If you’ve been recently invited to an apartment housewarming party, you will probably be expected to bring a gift, or at least something to eat, as part of the festivities. Picking out the right gift can be tough, especially if you don’t know the person that well and you don’t know what he or she needs. Here are a few tips you can follow to ensure that your gift isn’t a dud.

While it may seem a bit thoughtless, you can’t go wrong with a simple gift card to a furniture store or a store that sells knicknacks, like Pier 1 Imports, or a similar store. Yes, gift cards do sometimes come across as being a gift you don’t put any thought into, but in reality, this allows the person to get whatever they want, or more importantly, whatever they need, which will be appreciated. It isn’t like you got your mom or girlfriend (boyfriend?) a gift card for their birthday.

If you do have your mind set on a particular gift, like a toaster or a similar gift, make sure you save the receipt and then ask the person if they needed the gift you gave them. If not, slip them the receipt and let them take it back. There is no use in sticking someone with three toasters when they don’t even eat toast.

Finally, be practical. If they just moved into a 600sq feet apartment, they probably don’t need a 12-speaker surround sound system. This is one occasion when practical gift giving is the right thing to do.