If you lost your home in a fire...

[SoonerTexan]

What is something small/relatively inexpensive (under $40) that you would miss in the meantime?

This is a serious question actually! My poor coworker came back from vacation to find her house had gone up in flames. Not everything is burned, but what isn't had smoke and water damage. All they had are the clothes/items they took on vacation.

They are going to rebuild and will be in a rental with a "corporate" setup furniture rental for at least the next 6 months. I know they will get money to replace things, but I'd like to get her something she would appreciate in the meantime. Ideally a household item you might not think about all the time, but would really miss if it were gone.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Framed pictures...do you have access to her Facebook? Can you print and frame some photos of hers to make the temp housing feel a bit more homey?

[SoonerTexan]

I actually do, but Facebook images aren't printable quality. Good idea, though!

[WolfpackWife]

Maybe a nice, large bath towel for each member of the family? Every time I'm in a hotel or when I was studying abroad I really missed the comforting feeling of the nice towels you buy for yourself at home. Even if you don't know her preferred color scheme, white ones are always a safe bet--at the very least they can be used for guests after they are back and settled in.

Other than that, as far as practicality goes, I would appreciate a good, high-powered hair dryer instead of the wimpy shit on the walls of hotel bathrooms. That's all I'm coming up with right now...

Continuing to brainstorm, ETA: A pair of PJs for each of them? Relatively inexpensive at Old Navy or Target and definitely provide some homey comfort.

[v-girl]

I like the pajama idea! And towels. Along that line, pillows and blankets (you know how my family lives pillows and blankets).

[WolfpackWife]

I like the pajama idea! And towels. Along that line, pillows and blankets (you know how my family lives pillows and blankets).

I was also going to suggest a nice, comfy set of sheets!

[Phoebe]

when our neighbor's house burned down they wanted gift cards for toiletries

[Deebs]

I love the PJ idea! Maybe head to TJMaxx - then you could check out towels, sheets, etc too.

[Pollyanna]

Coffee pot/small appliances. I love the blanket idea. A bunch of paper products (plates, bowls, cups, dinner wear, etc).

[Curegirl]

Pjs and gift cards

[MrsK]

Yeah, I was thinking gift cards, towels and small appliances. Maybe a crock pot (seriously, they can make a hot home-cooked meal in the hotel room and save a little money). I can ask my mom what came in handy when my family was displaced from Hurricane Andrew. (I was in college.) I know they ate out a lot so even gift cards for pizza or resturants would be nice. Also, they had a very helpful drycleaner who took in all their clothes and stored them until my folks had a more perminant home. If they are staying in a hotel, even laundering clothes may be difficult.

[SoonerTexan]

I asked her how her pictures fared and offered to do photos with them. Apparently that was the right thing because she almost got a little emotional

Apparently her husband's first priority was to buy $350 worth of tea making items to replace an electric tea maker that was lost. lol