Housewarming gift suggestions, please!

June 4, 2020 6:49 PM

A woman I work with and have become quite friendly with has just bought a townhouse. Please help me come up with a nice housewarming gift!

My friend and her wife currently live in a small apartment, and this will be the first time either of them has owned a home. They are so excited! I’d like to get them a small gift—maybe $25-$30-ish.

A gift card would be easy, but I’d much rather give them something a bit more personal. I’m not sure if they both drink, so I don’t want to give wine or champagne. Since it’s a townhouse, I’m not sure what the outdoor gardening situation will be like.

They enjoy their two cats, cooking, books, sentimental things...one of them is pretty handy around the house...any ideas? They’re both in their late twenties if it matters. Help! It’s been FOREVER since I’ve bought a housewarming gift!

posted by bookmammal to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

My fall-back here is always something kitchen-related - a nice bamboo cutting board, a pretty wooden spoon or fancy spatula, a set of mise en place bowls.
posted by skycrashesdown at 6:52 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]

after reading about snake plants I really want one and would love to get one as a housewarming gift.

Less expensive, equally awesome esp if they're into cooking and/or drinking: an OXO cherry pitter. Could pair with brandy.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:53 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]

It ain't sexy, but imo nothing says "I love having you in my life" like a carbon monoxide detector or fire extinguisher.
posted by phunniemee at 6:55 PM on June 4, 2020 [16 favorites]

The last time I had a housewarming, a co-worker got me a set of kitchen towels. That was surprisingly nice. I don’t know. It’s a small thing, but they hung on my oven door, and so I’d see them every time i was in my kitchen and think of my co-worker. We were both into bad puns, and the towels had a picture of an egg and said “you crack me up”. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:02 PM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]

I was coming here to say houseplants but fingersandtoes beat me to it! Go with something low maintenance like snake plants as suggested, or a nice succulent arrangement.
posted by vespertinism at 7:15 PM on June 4, 2020 [2 favorites]

I always buy people a plant! Something easy like pothos, phildendron, or spider plant! Put it in a terra cotta (clay) pot with a saucer - they are not expensive, but they are so much nicer than plastic. Another option is some nice bar soap or a nice candle.
posted by amaire at 8:04 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]

Bread and salt (and sometimes wine) is a housewarming tradition - I think Russian Jewish, but it was also in It’s a Wonderful Life

A nice artisan loaf and some fancy schmancy salt (Jacobson’s, a chunk of pink Himalayan, etc.) has worked for me.
posted by jenquat at 10:54 PM on June 4, 2020 [3 favorites]

Power strips. Outlets are never in the right place and are often too far apart, especially moving from a smaller apartment to a full townhouse.

Or, if you'd rather something more playful, paleta molds. Preferably prefilled with paletas.
posted by VelveteenBabbitt at 11:01 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]

It is my family's tradition to gift new homeowners with a small Jade plant for good luck. My parents have carried their now substantially grown plant with them from house to house since my grandmother gave them a clipping in the mid 70s. When I get my first house, it will be my turn to get a clipping!
posted by Kitchen Witch at 11:04 PM on June 4, 2020

Since they like to cook, something from Penzeys Spices might be nice.
posted by belladonna at 6:08 AM on June 5, 2020 [2 favorites]

My wife and are are GIANT saps for It's a Wonderful Life, and are always moved by the scene when Mr Martini is moving into his new house. In the film, Mary and George give the Martini family a trio of small housewarming gifts, with this toast:

Bread, that this house may never know hunger;

Salt, that life may always have flavor;

and Wine, that joy and prosperity may reign forever.

So we do that.

Our city has lots of good bakers, so getting something neat and fresh-baked is easy.

Salt seems like a funny gift, but be aware that there's WAY more to salt than Morton's. Most people never bother trying "nicer" salts -- even Maldon's is a huge step up, and it's a fun (and cheap!) "luxury" that most folks never even bother trying.

Obviously the wine can be an issue if the recipients are sober or non-wine-drinkers, but you can sub in any even vaguely celebratory beverage there.

It's always a hit.

(I see jenquat actually beat me to the reference, which is what I get for being excited about sharing, but I figured the whole quote/context would still be useful.)
posted by uberchet at 7:24 AM on June 5, 2020 [3 favorites]

I've given magazine subscriptions as housewarming gifts. One that highlights local restaurants/events is usually housewarming-friendly. Then they think of you every time it arrives!
posted by *s at 10:56 AM on June 5, 2020

There’s a superstition that you shouldn’t bring an old broom into a new house, so I sometimes get people new brooms. If you want to be fancy, you can get a beautiful, handcrafted one from Berea College.
posted by FencingGal at 4:29 PM on June 5, 2020

Zip-it Strips are fantastic for a slow drain. Some places sell them as disposable(?) but I use one until it's worn out.
Toilet plunger
Safety treads for the tub
Pliers and Vise-grips and other essential tools, possibly a starter tool set
Tape measure (Harbor Freight usually has coupons for a free one)
LED Flashlights(Harbor Freight coupons)
Carbon Monoxide alarm
These are pretty boring and totally useful things people need in a new home.
posted by theora55 at 12:24 PM on June 6, 2020