New Home Gifts For Renters

We make cards, prints and pin badges in the UK. We don't sell furniture or toasters, so this is a plain guide - the card and the wall print at the end are the only things we make.

Renters can't drill holes, can't paint and will probably move again within two years. That rules out half of the usual housewarming list.

Pick things that are useful now and fit in a box later.

Finish it with a card

A new home card works whether the keys are theirs or the landlord's.

A square white greeting card featuring the bold black text 'Adios, Bitch' in a stylish, playful font. Adios, Bitch (Spanish-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card) £3.87 Ciao, Bitch (Italian-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card) Ciao, Bitch (Italian-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card) £3.87 Good Luck For Your New Life in Dubai Card Good Luck For Your New Life in Dubai Card £3.87 See You Later, Alligator (Funny Good Luck Card) See You Later, Alligator (Funny Good Luck Card) £3.75 Au Revoir, Bitch (French-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card) Au Revoir, Bitch (French-themed Goodbye & Good Luck Card) £3.87 Good Luck In New York Moving Away Card Good Luck In New York Moving Away Card £3.87

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Nothing that needs a drill

  • A freestanding lamp, which fixes bad rented lighting instantly and costs nothing to take with them.
  • Command strips and a print, so the walls get something on them without losing the deposit.
  • A clothes airer, because half of rented flats have nowhere to dry anything.
  • A rug, which covers whatever carpet the landlord chose.

First flat basics

  • A toolkit with a screwdriver, tape measure and allen keys - flat-pack arrives eventually.
  • A decent bin, which nobody ever buys themselves and everybody needs.
  • A set of matching plates and bowls for four.
  • A shower curtain, a bath mat and a plunger. Unromantic and immediately used.

Things that improve a rented place

  • A plant that survives neglect - a snake plant or pothos, not an orchid.
  • Warm bulbs to replace the cold ones the landlord fitted.
  • A door draught excluder, which pays for itself in a winter.
  • Storage boxes that look fine out in the open, because rented flats never have enough cupboards.

What to avoid

  • Anything that needs fixing to a wall or ceiling.
  • Heavy furniture they'll have to move again in a year.
  • Paint, shelves or anything that changes the property.
  • Fragile ornaments. Everything gets boxed again sooner than you think.

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How to write it so it lands

  • No drilling, no deposit lost.
  • Command strips with any print.
  • A lamp fixes rented lighting.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is a good new home gift for someone renting?

Things that need no drilling and move easily: a lamp, a rug, a clothes airer, a toolkit, or a print with command strips.

What should you not give a renter?

Anything that fixes to a wall, heavy furniture, paint or shelving. They can't alter the property and will move again soon.

What do people forget to buy for a first rented flat?

A bin, a clothes airer, a plunger, a bath mat and warm light bulbs. All cheap and all needed in the first week.

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