By: Lanna Britt, Candlehouse Contributor
If you know someone who recently moved into a new home, you’re probably looking for a housewarming gift. After all, moving into your own home is a big accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated. If you’re looking for a unique housewarming gift idea, we have you covered. Here are a few of our favorite unique housewarming gifts for new homeowners that they are sure to love.
Personalized Candle
In 2021, U.S. home sales topped out with a total of 6.1 million housing transactions. That’s a lot of people buying houses! There’s a good chance you have a friend who recently bought a home and you may be wondering what is a good housewarming gift and if a gift is even necessary. This etiquette article from Martha Stewart has some sage advice. In it, one etiquette expert suggests, “If you go to a housewarming party, always bring a gift. If there is no soirée, but you are invited over to someone's home for the first time within the first six months of them moving in, a gift is still advised." A personalized candle is a great housewarming gift that is sure to impress! Candlehouse offers a variety of options with different ways to customize. From including their new address to engraving their name and city or neighborhood, they’ll appreciate the thoughtfulness for sure. Many real estate agents choose to give personalized gifts to their clients and a personalized candle would make the perfect housewarming gift. They also work as gifts for new neighbors. Remember, they’ll be living beside you for possibly years to come. Make a good first impression with a special gift they’ll cherish. Your new neighbor might be more inclined to keep their music down or shovel your walkway in the future after such a warm welcome!
Room Sprays
The options are endless when it comes to the best room sprays. For every budget and nose, there is a scent combination for your loved one! One of my personal favorites is the light and affordable Lavender & Bergamot Ever Spring room spray. If you want to wow your friend, consider going with the ever-luxurious Jo Malone option. The high-end brand is known for scents that delight and last. You could also give your friend an essential oil diffuser that way they can choose their own favorite aromatherapy scents. This New York Times write up offers the best diffusers they’ve tested. I recently visited a home that had diffusers pumping out pleasant smelling scents that made me want to go out and buy one immediately!
Basket of Home Products
The beloved gift basket is a tried and true classic. When you move into a new home, you generally have to buy a bunch of new stuff. If your friend moved long distance, there’s a good chance certain cleaning products and sprays weren’t able to be transported in the moving truck. We all know how frustrating the moving process can be and oftentimes, you just start throwing away half-used items to cut down on the boxes. Anyone else been there? Find a pretty basket from Home Goods and throw in a variety of nice useful items that your friend is sure to need and enjoy. Consider adding bath items like hand soaps or pretty dish soaps along with useful goods like paper towels, the aforementioned room sprays and maybe even a pretty bottle of hand lotion to put next to the sink. Chapped hands during winter are the worst!
New Dishtowels
What is it about dish towels that they are always fun to receive? Maybe it’s because they are affordable and easy to swap out based on season or holiday. But with the number of fun patterns out there, they are never unwelcome! Choose one or two in colors or patterns you know your friend will appreciate. There are even certain towels that have special features like extra absorbency. I end up going through so many paper towels - a super absorbent dish towel is just the ticket! Consider giving your loved one a matching kitchen set of towels. That would also be a great lightweight gift for the home to mail to a friend who moved far away!
Treat Basket
If you are a fan of the NBC show Parks and Recreation, you’ll know the phrase “Treat Yo’ Self!” But in this case, treat your friend with a housewarming basket of goodies as she unpacks yet another box marked “Miscellaneous.” Your treat basket or treat bag can include a hodgepodge of yummy and delicious items. You could go the charcuterie route and choose crackers, cured meats, cheese and my personal favorite, fig jelly. Don’t forget the bottle of wine on that one! If your friend veers more sweet than salty, include Milano cookies, a nice bar of chocolate, a package of kettle corn, and a bottle or two of sparkling water. If it’s a chillier month you can assemble a hot chocolate basket. A nice variety of hot chocolate flavors in tins, gourmet marshmallows, peppermint stir sticks and even a new mug would be a warm and comforting home gift. If your friend moved to your city from a different location, consider choosing local specialities from your favorite places for a thoughtful goodie basket. Cookies from that store you love, bread from the bakery that always smells amazing, and a bottle of vino from the cute wine shop down the road from her new place. Don’t forget to include a book about your city too! When my in-laws moved from Florida to Virginia to be closer to our children, we put together a welcome basket that included Virginia peanuts, local honey, a city travel guide and even a Virginia state puzzle!
Gift baskets make great housewarming gifts! Fill them with a variety of treats to please any style and budget. Here, my mom enjoys opening a gift basket full of goodies she loved!
Map Keepsake
A map of their new city can be a fun and unique new home gift. It can be personalized with their address or area of town. If your friend appreciates Tolkein and the fantasy genre, these magical state maps from Uncommon Goods would be a thoughtful and fun housewarming gift. Another option is a picture print of their new home. The benefit here is that if they move in the future, they’ll always have a special keepsake of their time at that address. I have a friend who received a house print for their first home and it’s hanging on her wall right by the front door!
Personalized maps or house prints can make any friend feel at home. Our friends proudly display a print of their home that they were given as a perfect first-time home owner gift!
There are also custom doormats that make great housewarming gifts. You can personalize it with the family’s last name in a variety of fonts and designs.
Whichever unique housewarming gift you choose, your friend will appreciate that you took the time and money to acknowledge their new place. Don’t forget to offer unpacking help too. They’ll love you forever for that one!
