It’s that time of year again: Graduation time. An exciting event for every high school senior and college student, and a reminder for the rest of us of just how old we really are. When it comes to graduation gifts, the go-to idea is usually cash. But that tends to come across as less thoughtful and you can’t always expect a new graduate to spend it responsibly. Why not try giving your favorite graduate something made with love that they’ll actually use? Check out our list of nine cool DIY graduation gift ideas.
1. Tile Photo Coasters
If you’ve ever lived in a dorm room, you know that space is hard to come by. That means there’s not much room for a bunch of photo frames featuring someone’s friends and family. Why not give your graduate some memorable photos that serve an additional purpose? These stylish DIY Photo Tile Coasters are the perfect answer! There’s no better feeling than when you’re cramming for that mid-term history exam, and then you lift that fifth mug of coffee to see your best friend smiling back at you as if saying: “I know studying sucks, but our Spring Break trip will make up for it. I promise!”
2. Money Soap
Patience is a virtue every graduate should learn, and so is good hygiene! What better motivation is there to stay clean and smell fresh than some cold, hard cash? None that we know about. This clever DIY Money Soap gift will keep your graduate bathing daily, or at least until they finally make it to that tightly-rolled bill in the center. Who knows? That just might be their next tank of gas to come home for a visit.
3. Laptop Sleeve
A recent article explained 10 different ways that laptops have helped students find success in the classroom. Laptops can be expensive and fragile – especially if you get one of those branded with that famous once-bitten fruit. Help your graduate protect their investment that got them through their education with this cool handmade laptop sleeve. You can even make one suitable for a tablet or e-book reader as well for a tech-savvy former student. High school graduates will get plenty of use out of it too.
4. Instagram Journal
The popular photo-sharing smartphone app, Instagram, has over 100 million monthly active users and over 40 million photos per day. So, there’s a pretty good chance your graduate has an Instagram profile (or another social media profile you can repurpose for this DIY project). Check out this tutorial to customize an ordinary journal or notebook with a collage of your graduate’s favorite Instagram photos.
5. Customized Etched Glasses
When sharing a tiny dorm room with another person, it’s important to define what stuff belongs to whom. This is especially true of dishes. Nothing is more annoying than washing someone else’s dirty dishes. Give your graduate some of these classy, customized etched glasses to get them ready for college. You could add a memorable inside joke or a few words of an inspirational nature on custom can coolers instead. New college students will appreciate knowing whose dishware is whose when it comes time to pack up for the summer.
6. I Heart My State Painting
Home is where the heart is, they say. Quite literally with this gift! “Heartify” your graduate’s hometown and state with this DIY framed painting. This conversation starter is easy and modern and better yet, this décor will remind them of home every day!
7. Survival Kit
Give your grad the gift of preparation. Whip up this snazzy little DIY Survival Kit that travels anywhere. In their glove box, backpack, overnight bag they’ll be sure to have all the pain relievers, Band-Aids and stomach settlers that life could require. No excuses for missing class anymore! Help them make the most of their college education without having to struggle through pain and discomfort. Even when they’re joining the workforce, this kit keeps essentials on hand.
8. Sun Jar
For countless good reasons that we all understand, candles are generally prohibited from dormitories on campus. But even the most austere of accommodations will have a window. Give your high school grad the warm glow of a candle with none of the danger with the DIY Sun Jar. The sun keeps this cool little lamp powered, so there’s no cash spent on batteries. That’s a win-win. Once they’re out of dorms and into their own place, this cute decoration will bring back fond memories too.
9. Floor Cushions
Oh! The places they’ll go! Help your grad show off some impressive hosting skills with a set of comfy, cozy floor cushions. These decorative touches are guaranteed to make any dorm room more inviting (for study groups, naturally). Unsure what fabric to pick? Play it safe and pick up some fabric with your grad’s favorite sports team, color or character.
Which one of these DIY graduation gifts would you have loved to receive when you graduated from high school or college? Let us know in the comments below.