28 Great Going Away Gifts for Friends and Coworkers

Great Going Away Gifts They'll Actually Want

Find the best goodbye gift ideas for friends. 

Are you trying to find a fun gift idea to give someone who’s moving abroad or moving away from your hometown? Then take a look at this list of the best going away gifts for friends and coworkers that they’ll love. From funny goodbye gifts to more practical moving gifts, you’re sure to find the best farewell gifts right here on this gift guide. So, take a look!

(Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase)

1. Personalized Ceramic Map Coasters

custom map coasters by HandtoHomeConcepts on Etsy as going away gifts

Shop Now on Etsy

A really nice and sentimental going away gift idea is a set of coasters like these ones by HandtoHomeConcepts on Etsy. You can get these coasters custom-made with whatever map or neighborhood you want. For example, you can pick the addresses of the homes they grew up in or the places of their favorite coffee shops or a map of their workplace that they’re leaving behind. You can get them printed with whatever map you want and there you have a great set of custom ceramic coasters to give.

2. A Carry-On Suitcase for Return Visits

 a carry-on suitcase - last-minute going away gifts

Shop Now

A good-quality suitcase that is the perfect size for short trips is a great gift to give someone who’s moving away to make sure they’ll make return trips from time to time. This suitcase comes in a couple of different colors and sizes and is a great quality gift, though it’s also not the most affordable goodbye gift on this gift guide. It’s definitely worth it to have a good-quality suitcase if you’re moving away that will last you for years to come. Even if you just use it loads at the start, it will be worth the higher price tag.

3. A Funny Mug

 a funny mug with a pun: funny moving away gifts

Shop Now

A funny mug is always a good gift idea no matter what the occasion. And fun mugs are especially good going away gifts for coworkers who love their coffee. This mug is great for someone you’re really close to and that you’ll miss hanging out with. There are loads of similarly styled gifts with different sayings on them, so I’m sure you’ll find the perfect one to give them as a present. It’s just a fun small gift idea that you can’t really go wrong with and that they’ll actually use.

4. A Winnie the Pooh Quote ‘Goodbye’ Journal

Winnie the Pooh Goodbye Journal by MisterScribbles on Etsy (farewell gift ideas)

Shop Now on Etsy

In my opinion, this journal by MisterScribbles on Etsy is the most adorable going away present to give on this list. It comes with a sweet quote from Winnie the Pooh and you can customize it by choosing the color of your choice for the book itself. Something like this is great for anyone who loves journaling or keeping a diary and is especially perfect for Winnie the Pooh fans. It’s one of the best farewell gifts for friends who are moving away but who you will keep close in your heart.

5. A Homesick Candle

 homesick candle; best going away gifts for coworkers

Shop Now

If they love a good candle, then one of these homesick candles of their home state can be great farewell gift ideas. You can get them for any state you want and they also have a version for different countries. It’s a great fun and custom gift that isn’t too personal either and won’t cost a fortune. Because of the many scents, it’s a great going away present for a friend moving overseas to remind them of their home. It’s a fun and personal gift that they’ll love to get and will remind them of home and you whenever they use or see it.

6. A Pretty Friendship Necklace

 pretty friendship necklace (goodbye gifts for friends moving away)

Shop Now

The necklace in itself is just a nice little dainty necklace that she’ll love, but because of the sweet card it comes with, it is instantly turned into a necklace that will remind her of you. There are loads of different necklaces like this out there, though this small and pretty one is one of my personal favorites. It’s just an example of good and small goodbye gifts for friends moving away that will remind them of their friends back home, while also being a pretty gift to get. You can also go the custom route by finding a simple necklace and making the card yourself with a personal message on it.

7. A Macrame Photo Display

 macrame photo display - going away gift ideas

Shop Now

A unique way to display your pictures of your friends and adventures together is this macrame photo holder. It’s a nice piece of wall decor that will fit in any home, no matter how small, and can be filled with your favorite memories you made together. You can also give it as a farewell gift for them to fill up with all of their coming adventures or to hang up in the new home they’re moving to. It comes in two different sizes and colors and is perfect for anyone who loves a more boho aesthetic.

8. A Weighted Blanket to Not Feel So Alone

 a weighted blanket - gifts for friends moving away

Shop Now

Loneliness can be a pretty tricky thing to deal with when you move away all by yourself. A weighted blanket can bring some comfort and relieve some anxiety just by you sleeping under it. It’s one of the best going-away gifts for a girlfriend who will miss you when she’s going away for a while. This blanket comes in lots of different colors and patterns, including some more plain ones, and offers you the choice from a range of different sizes.

9. A Portable Hotspot for Wifi Wherever you Are

 portable wifi hotspot: best going away gifts for people who are moving abroad

Shop Now

When you’re moving somewhere new, the first thing you need and often don’t have for a couple of days is a good internet connection. Luckily you can give them a portable Wifi hotspot like this that uses 4G to create an internet connection wherever you are for your laptop, phone, and everything you need. This is perfect for frequent travelers or people who are moving abroad and don’t quite know how to make sure they get an internet connection quickly installed. It’s really one of the best and most practical moving gifts for friends.

10. A Jar of Smiles: going away gifts for coworkers

 a jar of smiles (moving away gift ideas)

Shop Now

This goodbye gift idea is perfect to bring to a going-away party. Make everyone fill in one of the cards and there you have a great sentimental gift to give the person who’s leaving. You can fill it up with inside jokes, encouragements, or fun memories, and then they can open one of these whenever they need a reminder to keep going and to make new memories that are just as much fun. So, if you’re looking for a last-minute going away gift, then this one is pretty easy to make, you can even DIY it from a jar and some colored paper that you already have lying around the house.

RELATED: Fun White Elephant Gifts

11. A Set of Sentimental Tea Towels

 nice tea towels as going away gifts for guys

Shop Now

A set of tea towels is always a great housewarming gift to give and these ones are perfect for a friend who moved away. They’ll remind your friend that though you may be far away, you’ll always be there for them. It’s an affordable and sweet small gift idea that’s perfect for anyone whose going to live on their own for the first time or just bought a house or apartment for the first time. These tea towels are just a fun sentimental gift they’ll also actually use.

12. An International Swearing Book to Learn the Language Essentials

 international swearing book - going away gift for boyfriend

Shop Now

If you’re looking for funny moving away gift ideas for friends who are moving overseas, then this book filled with the proper ways to swear around the world is a fun gift to give. It doesn’t cover all languages across the world, though if you’re moving to Europe, then you’ll likely find a good and healthy selection of swearing phrases and words. I think it’s especially good for people who are trying to learn the language, since a good repertoire of swear words is always a good place to start.

13. A ‘Bye Felicia’ Doormat

 bye felicia doormat (farewell gift ideas)

Shop Now

Are you looking for something funny to give as a farewell gift that also has a good internet-culture reference? Then this doormat with the quote by Ice Cube is the perfect present to give. A doormat is useful for most new homes, since you want to get a new one whenever you move, and this one is funny as well. If you don’t get the reference, then just keep scrolling because this gift idea is not for you. However, there are actually loads of other fun doormats on Amazon to choose from as well.

14. A Pair of Compass Earrings

 compass earrings as gift ideas for someone moving out of state

Shop Now

This pair of earrings that you can get on Amazon in silver and gold are great goodbye gifts for friends who are moving away to help them find their way home. Of course, they don’t actually with that, but it’s the idea that counts, I’m sure Google maps will serve them better. A pair of affordable and pretty earrings like this is a great small gift to give to remind them of the people at home from time to time. It’s also a great gift for people who are going away to travel for a period of time.

15. An International Power Adapter

an international adapter - going away gift ideas

Shop Now

Another great going-away present for travelers is an international power adapter like this. This gadget is both practical and great to bring with you when you’re traveling around the world. This one from amazon.com even comes in a couple of different colors for you to choose from. It’s a great practical gadget to have with you whether you’re traveling around or moving abroad for the first time to make sure you can charge all your devices when you get there.

16. A Long-Distance Pillowcase

 A "Hug this Pillow until You Can Hug Me" Pillowcase; farewell gifts

Shop Now

This gift idea is great for people in long-distance relations or for people looking for gifts for a boyfriend or girlfriend who is moving away for a while. It’s a simple gift they can bring with them wherever they go, as it’s just a pillowcase, so it won’t take up a lot of space in their luggage. The pillowcase comes in a couple of different sizes depending on the pillow you want to stuff into it. It’s a funny and sweet going away present that they’ll love to get. Just make sure that it will fit their existing pillow or you buy a new one to go with the cover.

17. A Good Weekender Bag

 weekender duffel bag - goodbye gifts

Shop Now

Another great going away gift for guys on this goodbye gift guide is a weekender bag like this one. It’s perfect to stimulate them to come visit you from time to time and they can just take the essentials with them in a bag like this. This one comes with a small toiletry bag and comes in a couple of different color options to choose from. It’s a practical piece of luggage to throw in your car or to bring with you on the plane. It’s not as expensive as you might think, so a great option if you’re looking for more practical moving away gifts.

18. A Planner to Make Time for Each Other

 a planner: good going away gifts

Shop Now

This planner as a gift shows that you know they’ll be very busy for the first couple of months, yet that the present is also a great opportunity to plan your next get-together. It’s a great option for a coworker you’re close with, but who’s also very busy most of the time. This planner is perfect as a goodbye gift to get and to plan when you’ll be meeting each other next. But because of the color, I probably would reserve this gift idea for women or men who happen love pink.

19. A Custom Long-Distance Mug: a farewell gift

 a long-distance relationship mug (best friend going away gifts)

Shop Now

To make sure they think of you whenever they drink tea or coffee, you can get them a custom mug like this from Amazon as the perfect moving away gift for a boyfriend or girlfriend who’s moving to a different state. You can customize it with your cities, state or country, pick the colors and even add a short quote to the mug as well. It’s a really nice sentimental yet practical gift idea that they’ll love, since everyone can use more mugs in their life. It’s especially perfect for people who drink a lot of tea or coffee.

RELATED: Affordable Gift Ideas for Homebodies

20. An Instax Mini 11 Camera

 instax mini - gifts for friends moving away

Shop Now

Whether they’re going away to travel the world, study in another country for a year, or live abroad for the first time, a nice instant camera is a great way to enjoy your time there and capture your memories in a more physical way than just on your phone. These small cameras come in a bunch of different colors and are just great gifts for anyone who’s going away for a while. You can also get them a set of refills for the film sheets to make sure they have everything they need to take as many pictures as they want.

21. A Scratch-Off World Map

 a scratch-off world map - best going away gifts

Shop Now

Are you looking for the best going away gifts, then these scratch-off maps are perfect for people who are moving away to a different state or country. This set of scratch-off maps includes a map of the world and one of the US, so no matter where they’re going, they can use a present like this. It’s a fun way to keep track of everywhere you’ve lived or traveled and will inspire you to go to even more places. So, if they’re moving abroad or to a different state, then this is the perfect gift to send them off with.

22. Letters to Open When…

 Letters to open when: personalized farewell gifts

Shop Now

A fun way to say goodbye to someone who’s moving away or leaving the workplace is to write them a set of letters to read later on when they need a bit of encouragement. This booklet is filled with writing prompts and envelopes to fill and together it’s a great gift to give. If you want to make it even more personal, then you can also DIY this farewell gift idea with a nice set of envelopes and some elbow grease. You can write all the letters yourself or ask others to help fill them up with sweet messages. If you fill it with personal memories and letters yourself, then it’s also a great gift for your best friend.

23. A Travel Journal and Notebook

a travel journal as a going away present

Shop Now

A good-quality notebook like this one that’s also refillable is a great gift idea for friends who are moving abroad and will want to keep track of all their adventures. It’s a simple and effective farewell gift idea for a friend that anyone would love to get. This notebook, in particular, is especially great because of the different types of inserts it comes with and how it’s perfect for traveling. So, if you’re looking for last-minute going away gifts, then a simple and good-quality notebook for traveling is a simple gift idea to get that they’ll love and actually use.

24. A Puzzle of Their Hometowncustom map puzzle on Etsy by Butlerandhilluk - best friend moving away gift

Shop Now on Etsy

If you’re looking for a personalized goodbye gift, then a custom map puzzle like this one by Butlerandhilluk on Etsy of their hometown is a great gift to get. All you need is their address, so the creators of these puzzles can center the puzzle around it. It’s a really fun personal and unique present for someone who’s moving away that they’ll surely love. And it’s a fun way to test after a couple of years if they still know their hometown as well as they once did. I think it’s one of my favorite personalized gift ideas for people who are moving away.

25. A Mug for A Coworker Who’s Going Away

 a mug for a coworker; gift ideas for someone moving out of state

Shop Now

One of the best going-away gift ideas for coworkers is this mug that shows them how amazing their current coworkers are. It’s perfect for people with a sense of humor and who will love a new addition to their collection of mugs. It’s also great for coworkers who just got a raise and are moving to a different department within the same company. All in all, it’s a great goodbye gift for a coworker to show them how good they had it with you as their colleague.

26. A Still Together Spoon

a still together coffee spoon (gift for friend moving away)

Shop Now

If you can no longer enjoy having your coffee together now that one of you is moving away or leaving their job, then this spoon is the perfect present. With this spoon, you can still feel as if you’re having your coffee moment together while one of you is miles away from the other. You can get two, one for each. Or just one for the person who’s leaving. Either way, this is a fun and cut gift that is meaningful without being useless because of it.

27. A Sage House Cleansing Kit

a sage cleansing kit (parting gifts)

Shop Now

Now, this gift idea is either for someone who actually believes in ghosts or will get the joke that it’s all for fun. This kit is meant to help you cleanse a space before you move into it. It’s supposed to remove all the bad energy and scare ghosts and such away, I think. Honestly, I’m not sure either, because I’m not in the habit of cleansing my home. However, if they are, then this is the perfect gift to get them before they move away to their new home.

28. Oh, The Places You’ll Go

Oh the place you'll go (goodbye gifts for friends)

Shop Now

After taking a look at this going away gift guide, you still don’t know what to get. Then, get them something fun and affordable that they can keep as a keepsake or even use if they have kids or are about to start a family. This classic book by Dr. Seuss is perfect for anyone who’s going to travel around the world or move away for the first time. Either way, they’ll love this book that’s just fun to leaf through and has the perfect message to start their new adventure with.

RELATED: Travel Gift Ideas

You now have some good ideas for going away gifts that your friends or coworkers will love. If you want to make something yourself instead, then take a look at these DIY goodbye gifts to get some more inspiration on what to get someone who’s moving away or leaving your company. All in all, don’t go overboard with your budget and try to go for something funny or sweet, and then you’re sure to find the perfect farewell gift idea to get.

Pin it for later!

Great Going Away Gifts for Friends - Pinterest image

About The Author

Scroll to Top