prefer the taste of filtered water.
- A subscription box: Subscription boxes are all the rage right now, and for good reason. They're delivered right to your door - and each package is full of fun surprises.
- A patio umbrella and stand: Everyone wants their outdoor space to be functional and comfortable. A patio umbrella provides much-needed shade during hot summer months.
- Durable bags for farmers market and grocery store trips: Reusable bags are perfect for making weekly trips to the grocery store or farmers market. We recommend finding reusable produce bags and larger totes to make shopping trips more eco-friendly.
- Gift cards to Home Depot or Lowe's: As new homeowners learn how to maintain their property, they will inevitably encounter various repairs that need to be made. Gift certificates to Home Depot and Lowe's are always appreciated for all of the little fixes that come along with a new home.
- A vanishing table: Coffee tables and dining tables take up plenty of space. If you really want to give a useful housewarming present, consider getting a vanishing table.
- Collapsible storage bins: Collapsible storage bins are another great present for new homeowners. They can use them to organize their garage, mudroom, utility room - or even their closets.
Small Tokens With Big Impact
Most housewarming gifts are big, clunky, and take up plenty of space. While large items like area rugs and big vases look great in spacious homes, they tend to overwhelm small apartments. Instead, focus on useful housewarming gifts that won't get in the way.
From water filtration pitchers to basic tool kits - there are plenty of small tokens that will make a huge impact on newly appointed homeowners.
The simple fact is that small and flat gifts are almost always safer choices than large and bulky ones and so if you are unsure between two options you should pick the one that takes up less counter or floor space. Keep in mind that a gift someone can use right away without needing to rearrange their furniture or find extra storage is going to feel much more thoughtful than one that creates a problem for them to solve.
On top of that a common mistake people make is buying a gift that duplicates something the person already owns and so if you can ask a mutual friend or check with the person ahead of time that is always worth doing before you buy anything.
What People Get Wrong
A lot of people think that a more expensive gift is automatically a better gift for a new homeowner and that is not really true and it is especially not true for small apartments where a cheaper flat item can be more useful than a pricey large one. People also think that decorative items are always welcome but the truth is that someone in a small apartment may already have a very specific style they are working with and a decorative item that does not match that style just becomes clutter for them. On top of that people assume that kitchen gadgets are always safe picks but your gift can still be a problem if it is a gadget that does the same job as three other tools the person already owns so it is better to think about basic things they might be missing rather than specialty items. And a lot of people forget that the packaging a gift comes in can itself be a problem because big boxes and styrofoam and excess packaging all have to be broken down and disposed of and that is extra work for someone who is already busy moving in.
What This Does Not Cover
The simple fact is that this advice is aimed at general small apartment situations and it does not cover every case and so if the person you are buying for has specific accessibility needs or medical equipment that takes up space then the thinking around what counts as a practical gift may be different for them. This article also does not cover situations where the person moving in has strong personal or cultural preferences around certain household items and so if you are not sure it is always fine to give a gift card and let the person choose for themselves. If you are buying for someone you do not know well you should be extra careful about assuming what their daily routines look like and when in doubt a simple and flat and easy to store item is the most cautious choice you can make.
References
- An organizing system for clutter: Every home could use better organization. One of the reasons we never seem to have what we need is because things get misplaced. Help your friend or family member keep track of supplies by creating an organizing system. — google.com
- Useful kitchen gadgets: There are several very useful kitchen gadgets that are small and lightweight. Some of our favorites include silicone oven mitts, a sheet pan with a fitted lid, and a selection of silicone baking mats. — google.com
- A bookshelf: Whether they're reading physical books or e-books, there's nothing quite like having a bookshelf in your home. Bookshelves aren't just for holding literature either. They're great for displaying plants - photo frames, decorative baskets, and other décor. — google.com
- A basic tool kit: If your friends are new to homeownership, they may not have some basic tools to tackle small repairs. Consider putting together a basic tool kit with a flathead screwdriver, Phillips head screwdriver - pliers, wrench, and a roll of duct tape. — google.com
- A water filtration pitcher or faucet attachment: Tap water can taste terrible depending on where you live. Even if the taste isn't too bad, some people prefer the taste of filtered water. — google.com
- A subscription box: Subscription boxes are all the rage right now, and for good reason. They're delivered right to your door - and each package is full of fun surprises. — google.com
- A patio umbrella and stand: Everyone wants their outdoor space to be functional and comfortable. A patio umbrella provides much-needed shade during hot summer months. — google.com
- Durable bags for farmers market and grocery store trips: Reusable bags are perfect for making weekly trips to the grocery store or farmers market. We recommend finding reusable produce bags and larger totes to make shopping trips more eco-friendly. — google.com
- Gift cards to Home Depot or Lowe's: As new homeowners learn how to maintain their property, they will inevitably encounter various repairs that need to be made. Gift certificates to Home Depot and Lowe's are always appreciated for all of the little fixes that come along with a new home. — google.com
- A vanishing table: Coffee tables and dining tables take up plenty of space. If you really want to give a useful housewarming present, consider getting a vanishing table. — google.com
