Housewarming Gift Giving Guide for Dummies
First of all, we know you’re no “dummy,” but we do know that many people are busy and on a budget. Our hope is that you’ll find our gift giving guide a helpful timesaver.
When friends, family, co-workers or new neighbors move into a new home, it is a nice gesture to get them a little housewarming gift. You don’t have to break the bank to do it, though. There are many thoughtful, inexpensive gifts that will lend an elegant touch to a new home and delight your friends. Here are some ideas.
Clever Wall Hangings
New homes often look barren and empty with nothing to decorate the walls. Many online and brick-and-mortar stores sell clever posters and prints to suit any number of interests and styles. The stores selling these items are often glad to personalize the frames with your friends’ names. Another item that looks great on walls is a mirror, especially one divided into subsections or with an unusual shape. A mirror hanging in a small room or hallway can make it appear more spacious.
Kitchen Ware
Kitchen ware makes a great housewarming present because everyone needs it and most people don’t like to go to the expense or trouble of buying it for themselves. Affordable gifts that are likely to go over well include cutting boards, cheese boards, corkscrews for wine bottles, a set of knives or even the proverbial cookie jar. Fill the jar with homemade cookies to make it an even more special gift. Another fun idea is a set of elegant wine glasses or beer steins. Personalized coasters are also a good bet because they can help protect the surfaces of new furniture.
Edible Treats
The last thing anyone wants to think about during a move is preparing healthy meals – or any meals at all, for that matter. A sumptuous fruit basket or a fancy box filled with protein-loaded mixed nuts may be just the things your friends need to get them through this time. Another option, of course, is to forget about healthy foods and go directly for the comfort foods such as whimsically-decorated cookies or hard candy in interesting shapes and colors. A bottle of wine has become a bit of a cliche when it comes to housewarming presents, but if your friends like wine, there’s nothing wrong with purchasing a wine or an assortment of microbrews. Make the gift more unique by adding a bunch of grapes, a wheel of cheese, and a box of crackers.
Four-Footed Friends
Pets, too, can find moving to a new location to be emotionally challenging. Gifts such as pet pillows, cat caves, and scratching posts usually don’t cost much, but they can provide solace to disoriented animals. A scratching post may also save your friends’ new carpet if they have a cat. If your friends don’t already have pets, they might enjoy an attractive bird feeder to tempt the local wildlife.
Choosing the best housewarming present can be a challenge, especially if you’re operating on a limited budget, Use your creativity and imagination to tailor the above ideas into a nice surprise for your friends. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness as they begin enjoying their new home.
