Best Home Gifts
Moving into a new place, no matter if it’s your first home, a rental, or something in between, often comes with that strange feeling of almost being settled. Sure, you’ve got the basics in place, but sometimes the furniture isn’t quite your style, or you’re missing a few things that make a house truly feel like yours. After all, a home is more than just walls and a roof. It’s where you exhale, relax, and feel most like yourself. That’s where some of the best home gifts can make a difference.
An easy way to add personality and practicality to any space is a home gift set. Depending on your budget, you can go big with appliances like a sleek coffee machine, or keep it simple with décor touches like framed wall art or a cute welcome mat. Once-upon-a-time there was a list of household items that were standard house-warming gifts. With the cost-of-living crisis, the list has expanded to include other essentials and large items like household furniture. On top of that, there are some unusual items available that you might not ordinarily think of as a gift, or even an essential home item for yourself, but which every house could use! Here are some of them.
Sofa Bed
A large piece of furniture like a sofa bed leans on the expensive side compared to other gifts for the home. Yet, it can make an amazing gift for a loved one or close family relative. What it makes up for in its priciness is a long list of advantages based on it’s versatility.
When you live in a country with the second-most-expensive housing market (after Hong Kong, as per the latest Demographia International Housing Affordability report), space can be a premium. Some of them, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane, are classified as “impossibly unaffordable,” with Sydney in the lead.
Such high prices drive demand for smaller, lower-cost rentals or houses. As the space gets smaller however, so does the possibility of having room for both a bed and a couch. The solution is to get a piece of furniture designed to do both. A sofa bed allows for easy switching between sofa and bed modes, saving space when the bed is not being used during the day. Some designs feature built-in storage in the arms, enough for one pillow each.
As sofa beds might seem an expensive buy, it’s worth it to check out the current sofa beds on sale. It’s an unusual gift, but one that would be much appreciated in this current cost-of-living crisis. There are a range of sizes, from long single to king size, along with the mattress grade quality of foam spring.
Fire Extinguisher
While it’s not on anybody’s gift list, a fire extinguisher is a great idea to gift, as every dwelling needs one. Fires can start when you least expect them to, more so with the dry season almost upon us. While a fire extinguisher wouldn’t be enough to put out larger fires, it can buy time for firefighters to respond to the scene. Nothing says being prepared better than the ability to fight fires within reach.
What you might not know is that there are a range of different fire extinguishers based on the chemicals they use. The ideal choice for homes is an ABE extinguisher, which uses a dry chemical powder. “ABE” states the fire classes it’s meant to fight, namely:
- Class A: Flammable materials (e.g., wood, paper, cloth)
- Class B: Flammable liquids (e.g., kerosene, oil, paint)
- Class E: Electrical equipment (e.g., appliances, smart home devices)
You can pick up one at your local hardware store or from online sellers. Don’t be afraid to consider this because it’s unusual; a home gift that helps save lives is beyond thoughtful.
Air Purifier
The need for good indoor air quality is something that more and more of us are becoming aware of. Research by CSIRO reveals that indoor air can be contaminated with various pollutants, like volatile organic compounds found in paint and certain types of furniture. Even the carbon dioxide the human body breathes out can affect indoor air quality.
Air purifiers remove all the unwanted stuff in the air and then some, whether in a room or a large section of the house. They’re no substitute for old-fashioned routine house cleaning or proper ventilation, but they pick up any pollutants that cleaning misses.
An air purifier is a great gift for the home if you or someone you know suffers from allergies or smokes frequently. Think about:
- Size: Some units can cover most of the house, while others cover rooms
- Filters: More expensive units can consist of multiple types of air filters
- Clean air delivery rate: More powerful purifiers deliver clean air faster
- Noise rating: Less powerful purifiers tend to produce far less noise
- Air quality indicator: Lets the user monitor indoor air quality in real time
House Plants
Speaking of keeping the air at home breathable, house plants also make for an excellent home gift idea. Although they don’t filter indoor air as efficiently as air purifiers, they turn carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen (which purifiers obviously don’t do). Also, a snake plant or succulent in the living room is a nice touch.
Choosing a plant gift begins with deciding whether the recipient has the time and effort to care for it properly. If they can’t, opt for low-maintenance or beginner-friendly options, such as a Swiss cheese plant or spider plant. These plants can go for longer periods without water.
