In 2021, 27.1 million Americans moved in total. Primary reasons for moving include a better job or a change in relationship status. Political, economical, and environmental factors also came into play. 

Moving is a common element of life. The average American is expected to move 11.7 times over the course of their life. 

Still, when a longtime friend or neighbor moves away it can be hard to say goodbye.

If you are looking for ideas for thoughtful and unique going away gifts to give to a friend who is moving away, this guide can help. We'll share 9 useful gift ideas you can give as gifts for friends moving away. 

Keep reading to discover more about going away gift ideas.

1. Gift Cards to Food Delivery Services

Moving is a time-consuming and lengthy process. Not only is there all of the pre-planning, prep, and packing up on one end getting ready to move. But once everything has arrived at its destination it can take a week or more before all of the items are unpacked and put away.

Going grocery shopping and getting utilities turned on in the new location can also take time. Kitchen equipment, cookware, plates, cups, and utensils also need to be found before they can be used. This means that food prepping and cooking meals is probably the last thing on your moving friend's mind in their new place.

When you give your friend gift cards ahead of time to local fast-food restaurants or food delivery services such as DoorDash, you can take one less thing off of their mind when it comes to figuring out meals until they settle into their new home. It is one of the most useful moving away gifts you can give.

Check the area where they will be moving to see what is available as some services may not be offered in all areas.

2. Subscription for At-Home Meal Delivery Kit

Even after they are moved in, there will still be a period of transition involved with feeling truly at home. Your friend will likely still be adapting to their surroundings of trying to find the best local stores to do their shopping, all while working, and getting their new life in order. 

In the same vein as the food delivery service gift cards, providing a 1 or 2-month subscription service to a weekly or monthly meal in a box delivery service like Blue Apron or HelloFresh takes the guesswork out of shopping and planning meals. And it lets them prepare healthy and delicious homemade meals in a snap.

All of the recipes and directions for how to make each meal are already printed out. And all of the ingredients are included and pre-measured and shipped right to their door.

Even better, you can arrange cooking nights with each other where you both cook and have dinner together over video chat and catch up on all the latest news.

3. Matching Custom Keychains

There are a variety of different designs available online for matching custom keychains, so it's really up to you to decide what represents your friendship the best. Your friend is going to have all new sets of keys for their new home and a custom keychain is a great way to help them keep their keys in order.

At the same time, they'll also have a small keepsake to remember you by every time they need to use their keys. Put a favorite movie or TV quote the two of you shared together or a lyric from your favorite song that describes your friendship.

You can find keychains that allow you to use custom photos or put the two states or countries that you will both be living in apart with a line or a heart connecting them. It's a simple enough memento but one that holds great meaning.

4. Home Essentials Care Package

Moving gifts can be practical too. There are certain staples every home needs. Packing up all of the odds and ends of their household items like soaps, shampoos, cleaning supplies, and laundry detergent can take up valuable space in the moving truck or spill everywhere.

It's just easier to let these things go and start over fresh on the other end. Send them a box of new common household items like toilet paper, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, paper plates, dish soap, laundry detergent, and hand soap.

Or give them a gift card to a place like Target or Walmart where they can easily pick these items up later on. This is one of the most helpful gifts for moving.

5. Spa or Salon Gift Certificate

Moving is stressful. Help your friend by gifting them a certificate or gift card to a nearby spa or salon to get a full day of pampering. It could be for a relaxing massage, manicure/pedicure, special skin treatment, hairstyling, or a combination of any of these services. 

Look up reviews on Google and Yelp to find the best place near your friend's new address. See if they offer special package deals. This will help them look good and feel renewed in their new environment. 

6. Subscription to a Premium Streaming Service

In their downtime, your friend might be bored and lonely without you. They may not be sure about going out by themselves, so give them a streaming service subscription. With so many streaming services available today, there's no shortage of entertainment they can find with the touch of a button right on their computer or TV screen. 

Streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Netflix now offer Watch Party options in addition to their vast libraries of movies and TV shows. This feature synchronizes playback and adds a group chat feature so you stream together with friends.

Perfect for those who are separated by distance as you can now watch popular shows and movies together with this setting. Whether you are down the street or a thousand miles away, you can still have a movie night.

7. Wireless Picture Frames

Wireless picture frames allow you to upload pictures directly to the frame and update them whenever you want remotely from your phone or computer. Some frames have the ability to play video clips as well. 

Seeing a slideshow of some of your favorite memories together will be just the thing to lift your friend's spirits after a tough day.

A frame from Uncommon Goods incorporates a friendship touch lamp feature into a standard single photo frame that lights up their frame whenever you tap your corresponding frame to let them know they are on your mind.   

8. Travel and Transportation Gift Cards

While you will certainly miss your friend once they have moved away, it doesn't always mean you'll never see them again.

Give them a gift card for a train, plane, or bus transportation service that they can use to put towards a future trip back to visit again. Or plan a vacation together somewhere else to a place you both want to visit. 

Include a card with a note about the next time you are planning on seeing each other again. This will give both of you something to look forward to and help pass the time between visits. 

9. DIY Security System From Blue by ADT.com

It may seem like an unconventional gift to give, but the Blue DIY Security System from ADT.com is one of the best new home gifts you could give them. Moving to a new place comes with a lot of uncertainties, especially when they are alone in a strange and unfamiliar area. 

The DIY Security System Blue from ADT only takes about an hour or less to install. When you care about your friend and their well-being, you want to know that they are safe away from home. This provides both of you with peace of mind.

It is completely customizable too. Buy as much or as little as you or your friend needs. Blue by ADT offers a la carte items for purchase to mix and match the coverage needed.

Even just the Blue by ADT Doorbell Camera system by itself is the most practical and useful of all going away gifts. And it's affordable at only $199. It makes a great starter to your friend's total home security package.

1080p HD quality video provides clear viewing. Equipped with great features such as facial recognition, 24/7 monitoring, night vision, voice commands, and more. It's an investment in safety that will pay for itself in no time.

It is important to remember that going away gifts are by no means required and may vary based on your relationship with the person. As well as financial budget constraints.

When searching for going away gifts for friends, you'll find a range of gift ideas online.

From innovative tech to keep you connected to your friends from far away to personalized gifts that remind them of your friendship and their old hometown. You'll also find new home gifts to help welcome them to their new house.

Discover Unique Going Away Gifts

Going away gifts that come from the heart show your friends that you care about them. But caring about their safety and security is also important, especially when you are away from them.

When you can't be there to help protect your friends, ADT can. ADT is a trusted name in home security with surveillance and monitoring solutions that can help keep you safe. In today's world, that's more important than ever before.

Contact ADT today for a free quote and receive more information and special offers about ADT security systems to help protect you and your loved ones.