Moving Day Gift Ideas Your Friends Will Love

Moving day, whether done by a moving company or with the help of family and friends, is usually hectic and tiring!  By the end of the day, you are usually worn out and ready to rest.

But it can also be a time of celebration.

Whether you give them something to make the day easier or something to help them celebrate depends on the situation and what is most needed.

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Is there a difference between moving day gift baskets and housewarming baskets?

For years, housewarming baskets have been a way to welcome someone to the neighborhood or their new home.

In the early days of our country, people will welcome new neighbors with a basket of food that they had baked, grown, dried, or canned. A tin of freshly baked biscuits and a jar of jam, jelly, syrup, or honey made the move much more pleasant for the newcomer.

These gifts of homemade goods later became what is commonly referred to as "housewarming gift baskets" filled with an assortment of foods and beverages.  They were given to the new resident either at the time they moved into their new home, at a housewarming party, or even several days or weeks after the move.

In today's world, however, there is a rising trend to give "moving day baskets."  We want to clarify right from the beginning that these two are basically the same thing but with a twist.

If you ever moved or helped a friend do so, you know how much stress this process brings with it. It seems like there is an infinite number of things to think about during relocation. So, if you want to help your loved ones achieve the successful completion of this task, you can give them a moving day gift basket.

On the other hand, housewarming baskets are usually gifted when people have already moved into a new home. They're not here to help them relocate but to give them a hand with settling down in a new place.

With that being said, this doesn't mean that moving day baskets can't serve the same purpose. You're choosing what you're going to put inside of them, so you can decide what they're for. It doesn't matter when you give them.

Moving day basket ideas

Although they are pretty similar, there are still a few key differences.

Typically, people tend to forget to bring basic things like soap, towels, and even food when relocating. And you'll agree that everyone deserves a break during the hustle and bustle. There are too many things on their minds, so forgetting these necessities isn't surprising. However, that's where you step in with a custom gift basket .

Or you can even pick up an attractive gift box and fill it with a few basic necessities to bring with you when you help them complete the move.

If you decide to put together yourself or to have us create a custom gift basket for you, here are some ideas of things you could include for moving day.

• A bottle of Wine is something you may think of first.  But be careful here.  Not everyone drinks and there are those hidden alcoholics that you may not be aware of.  If we are creating a custom basket for you, we can't include wine since the federal government requires companies to have a liquor license to sell alcohol.If you do decide to create a DIY gift basket and include wine, don't forget to add a corkscrew and a couple of wine glasses in case they haven't unpacked theirs yet.  You could always  include an assortment of non-alcoholic beverages. Even though we don't have a liquor license and can't include wine in the baskets that we create, we have arranged with a company in California to ship wine gift baskets to our customers and friends.  They have the license and can ship directly to that special someone who would enjoy a bottle of wine and all the goodies to go with it after they have settled in their new home.
• If you are delivering the gift on moving day, you might want to include those basic necessities that are easily forgotten or are still packed in the moving boxes.  These are the practical things like toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates and cups, and hand soap.
• Screwdrivers and trash bags may also be appreciated.  You frequently need to disassemble something on your moving day, and tools are always in a box that you can't find. People accumulate a lot of trash or recycling when unpacking which makes trash bags  a useful addition to your gift.  A complete tool kit that they can use on moving day and keep for emergencies can be a great gift that they will appreciate and say a silent "thank you"  whenever they use it.
• And lastly, food.  Here is where  you can get really creative. You have the choice of making it yourself, putting in a couple of local takeout menus, or simply ordering a meat and cheese gift basket.  Or choose from any of our gourmet food gift baskets 
• Fill their fridge with the necessary grocery essentials to provide sustenance on moving day.  This could include things like milk, juice, cereal, bread, lunch meat with condiments and anything else that you think they would like and enjoy.  Don't forget to include some paper plates and utensils.   This is one gift that they will remember forever.

Housewarming Gift Basket Ideas

Housewarming baskets are different from moving day ones in several ways.  You probably don't need to include the basic necessities, screwdrivers, or trash bags suggested above for a moving day gift.  You can give a housewarming gift basket at any time either before or after they have moved into the new home.  A food gift basket is always appreciated but there are other options that will make your gift stand out from all the other housewarming gifts they may receive.

A kitchen themed gift basket could include things like cooking utensils, seasonings, tea towels, oils or even the ingredients and a recipe for a complete meal.

It could be based on any type of country or cultural food such as an Italian dinner, a breakfast gift basket or even a picnic basket filled with goodies.   A personalized cutting board  is something that will remind them of you each time they use it.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of moving day gift basket ideas your friends will love. The key here is to know the person the gift is for and to make the decisions accordingly. Get your friends something that they'll use, but don't forget to include a personal touch. Let the basket show them how much you care without your having to say a word.

Here is an assortment of additional gift ideas to make moving day more than just a chore: