A housewarming gift is a touching way to mark the start of a new chapter. Buying a home is an incredibly complex process, so the housewarming gathering is often the first opportunity to show off the fruits of this labour. It’s common to arrive with a gift – but what if you don’t want to go for the obvious option like a plant or a candle?
When choosing a housewarming gift, you can certainly go for the easy option, but you can almost guarantee they’ll be all set for plants, candles and decorative throws.
Another obvious gift is a consumable, like champagne or a good quality bottle of olive oil. But once this is gone, it’s gone. Wouldn’t you rather give them an unexpected gift that keeps on giving?
We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite gift ideas that will stand out and stand the test of time…
You don’t have to buy them a complete set of new door knobs for the whole house. A single vintage door knob is a thoughtful gift that looks great in a gift box. It will also plant a seed of inspiration for how they might start to renovate their home.
Replacing a door knob is a simple DIY renovation project that can be completed in under an hour, so they can start to see their home transformation taking shape. By choosing our vintage reproduction door knobs, you can also guarantee they’ll be able to complete the set rather than scouring salvage yards for something similar.
Shop this gift idea: Victorian Brass Beehive Door Knobs
A radiator bleed key might sound unconventional, but you’ll be surprised how useful this will be. If the home has been vacant for a while, the radiators might have air build-up in the system, which can lead to cold spots on radiators. Translation? A chilly house and sky-high energy bills!
Bleeding the radiators will balance the system and get them working efficiently again – so you’re essentially giving the gift of a warm and energy-efficient home. First-time homeowners might be completely clueless about the need to bleed their radiators, so be sure to give them a quick tutorial so they can keep on top of this essential home maintenance task.
Every home should have a high powered torch in case of blackouts and to help with renovation work. If you know the recipient isn’t very handy around the house, there is a good chance they won’t own one already. Perhaps they have always relied on their rental house providing one?
This is an incredibly useful gift that you can guarantee they will use and appreciate over the years. If they’re buying an older property, it’s likely to be packed with spaces to explore, including dark attics and cellars. This gift will help them to start exploring without relying on the light on their phone.
First-time buyers will be excited at the prospect of being able to hang artwork and photographs on the walls now that they are no longer renting. A good quality picture hanging kit will give them everything they need to quickly personalise your home, without damaging their walls!
You could even throw in a voucher for a framing shop so they can get their favourite pieces professionally framed. Want to take this even further? Get them a voucher for the Royal Academy of Arts print shop so they can upgrade their rental house posters to something a little most sophisticated.
Painting the front door and updating the hardware is another fun DIY project. It’s a really simple way to put your mark on a new home and make it feel more like your own. A new letter plate and door knocker is a great gift that will inspire them to get creative with their front door.
Shop this style: Solid Brass Lion Head Door Knocker
Sure, you could buy them a plant or a sapling, but there’s a good chance it’s going to live in its pot for a while. If the home is a fixer-upper, there’s a good chance the garden also needs some TLC.
For maximum impact, pair gardening tools with a promise to pitch in one weekend to help overhaul the space. Gardening often provides some much-needed respite from interior renovations, but it’s always better tackled with a small crowd.
Head to your nearest garden centre and grab a shovel, rake, secateurs, loppers, hedge shears and some quality gloves. Then pair this with a card that offers a “voucher” for one weekend of gardening help.
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