8 Gifts for Your Friends’ Homes (That They’ll Actually Use)

Trust us, it’ll make you seem like you put a lot of thought into it.

It’s the time of that year again, and you know what that means – holiday shopping! There is, of course, the easy route (or backup plan) of picking out gift cards. But, that’s straight up a no-go if you want your present to mean something.

Fortunately for you, you won’t have to wing it at all – if you have visited your friend’s place, or you are privy to the layout changes that they are making, you will be pretty much set! In fact, here’s a cheat sheet to kick-start your shopping spree:

1. For the homeowner with a rigged-out kitchen | A cast iron French casserole pan

You know the kitchen is important to your friend when they have a cabinetry system with great fittings, a kitchen island, a functional backsplash, and a hob. While they certainly make the space look great, these modifications probably come at a cost – and that means that your friend is less likely to fork out for a cast iron pan (at the moment).

And don’t worry, we’re not asking you to bite the bullet to shell out hundreds of dollars for one – in fact, Iuiga has a pocket-friendly alternative that works just as well!

2. For the one who places all their skincare in the common fridge | A beauty fridge

When the fridge is filled with skincare and not produce that can be consumed, it’s time for an intervention in the form of a mini-fridge.

Why do you even need to keep products refrigerated in the first place, you ask? Popping certain items into the fridge may boost calming effects, which your skincare guru pal should know all about! And, seeing as it’s too cute and Instagram-worthy, the main fridge will likely be decluttered (no more sheet masks in place of icy beverages, yay!).

3. For the homeowner who refuses to organise their messy household shelter | Stackable boxes

You probably have that one friend who thinks that household shelter is synonymous with the storeroom. As the most misused area in the home, it could do with a bit of sprucing up, and MUJI’s range of stackable boxes, racks, stockers, and cases is sure to help in the sorting/organising aspect.

In case the shelter looks like where a (literal) bomb went off, you can supplement the abovementioned with/swap over to Style Degree’s selection of slim organisers, racks and holders.

4. For the homeowner who somehow managed to work in a music studio | A turntable

If your friend is that dedicated to music, your gift should reflect the undying enthusiasm. But wait, what happens if you have no experience when it comes to sounding the little details out (i.e. have little to no understanding of any of the tech jargon)?

You can bypass it all by snagging this lightweight turntable instead – compact, plays both vintage records and the music stored in a phone, it’s the perfect companion for a music lover.

5. For the homeowner with a stylish dining area | Classically timeless dinnerware

Social butterflies make for easy giftees. Chances are, they paid greater attention to their communal zones (i.e. dining area and living room), trying their absolute best to carve out comfortable spaces for guests. And yes, this means that bespoke fine china is a shoo-in gift for them!

You can also get dinnerware sets from Lovera Collections, IKEA and Robinsons.

6. For the homeowner who wanted (and got) a chill bedroom | A reading pillow

“I want to be reborn as a rock in my next life,” said the couch potato. While that dream is hard to fulfill, we’re sure any attempt to help realise their aspiration will be appreciated. This reading pillow not only offers plenty of back and shoulder support, it’s portable too – your friend can easily cart it off to the bed for maximum relaxation.

Explore: Shop other brands

7. For the homeowner with a composting bin/reusable straws | An eco-friendly bag

Composting bins and reusable straws are a big tell – your friend is definitely becoming more eco-conscious. But ditching single-use straws or converting food waste is just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to reducing waste footprints. So seize this golden opportunity to gift them reusable and/or dissolvable plastic bags (more about them here)!

The stasher bag is also available at HipVan, iHerb and other major retailers while the dissovable plastic bags can be found at TeloBag.

8. For the homeowner with a nursery | A changing pad

As you know, babies… are kind of squirmy in nature and changing a diaper might prove to be an uphill battle, especially in the case for first-time mums.

While there are some who can skirt by with the help of a towel or blanket, a changing pad like this one from Skip Hop might be handier in general as it has straps to prevent infants from moving too much – it’s waterproof too!

If you’re not pooling your cash with a bunch of people, we recommend checking out Pupsik Studio and Mothercare for more pocket-friendly options!

*Disclaimer: Prices are accurate at the time of writing

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