Are you tired of giving and receiving wall clocks, glassware and candles as home and garden gifts? Though, all these items are good ideas and everyone could always use more, their purchase requires little thought and effort. Anyone can pick up a new set of glasses on their way to a party and present it to the hosts upon their arrival. However, if you want the gifts you give to stand out from the others, then try one or more of these simple ideas.
Personalize Your Gifts
By personalizing a gift, you're telling the recipient that you put some thought into the gift in advance and that you wanted to make the gift special. You're telling them that you didn't just pick something up off the shelf at a local department store as an afterthought, throw it in your shopping cart, and presto. You're showing them that you took the time to look around, gave name or monogram details, and made sure that it was ready in plenty of time for the occasion.
Some home and garden gifts that can be personalized include throws for the family room, ice buckets, serving trays, plaques, garden stones and even door knockers. If you do intend to purchase the personalized door knockers, a word of caution is in order. You should probably stick to using only the initials of the homeowners. You wouldn’t want a stranger coming by and asking your children to open the door because he’s here to see Mike and Julie.
The Gift of Stationery
Stationery makes a great housewarming gift because upon moving into a new home also comes a new address. In addition, the new homeowners are usually busy with the move and unpacking. You can make their life a lot easier by giving them note pads, return address labels, letterheads or any other types of items with their name and new address on it. There are a number of websites that even offer free samples of their personalized stationery products, so you may just want to order a free set for yourself while you’re at it!
Useful Gift Baskets
Look around your kitchen or garden and pick a few of your favorite decorations or useful accessories. They don't have to be big and fancy, but smaller items that have made your life easier or more interesting. Make a list and see how many of these types of items fall within your budget, leaving about ten per cent for the costs of the basket and packaging. Purchase these items and present them in a themed gift basket. Tie it with a fruit design bow if it’s a kitchen gift, or one with flowers if it’s for the garden. Now you have a unique home and garden gift with a number of practical items that they will really be able to use. The most important thing to remember before buying a gift is to put some thought and effort into it. As long as you do that, the gifts you give will always be well received and appreciated by their recipients.