HS grad gift ideas! help please!
 

My sister is graduating from high school in 3 weeks, and I'm trying to think of what to get her for a present. When my brother graduated, I bought a laundry basket and filled it with all the stuff incoming freshmen need (towels, school supplies, laundry bag, cleaning supplies, etc). He really liked it, and told me yesterday the only thing he never used was the drying rack I got him, and that got trashed during a drunken night of MacGyver immitations. However, he can't remember everything I put in it.

Ok, so I know the no-brainer is money. But... I'm not giving my sister money simply because I know she won't save it. So I was thinking of another laundry basket full of goodies (item content suggestions please!), or should I do something more meaningful? If I should do something more meaningful...what? Even though we're 12 years apart, we're pretty close, if that helps at all.

Thank you!

I like the idea of a laundry basket. If she doesn't have any allergies, they now have Purell sheets that are laundry soap and dryer sheets in one. Useful to me is always meaningful.

I agree. If she's going away to college, that kind of gift is invaluable. I'd load it with personal hygiene stuff (soaps, shampoos), maybe some picnic ware type silverware and plates and cups and dish soap, a nice big mug for soup or coffee or hot chocolate or tea... include some packets of whatever of those she likes. Maybe a lighted make up mirror (I so preferred doing my makeup at my desk rather than trying to deal with a crowded bathroom). Even some over the counter meds like ibuprofen, allergy pills..whatever she might use regularly. Not only will she get a lot of use from it, it will save your parents money in stuff they have to buy to send her off! Talk with your mom about it maybe too?

LOL

Anyway, I have these sheets you throw in the wash that catch all of the color so you can wash all of your clothes together without any worries. They are the best invention ever. Mine are Shout, but other brands make them too.

I also think paper clips, stapler, staples, and tape are a good idea, albeit unexciting. I never seem to have enough of those items when I need them.

If you can, get a laundry basket on wheels - I got one this year and it was so useful.

If she doesn't have one already, definitely this. The light in the bathrooms and rooms is usually absolutely ghastly.

Seriously? I've never heard of such a thing. I'll have to get some of those for Mr. SydneyK. Currently, he has no white socks - they're all some unidentifiable color between blue and grey.

Back on topic:
You could do something similar to the laundry basket, but more of a bathroom caddy type thing. A couple new towels and washcloths; a robe; shower shoes (if she'll be living somewhere she'd need them); toothbrushes/toothpaste; shampoo/soap; midol/motrin; cotton balls; Q-tips; etc... You can spend a little or a lot, and you can easily tailor it to meet your sister's specific needs/likes.

Here are some ideas:

1. Quarters! I was forever running out of quarters for laundry.

2. A "gift set" of condiments - mustard, ketchup, salt and pepper shakers, sugar (or sugar substitute), hot sauce, etc. The delivery people always forget something!

3. Febreeze and Downy wrinkle releaser. 'Cuz you never quite get on top of laundry.

4. Shower tote, flip flops (nasty shower floors), cute towel set.

5. Thumb drive(s) to back up or carry data/papers/etc.

6. ID wallet thingy with key ring. The ones that my school sold were flimsy plastic. There are cute fabric ones that are more durable. I loved the ones that had a lanyard, because I was always dropping them.

Look at this (has zipper and silver key ring):
http://www.verabradley.com/product/C...sc/729/c/0.uts

Or ID/phone holder wristlet
http://www.verabradley.com/product/A...let/154832.uts

7. Small coffee maker (and a pound of coffee!).

8. Mini tool kit.

9. Throw blanket for chilly dorm rooms (you can even make those fleece tie-blankets for less than $10).

10. Small fan for sweltering days, white noise, or when the dorm's thermostat is set to 75.

If I think of others, I'll let you know.

I did the same thing for my sister. Ideas that haven't been mentioned yet:

1. I got her a fleece blanket made with UW fleece on one side, and red on the other. They sell a lot of different collegiate fleece at Joanne's or you could just go with school colors if you can't find any.
2. A water bottle and coffee mug. If you wanted to make something personal, one of the clear coffee mugs you can put pictures in would be cute.
3. Earplugs. Noisy roommates = no sleep.
4. Pillows! A friend made me a pillow with a t-shirt from one of our tennis tournaments in high school. It was a nice reminder of high school that I could actually use without looking like I really missed high school.
5. Electric pencil sharpener. I have so much trouble finding a place to sharpen pencils prior to an exam.

thank you thank you thank you!!! great ideas so far!!!! i'm going to have trouble limiting myself.... lol. I think I'm going to have to make a special trip to IKEA for some of this! (Really just gives me an excuse to go to IKEA).

I got this robe thing that had tank top straps and was knee length that I used for showering. It was awesome, probably the most useful thing I got.
You could put in bath and body works stuff as well, not sure if anyone mentioned that.
For my best friend, my Mom did this giant basket and it had a lot of school supplies in it and a lot of food as well. She loved it, said it was easily the best gift she got.

Not to sound mean or anything, but if you are 'pretty close' then ONLY YOU would know what was meaningful for your little sister. That shouldn't even be something you should ask us. We don't know your sister, or your relationship with her.


When I was in HS, I probably wouldn't have liked getting college stuff because at graduation I didn't want to think about school (college). I was focused on vacation and hanging out with friends. So I would suggest getting her something that is personal between the two of you. A cd that you both like, or something that reminds you of her. You can always get her the college stuff in a month or so.

See, I was totally different. I loved all the college stuff and couldn't get enough.

I guess if she is super excited about college, go with the college prep gifts. If she is more wistful and a little scared, I would go with something meaningful from you.

Jewelry is always nice: my parents got me diamond earrings. I still wear them and thing of them and my graduation, but they are very useful at the same time.

-A small photo album for all of the hs graduation parties she'll be attending
-Gift card to iTunes
-What Gusteau was meaning was Color Catchers. I heard about them from KillarneyRose, and they really are wonderful!
-magazine subscription to her favorite magazine.
-Nice hangers.
-Breath mints.
-Scissors. They always seem to disappear!
-Batteries.
-Foil & zipbags of varying sizes.
-At least 4 sets of non-plastic utensils.

and especially

-A Rec Sheet!!!

While at first I was confused as to why I was getting gift cards to BB&B, and big baskets of stuff from the Body Shop, I really appreciated it when I was getting stuff together to leave for university.

I do not know anything about your relationship with your sister, but Ikea stuff can always become a really fun project. A couple of girlfriends and I bought some wooden organizers from there and painted and constructed them together. It was a really fun thing to do with my friends before we all left. A cool thing we did was spray paint the front of the drawers of the organizers with Rustoleum's Chalkboard spray paint.
Just a suggestion if you two would both enjoy it/if you are going to be getting her something from Ikea anyways.

Thank you everyone! I am definately going to use ideas from everyone. I am thinking a few rolls of quarters is my favorite so far! So obvious, but easy to overlook. I also am thinking that I will encourage my brother to get her a backpack or messenger bag and fill it with school supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, hi-lighters, scissors, markers, dry erase board, paper clips, thumbtacks, stapler, etc. Stuff that's easy for a guy to think of!), and I will get her a laundry basket and fill it with living essentials. I saw the Purex laundry sheets today at the store, another great idea! I am going to keep an eye out for lighted make-up mirrors. I had one in college and it was a lifesaver. I like what Raggedy Ann said... Useful is meaningful!


I'll clarify on my meaningful statement though... I just always think of the Willow tree figures, Pandora beads, other collectible items as the traditional "meaningful" stuff. I am NOT that kind of person, but she is. We're at opposite ends of the girliness spectrum. However, my sister is SOOO excited for college (as I was). She has "senioritis" very badly right now, and would leave northern Ohio for OU tomorrow if she could. I think something like this will be a big hit with her. AND it will help my mom out down the road.

IKEA has a simple tool kit that I already marked down to get her, as well as a hanging shoe organizer caddy that hangs right on the closet pole (not an over-the-door type). I just have to make sure not to go overboard, or I'll break my budget! Always easier said than done, though.

Ok so not sure how much your wanting to spend but i graduated last year and the present I recieved that has definately had the most use is my vera bradley weekender bag! I never knew how much id use it, but its the perfect size and i litereally use it almost every weekend its great :)

Electric alarm clock - yes, even if they use their phone for an alarm clock. A colorful beach towel - useful for the summer AND later. One of those folding chairs that fold up into a bag. Not for the dorm room so much as for outdoor fun. She could keep it in her car trunk.

Double check about quarters for laundry because I know my school only used quarters in a few dorms my freshman year. Mostly you used your zipcard. Then my sophomore year, laundry became free. However, I would have loved quarters for the turnpike and vending machines :D

Ok thought of a few other things that I found extremely useful...the shower robe thing (especially if it a communal bath i saw a really cute one the other day from walmart for like 10 bucks), and EYE MASK!!! (mine wasnt a gift but a suggestion I thought was dumb before I moved in, the day after i went a purchased one my roomie was an insomniac that wanted all the lights on ALL night),shelves for above the bed (from BB&B they have two shelves and hooks and cup holder...love it!!!), coffee pot, small jewlry box, and then hangers (the velvet ones that hold clothes easier and take up a lot less space in the closet) hooks, baskets, towels, a lamp, pretty paper!

Also, it wouldn't fit in the basket but consider putting everything in one of those plastic drawer unit things. My sophomore year my dorm had a wardrobe only, no dresser, so I used the plastic drawers to hold more clothes.