Whether you’re moving across the world, across town, or just into a new unit in the same complex, switching residences can be a daunting task. Even if you’re excited about the prospect of moving into a new apartment, the act of having to plan and execute a move—and all of the headache that goes along with it—is generally stressful, time consuming, inconvenient, and expensive.
However, as much as we dislike moving, chances are we’re still going to have to get used to the idea sooner or later. In fact, approximately 33% of renters change residences at least once per year. That means that, as an apartment dweller, you’re likely going to find yourself encountering new neighbors on an almost-constant basis.
But despite the perpetual turnover, you should still be taking the time to meet and greet your neighbors. Why? Well, because you’re going to be living in relatively close proximity to these people, and the more you know them, the less likely it will be that you’ll end up having negative experiences with them. And who knows? If you go out of your way to introduce yourself to your new neighbors, you may just be laying the seeds for important and rewarding future friendships.
So, where do you start? Do you rush out and ambush new neighbors the moment you see the moving truck pull up? You could. Heck, you could even offer to help carry a few boxes in, if you’re feeling up to it. The downside to this approach is that you’ll be making and receiving your first impressions at a time that is normally very nerve-wracking for the person who is moving. It might be better for the relationship for you to approach your new neighbor after they’ve had a chance to settle in. Of course, if you are going to stop by, it’s never a bad idea to bring a gift. Think about it: Would you be more or less inclined to greet a stranger at your door, if he or she happened to be carrying a plate of cookies? But while cookies are fun and tasty ways to break the ice, remember that the person that you’re visiting is in a state of flux—they’ve probably not gotten around to unpacking everything as of yet. As such, it might be nice to bring something by that they could really use. And, if you could add a personal, DIY touch to the offering, well, that just makes it all a little bit more special.
So, in an effort to ensure that you and your neighbors get off on the right foot, here are seven homemade housewarming gift ideas.
An emergency essentials kit
It’s hard to plan for an emergency. In fact, that’s what makes them emergencies—they’re unplanned for. And while many of us are hard-pressed to deal with emergencies even at the best of times, having those same emergencies occur directly following a move can be disastrous. Consider gifting your new neighbor a homemade emergency kit:
- Get a durable waterproof case or box (preferably one that stands out and would be easy to find/identify at a moment’s notice).
- Fill the container with a flashlight, a basic first aid kit, a variety of batteries, several gallon-sized zip-lock freezer bags, necessary tools, a roll of duct-tape, and a comprehensive list of all of the kit’s contents.
- Encourage the recipient to secure several gallons of clean water (about two-gallons per person) and some non-perishable food to keep near the kit.
A homemade favorite-recipe cookbook
Trying to come up with food-ideas amid the stress of moving can be a real hassle. And, even after the last box has been unpacked, it’s often nice to have a ready-made list of recipes from which to draw when it comes time to plan for meals. If you have a few favorites that you think might be a hit with your new neighbor, then compile those recipes together in a nice looking binder/scrapbook. Wrap the whole thing in a bow, and give your neighbor a gift that they can use for years to come.
A menu-binder
Of course, why cook when you can go out to eat? One hurdle of living in a new area is that you may not be familiar with what restaurants are located nearby. By collecting various takeout menus from any and all eateries within easy driving distance of the apartment, you can organize a useful reference that your new neighbor can use whenever they begin to feel peckish. Just place the menus in a nice-looking binder, along with the addresses and telephone numbers of the featured establishments. You may even want to provide short reviews of each restaurant, so that your neighbor can enjoy the benefit of an informed opinion to help them make their choices.
A move-in essentials kit
Turning an empty apartment into a home takes a bit of work. Unfortunately, many of the basic items that we use to facilitate this transition tend to get lost in the shuffle of the move. You can help, by adapting the Housewarming Bucket that was featured a few years ago on Marthastewart.com. Just grab a heavy-duty cleaning bucket and fill it with the following:
- A boxcutter, some trash bags, adhesive remover, wall putty, dishwasher and laundry detergent (in small amounts), a hammer and nails, a level, furniture pads, air freshener, measuring tape, an extension cord, cleaning supplies, disposable plates and utensils, toilet paper, and anything else that you think your new neighbor might need when moving in.
- Top it all off by printing out and including a list of important local phone numbers and addresses (such as the fire-department, police non-emergency line, hospital, etc.).
A ready-made meal
This one may be especially appreciated if the recipient has young children. Preparing a meal that will be large enough to feed the recipient’s family, and then delivering it along with some disposable plates and utensils will help diminish the stress of creating a meal while getting settled in. If you can pair up with a few other neighbors, you may even be able to take care of several dinners in a row. If you’d rather cover dessert, a fun candy-bouquet (get a vase, use a glue gun to attach thin wooden dowels or popsicle sticks to a variety of candy bars, and then place the candy in the vase in such a way as to simulate the look of a floral bouquet) might be the way to go.
A DIY doormat
Nothing says ‘moved-in’ quite like a nice doormat. But instead of gifting your new neighbor something store-bought and impersonal, consider designing one of your own. Just get a basic fiber doormat (one without any sort of design), some paint (water-proof oil-based paint or fabric paint), and some brushes. Create a masterpiece from your own imagination, or, if you aren’t very confident in your artistic skills, use stencils and spray paint to achieve the desired effect.
Framed WiFi password QR code
This particular gift straddles the line between form and function, resulting in a surprisingly stylish decoration that also proves to be very useful in a crunch. The idea is that you use a site such as com to create a QR code for the WiFi password in question, then you print a large version of that QR code, and frame the result. The framed image is then placed near the computer, and when someone needs access to the password, they only have to scan the image. Of course, the downside is that unless your new neighbor wants to trust you with his or her WiFi password upon first meeting you, you probably aren’t going to have access to everything you need. You may choose instead to purchase a small frame, and then to suggest to the recipient that they create a QR code for their password. That way, if they like your idea, they’ll have everything that they need. And, if they aren’t interested, they’ll at least have a nice picture frame to use for whatever they want.