any ideas for some great housewarming presents?

sooz

a really very good friend of mine is due to move house soon. everything about the purchase that can go wrong has - still 6 months later it's on track finally! And to top it all i can't really be there to help them move, or offer any help for a few weeks, despite the fact that every time i've moved she and her partner have always been there to help me: lifting stuff, storing stuff, driving me and stuff, painting, decorating and recently babysitting. I feel really really bad.

I've already raided my piggy bank.....ok the kids!...and bought them some vouchers for a big furnture shop (f-t-b and need just about everything). But i'd really like to get them a few practical things for the day/first week. I also really don't have very much to spend, so was thinking of some hamper type things.

eg - I've managed to find a tesco quit pack, so was going to see if i could find a cheap handtowel in the sales, to go with some free shower gels.

any other ideas?

elona

Pretty candle?

Nice tea bags?

Tin opener?

Loo rolls?

All the stuff you cannot find when you want it and you have just moved.

Put it in a box marked - emergency removal kit.

Baileys_Babe

A hamper sounds good, here are a few suggestions to start you off.

Welcome hamper

• kettle
• mugs
• tea
• coffee
• teaspoons
• home made cake or biscuits
• key rings

Celebration hamper:

• wine
• glasses
• party poppers

House cleaning hamper:

• Rubber gloves
• washing up liquid
• Star drops
• microfibre clothes
• bleach
• bucket

kitchpoo

Some practical and often overlooked things, how about a fire angel smoke detector (£19), and a CO Detector. I'm thinking of getting them for my sister when they move, but my wife tells me they are TOO practical

carolbee

A lovely candle, yankee candles are good
some chocolate and or a lovely box of biscuits/cake, homemade would be good if thats what you do
luxury hot chocolate, or a bottle of wine, depending on their preferences
some handcream to soothe their poor hands after unpacking
nice bath stuff, Radox do de-stressing stuff
IOU for some time to help do the garden/paint/anything

boglin

How about a voucher (include a menu) for a take-away/pizza for the day of the house-move? You could add a bottle or two and some paper plates, plastic glasses, etc.

Another idea is to use a company such as Vistaprint (they have a website that offers various freebie and special offers for printed stationery) and order some address labels and maybe some change of address cards - or business cards with their new address.

You could get them a planted pot for their front doorstep (these don't have to be expensive and can be bought in supermarkets or you could buy a pot and compost and plant it with some bulbs).

sooz

thanks, forgotten about vistaprint. I'll ge them some change of address cards done too. and i'll keep a look out for a nice pot to plant - great ideas!

off to look for nice key rings too.

thanks

Sallys_Savings

boglin wrote:

How about a voucher (include a menu) for a take-away/pizza for the day of the house-move? You could add a bottle or two and some paper plates, plastic glasses, etc.

Another idea is to use a company such as Vistaprint (they have a website that offers various freebie and special offers for printed stationery) and order some address labels and maybe some change of address cards - or business cards with their new address.

You could get them a planted pot for their front doorstep (these don't have to be expensive and can be bought in supermarkets or you could buy a pot and compost and plant it with some bulbs).

Thanks Boglin for your ideas.
My friends moving soon and we are away on holiday, we had voluntered to help but now feel really bad that its coincided with the move

So I'm going to make them up a hamper ...Takeaway voucher, bottle of wine, plastic wine glasses and paper plates with serviettes and a paper table cloth (in case they have to put it over a packing box ) along with a small box of choccies.
I have a few things left over from christmas so its not going to be too expensive either...box of chocolate truffles (I'm on a diet so it will do me a favour), serviettes and table cloth both with gold scrolls on so not too christmasy, bottle of wine we were given (I dont drink and we were given 8 bottles in total) and plastic wine glasses left over from a summer bbq.

Thanks

essexgal

don't forget the light bulbs (energy saving if possible).

and loo rolls.


These were the two things that were top of the absolute necessity list;)

essexgal

play2day

A basic tool kit with spare fuses etc...

betheebee

When our friends moved I did their washing and ironing for 2 weeks, It didn't cost much, cash wise, but giving your time is priceless. Nothing worse than trying to get the house sorted and having to think of washing etc.