There is little doubt that you’re going to be sad and miserable when someone you care about is moving away. You’re parting ways and no matter how much you try to keep in touch, things will never be the same. However difficult it may be to acknowledge the change though, you need to say goodbye and encourage your friend to make the most of their new life.
One of the best ways to show how much you care is to make your friend a meaningful gift – something to remember you by, something to cheer them up, or something to use in their new surroundings. The best moving away gifts are both sentimental and useful, special items that reflect your friendship and resonate with the person they’re intended for.
So, what gift to give a friend who is moving away? How to show your appreciation and express your best wishes? Should you get a practical present or a cute one? The right choice depends on your friend’s personality and attitude – and the message you want your gift to convey.
Here are some moving away gift ideas to help you find the perfect present for your friend:
Practical moving away gifts
Starting a new life in a new place is not an easy endeavor – your friend will need to set up a new home and adapt to a new environment while physically and financially drained from the relocation. You can help them get their new life off to a flying start with one of the following useful moving away gifts:
1) Gift cards – A gift card is a standard, yet welcomed gift – it allows you to “buy” your friend an item they need or an experience they will enjoy, while leaving the choice of what exactly to get up to them:
- A gift card for a home improvement store is a very thoughtful present for someone who is moving into a new home – your friend will need a lot of things for their new place and will be able to find many of them in a home improvement store (tools and paints, curtains and rugs, cleaning products, etc.) A hypermarket gift card will be just as useful for stocking up on essentials for the new home;
- A gift card for a good restaurant in their new city also makes a great present for a friend moving out of town – it will remind them to eat while unpacking and dealing with other urgent post-relocation tasks, will pay for a quality meal, and will give your pal the chance to visit a popular place in their new area and meet new people. In fact, a gift card for any activity or experience in the new city will be quite useful as it will help your friend get to know their new area and adjust to their new life;
- An airplane gift card is another cool moving away gift – it will remind your friend to come visit you soon and will give them the means to do so.
2) Local food – Your friend is likely to be homesick in the first few months after the move, so some familiar tastes and flavors will go a long way towards consoling them in their new surroundings. Put together an assortment of local delights your friend won’t be able to find in their new city to provide them with some comfort in their unfamiliar environment and help them through bouts of homesickness (and hunger). Oh, and be sure to add some chocolate treats – they not only give extra energy but help relieve stress, you know. (See also: How to eat healthy when moving)
3) Care package – A survival kit can literally help your friend survive the move and the first couple of days in their new home – include comfort foods, some of your pal’s preferred personal care products, several funny photos of the two of you, a game they love, a CD with their favorite music, and anything else that you think your friend will need and enjoy on their trip and during the first days after the relocation. (See also: How to prepare an essentials box for moving)
4) Dual time watch – If your friend is moving to a different time zone, you can get them a watch that shows both the current time in their new area and the time back in their old city – that way they will always know if it is a good time to call. (See also: How to deal with moving away from family and friends)
5) Monogrammed towel sets, state pillows, custom printed blankets or other similar items that will be useful around the new home, but will also remind your friend where they came from, what they used to love, and who they really are – and how wonderful and warm your friendship is.
6) Wall décor – framed pictures of special places or special moments, framed maps of their home state or hometown, framed quotes that have a special meaning for your friend, etc.
Good to remember: Make sure you don’t give your friend a gift that will be difficult to move to their new home (such as delicate artwork or live plants, for example).
Sentimental going away gifts
It’s always hard to say goodbye to a close friend, but a sweet, meaningful gift can make it a little less painful:
1) Digital photo frame with images of your best moments together – Whether your friend is feeling overwhelmed, homesick, or lonely in their new surroundings, seeing a happy memory will cheer them up and make them smile again.
2) Photo album – Similarly to a digital photo frame, a photo album can take your friend on a stroll down memory lane whenever they feel like it. Just pick the pictures that have captured the most special moments of your time together and put them in a lovely album to create a great goodbye gift for your friend. Framed photo collages and custom printed photo books also serve the same purpose and make wonderful sentimental gifts for friends moving away.
3) Box of dated letters – Write twelve letters to your friend (one for every month of the year), put them in separate envelopes, and write the date the letter can be opened on each envelope. Share a happy memory you have from each particular month in your letters and talk about the things you’d do together at that time of the year if your friend was still back home. This will not only bring out memories and emotions, but may also prompt your friend to actually come back for a visit so you get to enjoy your favorite activities together.
4) Custom bracelet – You can give your friend a state-to-state bracelet, a cuff bracelet with a message engraved on it, or another piece of custom jewelry with a special meaning – it will be a lovely symbol of your bond and a lasting token of your friendship.
5) Old city map puzzle – It will not only provide a few hours of “nostalgic entertainment” when your friend feels bored or homesick, but will also motivate them to go out and explore their new city so they get to know it as well as they know their old town. Old city map glasses, mouse pads, and coasters are common gifts for friends moving away, as well.
6) Teddy bear – Or any other stuffed animal that will have some sort of meaning to your friend and will give them a warm hug from you.
See also: What to do when your best friend is moving away
Personalized moving away gifts
The best goodbye gifts for friends moving away are personalized items that relate to your friend in particular:
- Personalized mug – Mugs with sentimental photos, meaningful messages, or funny sayings top the list of the most common and cutest going away gifts for friends;
- Personalized coasters – Another popular moving away gift that allows you to make your friend laugh, remind them of a happy memory, or send them a heartfelt message;
- Personalized mouse pad – A gift to guarantee that your friend will think of you every time they sit at the computer and will remember to send you an e-mail or contact you on Skype;
- Personalized T-shirt – A going away present that will see a lot of use and will bring a lot of smiles;
- Personalized keychain – You can never go wrong with a special keychain for the new keys to your friend’s new home;
- Personalized jewelry or watch – so your pal always has a token of your friendship with them wherever they go;
- Personalized cutting board – so they have fun while preparing food in their new home;
- Personalized door sign and doormat – to help them make feel truly at home in their new place;
- Personalized letter seal set (with a brass stamp that says “Miss You”) – so your friend remembers to write to you;
- Personalized travel bag – so your friend is reminded that they should book a trip back home.
DIY moving away gifts
The most sentimental and creative gifts for friends moving away are things you’ve made yourself with your friendship in mind. You can knit a scarf, make an embroidery, draw a painting, write a poem, or compose a song for your friend (depending on your skills and available time) to give them a piece of your heart. Or you can simply record a video message to tell them everything you want to – your friend will be able to play the record any time they feel lonely and will cheer up knowing that they have a true friend out there.
See also: How to say goodbye to your friends when moving
Other thoughtful moving away gifts
There are many useful and sentimental gifts you can give your friend before they move. Yet, rather than give them something, you may prefer to do something for them:
- Order flower delivery at your friend’s new home. Make sure the flowers arrive the day after your friend does – they will brighten up the new place and will cheer up your pal;
- Order cleaning service at your friend’s old home on move-out day. While not a very sentimental gift idea, this will save your friend a lot of hard work – cleaning a house before moving out is a laborious and time-consuming task and your pal will have so many other things to do on move-out day. Hire a local cleaning service to take care of the job, so your friend can focus on more important things – you may even get to spend some extra time together before they leave;
- Pay for professional moving services (or help your friend find affordable and reliable movers). Using a professional moving company will ensure a safe and successful relocation and will make things much easier on your friend. If you can’t afford to pay for movers, you can at least find a good moving company for your friend to hire, help them sort and pack their belongings, and provide as much help on moving day as you can – your friend will highly appreciate it.
