Moving into your first apartment is a huge life milestone – and it’s even more special when it’s your best friends! To help you celebrate this huge achievement, we’re going to share 25+ of the best gifts for first apartment renters.
25+ Gifts for a First Apartment to Give Your Best Friends
1. Housewarming Gift Box
This adorable housewarming gift box comes with a few kitchen essentials that everyone should have in their first apartment:
- Cutting board
- Salt and pepper shakers
- Kitchen towels
- Wooden spoon
- Cotton coasters
It also comes with two adorable wine tumblers and a wine gift bag. All of these items come in a beautiful gift box that’s ready for giving.
2. HoneyComb Indoor Planter
Plants are a great addition to any apartment, and this planter will be the star of the show in any room. It’s great for plants of all sizes, from snake plants to fiddle-leaf figs or even olive trees.
You can gift the planter empty, or you can head to your local garden store and find the perfect plant to add.
3. Myra Turkish Hand Towels
Hand towels are practical gifts for first apartment renters, but they’re SO appreciated. And these towels are gorgeous. They’re made from 100% cotton and made in Turkiye.
Each set comes with five towels that get softer with every wash.
4. Eddie Bauer Throw Blanket
A fuzzy throw blanket will add a touch of coziness to your best friend’s apartment. This blanket is made with 100% plush fleece, so it’s ultra-soft and comfortable. Plus, you can choose from so many different colors, and they’re reversible.
These blankets are so awesome, you may want to get an extra one for yourself to use when you visit.
5. Welcome Mat
What’s one thing that every new apartment owner needs? A welcome mat! This mat is simple, but so adorable. You can choose one that says:
- Welcome
- Hello
- Home
They come in different sizes, too, so you can find one that fits perfectly outside of your best friend’s door.
6. Kitchen Canister Set
Every apartment should have at least a few canisters to hold sugar, coffee, flour or spices. This three-piece set has canisters of three different sizes:
- 20-oz
- 40-oz
- 80-oz
Each ceramic canister has a bamboo lid that screws tightly on to keep its contents fresh. If you want to go the extra mile, you can fill these canisters with your best friend’s favorite coffee or tea.
Related: 31 Funny Apartment Decor Ideas That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud
7. Scented LED Candles
Candles are a great housewarming gift, but eventually, they burn out. These scented LED candles will never burn out (unless the batteries die!), and they’re safer than traditional candles.
We love that the “flames” still flicker and dance like the real thing. Plus, they come with a remote, so you can turn them on and off with the touch of a button.
8. Airtight Food Storage Containers
Here’s another practical gift that your best friend will appreciate: food storage containers. This set comes with 24 containers of different sizes, each one with an airtight lid and a label.
Your friend can store pasta, flour, sugar, cookies – anything they want – in these containers.
9. Electric Salt and Pepper Grinders
Who doesn’t love the taste of freshly ground pepper? But sometimes, manual grinders can be a pain. These electric grinders are battery-powered, only require one-hand operation and have adjustable coarseness.
10. Interchangeable Welcome Sign
How adorable is this welcome sign? You can change the “O” in “home” to match whatever season you’re in. There are 16 icons in total, including Christmas trees, snowmen, pumpkins, turkeys, flowers and more.
Your best friend can hang this sign on the inside or outside of their apartment door to make it feel more like home.
11. Charcuterie Board
Does your best friend like to entertain? Then a charcuterie board is one of the best gifts for first apartment renters. This set comes with everything they’ll need for an awesome charcuterie spread:
- Slide-out drawers with cheese knives and serving bowls
- A natural bamboo board with built-in trays for holding cheese, crackers and more
With a diameter of 12.8″W, this charcuterie board is compact and can easily fit into any drawer or cabinet.
12. 20-Jar Countertop Spice Rack
If your best friend likes cooking, this spice rack is the perfect housewarming gift. This rotating rack is filled with all of the classic spices for cooking, including basil, crushed mint, Italian seasoning, dill weed, coriander, rosemary and more.
Related: 14 Parisian Apartment Decor Ideas to Create Your Dream Home
13. Riveira Bamboo Utensils
Cooking utensils are another first apartment essential, and this set from Riveira is perfect. It’s made from bamboo, which is naturally durable and won’t scratch or damage pots and pans.
Riveira’s set comes with six utensils, which is a great start for any kitchen.
14. Sharper Image LED Word Clock
Between smartphones and other devices, you don’t really need a clock in your apartment, but this one is more of an art piece than anything else.
Instead of the usual numbers you find with regular clocks, this clock uses words to tell you the time. For example, it will say, “It is twelve o’clock” or “It is five minutes past twelve.”
The LED lights make this clock a unique gift that your best friend can hang anywhere in their apartment.
15. Colorful Bowls Set
In our experience, you can never have too many bowls in your kitchen. Even if your friend already has dishware, this colorful bowl set will be perfect for entertaining – or whenever they just want to feel fancy.
This set from DOWAN includes six bowls with vibrant patterns. They’re dishwasher-safe, too.
16. Mifaso Outlet Extender with Shelf
Looking for useful gifts for first apartment renters? We love this outlet extender, which comes with a little built-in shelf. This extender, which is also a surge protector, has five AC outlets, 3 USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port and a night light.
The little built-in shelf is perfect for holding a phone or even a Bluetooth speaker.
17. 33-Piece Kitchen Utensil Set
Here’s a thoughtful gift for your best friend’s new apartment – a huge kitchen utensils set. This non-stick silicone set includes 33 pieces, including measuring spoons, a basting brush, a whisk, tongs and basic cooking utensils. It even comes with a cute canister to hold all of the utensils.
18. General First Aid Kit
It’s not the most glamorous gift, but a first aid kit is a really useful one for your best friend’s apartment. It has all of the basics you’d need to treat minor cuts, scrapes and more.
All of the items come packaged in a convenient box that your friend can keep in the bathroom cupboard – or wherever.
19. 15- Piece Knife Set with Storage Block
Every kitchen should have a good knife set, even if you’re not an avid cook. This set from Cuisinart comes with 15 pieces (including a sharpener and a pair of scissors) and its own storage block. Each knife is made from carbon stainless steel, and you get virtually every basic knife you could need in a kitchen.
20. KitchenAid Oven Mitt and Potholder Set
Here’s a thoughtful gift to give to your best friend for their first apartment: oven mitts and potholders. This set from KitchenAid comes with two kitchen towels, one pot holder and one oven mitt.
Along with being durable and heat-resistant, each item in this kit is machine washable. Plus, you can choose from some gorgeous, fun colors, like teal, mint and pale blue.
Related: 17 Insanely Chic Bathroom Storage Ideas for Towels
21. Solar Garden Cat Statue
This is one of the best gifts for first apartment balconies or outdoor entryways. How adorable is this little cat garden statue? It’s even holding a little solar-powered lantern to welcome guests.
If your friend isn’t a fan of cats, you can also choose a dog, bear or dragon.
22. Cold Brew Coffee Maker/Infusion Pitcher
If your friend is a fan of cold brew coffee or iced tea, this pitcher is the perfect gift for their new apartment. It has a built-in infusion tube where you can put your coffee, tea, herbs or fruit. You can even use it to make water infusions.
It’s dishwasher-safe and easy to use, making it a great gift for friends with busy schedules.
23. Nesting Mixing Bowls and Measuring Cups
This nesting mixing bowl set won’t take up much space in the cabinet, and it includes all of the basic bowls and measuring cups your friend will need for cooking and baking. It even has a colander and a fine mesh sieve.
24. GIFTAGIRL Housewarming Gifts
Personalized pots are perfect for anyone who loves a little greenery in their space. You’ll find these adorable pots with numerous sayings, but we chose “Home. Sweet. Home.” The three-piece set will remind your friend of you every time they see it.
Each ceramic pot comes with bamboo saucers and tiny drainage holes on the bottom.
25. Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot’s 7-in-1 electric cooker does it all: cook rice, steam, sauté and more. And there are even 800 recipes provided to help your best friend get cooking the moment they open the box.
One-pot meals cook 70% faster and there are 13 smart programs built-in.
26. Black+Decker DCM100B 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
Wake up, drink coffee, repeat. The Black+Decker coffee maker comes with a glass carafe and brews 12 cups of coffee at one time. Your friend can even program the unit the night before so that they wake up to the enticing aroma of coffee.
