Sustainable Housewarming Gift Guide
February 21, 2024
Amidst the excitement of a new home, as guests, we want to honor the milestone with a thoughtful offering. Although you can’t go wrong with a bottle of bubbly, perhaps pair it with a gift that holds practical value and an element of sustainability. The best gifts are little luxuries that you want but might not purchase for yourself. I have consulted the GreenEarth team and devised the ultimate affordable housewarming gift guide or your future wish-list.
Happily embracing the practicality of reusable shopping bags may come with age. However, BAGGU does it well with funky patterns and a range of sizes. Featured on the New York Times and recommended by Oprah Winfrey, this eco-conscious company is making sustainability stylish. Though easily overlooked, having reusable bags that can fit in your pocket or purse make all the difference when running errands. Don’t get caught at check-out unprepared needing to say yes to single-use plastic or paper bags. The degree of thoughtfulness in a minimal waste design, sustainably sourced materials, and ethical manufacturing practices, is commendable. At GreenEarth Cleaning, we appreciate and applaud brands like BAGGU. Learn more about their mission here.
For a friend that habitually hoards plastic water bottles on their nightstand, a water carafe can be the sustainable solution. This gift idea absolutely falls into the category of a little luxury and is great for those interested in upping their water intake. Dueling as decor, a water carafe minimizes the need for refills and serves as a reminder to begin and end your day hydrated. Vogue sees the value in carafes and devised a list with links to buy. I have had my water carafe for a little over a year now and I cannot recommend them enough. Best said in the linked Vogue article, “Sipping from a cooling Swell bottle when you’re steps away from your kitchen feels a bit off.” Recently, I have enjoyed infusing my water with sliced lemon and cucumber.
Depending on the recipient’s capacity for countertop appliances, encourage responsible waste disposal by gifting a countertop composter. Our Customer Service Director, Karen Maxwell, swears by hers; she uses it daily for coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, vegetable and fruit scraps. To avoid odor, she advises against adding cooked, oily, or processed foods. Karen transfers the remains into her backyard composter weekly, mixing it with leaves and branches collected throughout the season. This weekly transfer yields 40 pounds of nutrient-packed soil each spring while reducing her weekly garbage from entering landfills. If you’re curious about further exploring the benefits of Composting At Home, the EPA has produced a variety of resources to review!
Depending on the distance, moving can be destructive. Give the gift of garment/ fabric care and pick up the tab on the homeowner’s next trip to the dry cleaners. Integrate sustainability by choosing a GreenEarth Cleaning Affiliate, find one nearest to you with the store locator. The process of packing and unpacking everything you own into boxes can feel overwhelming. Reducing their laundry list of “to-dos” would be an unexpected but deeply appreciated gift idea.
If you don’t want to show up empty handed, pair this gift idea with a DIY laundry detergent and/or multi-use wool dryer balls. Making your own laundry detergent is an eco-friendly alternative reducing the consumption of single-use plastics. Check out this article where Martha Stewart tutorials homemade laundry detergent and compares it with store-bought.
Author: Erin Horne
Reusable Shopping Bags: BAGGU
Happily embracing the practicality of reusable shopping bags may come with age. However, BAGGU does it well with funky patterns and a range of sizes. Featured on the New York Times and recommended by Oprah Winfrey, this eco-conscious company is making sustainability stylish. Though easily overlooked, having reusable bags that can fit in your pocket or purse make all the difference when running errands. Don’t get caught at check-out unprepared needing to say yes to single-use plastic or paper bags. The degree of thoughtfulness in a minimal waste design, sustainably sourced materials, and ethical manufacturing practices, is commendable. At GreenEarth Cleaning, we appreciate and applaud brands like BAGGU. Learn more about their mission here.
Water Carafe
For a friend that habitually hoards plastic water bottles on their nightstand, a water carafe can be the sustainable solution. This gift idea absolutely falls into the category of a little luxury and is great for those interested in upping their water intake. Dueling as decor, a water carafe minimizes the need for refills and serves as a reminder to begin and end your day hydrated. Vogue sees the value in carafes and devised a list with links to buy. I have had my water carafe for a little over a year now and I cannot recommend them enough. Best said in the linked Vogue article, “Sipping from a cooling Swell bottle when you’re steps away from your kitchen feels a bit off.” Recently, I have enjoyed infusing my water with sliced lemon and cucumber.
Countertop Composter
Depending on the recipient’s capacity for countertop appliances, encourage responsible waste disposal by gifting a countertop composter. Our Customer Service Director, Karen Maxwell, swears by hers; she uses it daily for coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, vegetable and fruit scraps. To avoid odor, she advises against adding cooked, oily, or processed foods. Karen transfers the remains into her backyard composter weekly, mixing it with leaves and branches collected throughout the season. This weekly transfer yields 40 pounds of nutrient-packed soil each spring while reducing her weekly garbage from entering landfills. If you’re curious about further exploring the benefits of Composting At Home, the EPA has produced a variety of resources to review!
Garment/ Fabric Care
Depending on the distance, moving can be destructive. Give the gift of garment/ fabric care and pick up the tab on the homeowner’s next trip to the dry cleaners. Integrate sustainability by choosing a GreenEarth Cleaning Affiliate, find one nearest to you with the store locator. The process of packing and unpacking everything you own into boxes can feel overwhelming. Reducing their laundry list of “to-dos” would be an unexpected but deeply appreciated gift idea.
If you don’t want to show up empty handed, pair this gift idea with a DIY laundry detergent and/or multi-use wool dryer balls. Making your own laundry detergent is an eco-friendly alternative reducing the consumption of single-use plastics. Check out this article where Martha Stewart tutorials homemade laundry detergent and compares it with store-bought.
Houseplants
Liven up the new space with an offering of fresh foliage. Plants make for great gifts, and some are believed to contribute to good Feng Shui! Content creator, @fengshuiplant_clara, owns a plant shop and posts videos explaining the believed benefit of houseplants. Piggybacking on the notion of imparting positive energy, consider choosing a plant with air purification properties. This gift idea is quite literally a breath of fresh air among your standard gift guide suggestions. Take sustainability a step further and thrift the planter! However, before deciding on a houseplant, survey the recipient’s capacity to care for one. Although plants make for a great gift, not everyone has a green thumb.
Settling into a new space gives you the opportunity to take inventory of your belongings and curate new decor for a fresh start. Rather than adding to the clutter, consider gifting the new homeowner with something useful and sustainable. Whether it be a pothos plant or trip to your local GreenEarth Affiliate, share the excitement of a new milestone with a thoughtful token.Author: Erin Horne