Housewarming gift for first time home owners?
September 5, 2004 12:11 PM Subscribe
Suggestions for a housewarming gift for first time home owners? (Other than a bottle of booze or wine or candles.)
Not sure how much you're willing to spend, but a really good quality blender is a great housewarming gift. Most people go cheap when they buy one themselves, but spending a little more can result in a huge quality increase. Look for something by Hamilton-Beech (under $50) or KitchenAid (around $100). Maybe combine with a small bottle of tequila and some margarita mix to make it more fun.
posted by gokart4xmas at 1:09 PM on September 5, 2004
posted by gokart4xmas at 1:09 PM on September 5, 2004
i say u go the cheap creative route and get a cool wash basket or small waste paper basket and fill it with stuff they may have forgotten and need like sponges, soap, trgger lighters, light bulbs, nail files and little things still packed away, coffee, filters and press, room fragrance, mini tool kit, something like that, a little self contained kit for something when they take a break that is simple and disposable, all festively fluffed up with trash bags and twist ties and paper towels to be used.
nothing says welcome like double duty disposables and resuse recycling.
posted by ethylene at 2:30 PM on September 5, 2004
nothing says welcome like double duty disposables and resuse recycling.
posted by ethylene at 2:30 PM on September 5, 2004
or light/switch plates and nice handles
doormats and bean snakes
posted by ethylene at 2:32 PM on September 5, 2004
doormats and bean snakes
posted by ethylene at 2:32 PM on September 5, 2004
I would go for certain tools that I find indispencable:
--a multi-bit ratchet screwdriver (these are great, you never have to climb off a ladder because you don't have the right screwdriver, you can change it so it's ratcheted to screw or unscrew, and the bits work in drills too)
--a tape measure
--a level
--Grip Gloves (this brand fits really well--no floppy fingertips, they're good for the garden, but also really good for moving heavy, akward things)
--Fiskars PowerGear Bypass Pruning Shears
posted by lobakgo at 3:29 PM on September 5, 2004
--a multi-bit ratchet screwdriver (these are great, you never have to climb off a ladder because you don't have the right screwdriver, you can change it so it's ratcheted to screw or unscrew, and the bits work in drills too)
--a tape measure
--a level
--Grip Gloves (this brand fits really well--no floppy fingertips, they're good for the garden, but also really good for moving heavy, akward things)
--Fiskars PowerGear Bypass Pruning Shears
posted by lobakgo at 3:29 PM on September 5, 2004
The best housewarming gift you can give to someone is to be available when they need help with painting or other repairs and upgrades (provided you have expertise with home repair). Other than that, what TomSophieIvy said.
posted by MegoSteve at 6:08 PM on September 5, 2004
posted by MegoSteve at 6:08 PM on September 5, 2004
I got the keys to my new house on Friday, and have been trying to think of gifts that would be useful to us.
The suggestion to be around whenever work needs being done is a great one, we've spent the weekend painting and cleaning and the friends that have helped have our eternal grattitude.
Gift certificates to hardware stores are great, I've been to the one near our place a half dozen times already (because I don't plan well).
Books about home repair would be useful, light and outlet plates are a great suggestion, we could use some of those grounded outlets with the reset buttons and such for instance. The basket of light bulbs and soap etc is also a great suggestion.
If they've been renting for a while there's a good chance they have plenty of useful enough basic indoor tools, but a good spade or snow shovel or other outdoor tools are always welcome. Someone gave us some solar-powered Nova Moonray outdoor lights which we look forward to putting out.
Bird feeders, garden stones, other outdoor decorations like a bird feeder, some terra cotta pots, nice looking citronella candles (or holders).
A bottle of wine is sort of cliche, but really is always nice (assuming they drink), or a case of beer they like that they can then use to cajole other friends to help.
Gift certificates to places that deliver (an alternative to pizza would be nice) so they don't have to cook. Paper plates and other disposable dishware.
A basket with a book on how to paint (I've never done it before and can guarantee I've made some mistakes) and perhaps that includes some colour/interior design theory, some painter's tape (wide, so an innacurate roller has room for mistakes) and a few small brushes for cutting in (I lucked out and picked up a 1" wide sponge brush that's been excellent) and some roller cartridges and rags and maybe some other stuff that can always be useful for painting.
posted by cCranium at 5:23 AM on September 6, 2004
The suggestion to be around whenever work needs being done is a great one, we've spent the weekend painting and cleaning and the friends that have helped have our eternal grattitude.
Gift certificates to hardware stores are great, I've been to the one near our place a half dozen times already (because I don't plan well).
Books about home repair would be useful, light and outlet plates are a great suggestion, we could use some of those grounded outlets with the reset buttons and such for instance. The basket of light bulbs and soap etc is also a great suggestion.
If they've been renting for a while there's a good chance they have plenty of useful enough basic indoor tools, but a good spade or snow shovel or other outdoor tools are always welcome. Someone gave us some solar-powered Nova Moonray outdoor lights which we look forward to putting out.
Bird feeders, garden stones, other outdoor decorations like a bird feeder, some terra cotta pots, nice looking citronella candles (or holders).
A bottle of wine is sort of cliche, but really is always nice (assuming they drink), or a case of beer they like that they can then use to cajole other friends to help.
Gift certificates to places that deliver (an alternative to pizza would be nice) so they don't have to cook. Paper plates and other disposable dishware.
A basket with a book on how to paint (I've never done it before and can guarantee I've made some mistakes) and perhaps that includes some colour/interior design theory, some painter's tape (wide, so an innacurate roller has room for mistakes) and a few small brushes for cutting in (I lucked out and picked up a 1" wide sponge brush that's been excellent) and some roller cartridges and rags and maybe some other stuff that can always be useful for painting.
posted by cCranium at 5:23 AM on September 6, 2004
This may sound strange, but I once got a really cool doorknob as a flat-warming gift. This was in a San Franciscan victorian where most doorknobs are interchangable. The knob was cool, it was unlike the others, and it made me think of the giver every time I used it.
posted by squirrel at 8:05 AM on September 6, 2004
posted by squirrel at 8:05 AM on September 6, 2004
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Do they plan to stay there forever? Does the house need any work?
posted by TomSophieIvy at 12:29 PM on September 5, 2004