New place? Help them celebrate with a thoughtful housewarming gift. From the personal to the practical, we found ideas at every price point.
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Moving is a big deal, and a thoughtful housewarming gift is the perfect way to celebrate. While a bottle of wine or a new plant is always nice, there are plenty of creative ideas that go beyond the basics.
As a new homeowner and Taste of Home’s resident gift guide expert, I recommend sticking to gifts that are either practical or personal. Think gourmet staples, essential tools or something that reflects their hobbies or style. You can always opt to tug on their heartstrings and give them a sentimental gift they’ll cherish.
We found over 30 standout gift ideas, almost all of which have been personally vetted by our editors. Oh, and if they have a housewarming registry? Even better! A set list of items takes away any guesswork.
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A custom house portrait serves two purposes: It’s a piece of art that will help them fill all those blank walls, and it’s a sentimental commemoration of their new digs! Not only is it a thoughtful way to celebrate with them, but it’s a timeless keepsake they’ll hold onto for years to come.
This option from Etsy is done by hand in your choice of watercolor, pen and ink, or a combination of the two. Plus, you can choose from four different sizes that fit ready-made frames. Just make sure you place your order in time, though—these beautiful pieces are also time-consuming, so make sure you allot at least two weeks for approval and delivery.
Helping your friends or family members move is already a gift. But if you show up with a tray of bars baked in this genius Brownie Buddy? You’ll be a downright hero. I love this nifty 3-in-1 pan because it makes baking, cutting and storing treats a breeze. In our review, we tried it out with both homemade Zucchini Brownies and boxed mix, and it was an easy, high-quality addition to the baking process.
“Where you have a bake sale coming up or just like to serve perfectly cut bars, the Nordic Ware Brownie Buddy is any home baker’s BFF,” Katie Bandurski, our tester and Taste of Home Senior Shopping Editor, said.
My husband and I made many Jimmy John’s runs while moving. We were too tired to cook—plus, all of our kitchen stuff was packed away. Gift hungry new homeowners a premade charcuterie board, like one from editor-approved Boarderie. It’s hard to go wrong with housewarming gifts that include cheese, meat, dried fruit, nuts and chocolate, and there are some major perks that make it even better than your typical grocery store cheese and meat pack. For one, they arrive completely assembled and ready to eat, they ship fresh, and they even come with a reusable wood presentation board as a cute housewarming gift.
Heads up, though—Boarderie has limited options for strict dietary needs, so make sure your giftees can munch on everything they receive.
If tea is their morning ritual of choice, this Tea Forte gift set will make a lasting impression. A sleek cup with a steeping lid, a tea bag tray and a box of 10 assorted tea pyramids add a little luxury to their day. We also like that it includes a few different types of teas, including Citrus Earl Grey, Mountain Ooloong, Wildflower Honey Citrus, Ginger Lemongrass and Tropical Passion Flower. Bonus: It’s packed in a giftable box that’s so pretty you don’t need to wrap it!
One of the most thoughtful gifts any new homeowner will appreciate is a Bissell Little Green upholstery cleaner for refreshing carpets and upholstery. Our review explains how this machine is the definition of satisfying since it can remove dirt and stains from tons of different fabrics and materials. Plus, it’s impressively compact (it’s less than 10 pounds), so it won’t take up a ton of space. Personally, we think it’s a must-add to any housewarming registry, especially if they’re pet owners, too.
Flowers are beautiful housewarming gifts. (My favorite bouquet makes an appearance later on this list!) But for the homeowners who haven’t unpacked the vases yet, make a pretty yet practical statement with an Amaranth vase. We tried this flower holder that’s specifically designed to make changing the water and trimming stems easy, even helping your blooms last longer!
“Believe it or not, the Amaranth Vase is truly unique and stands alone in the market in terms of design and engineering,” our tester said. “There are lots of unique vases and affordable flower-holding vessels out there, but none offer the same quality lower-twisting mechanism.”
Product testing manager Annamarie Higley knows a new house means a need for new kitchen staples. “I’d been floating through life using supermarket-brand olive oil, and it wasn’t until I tried Kosterina that I realized the merits of the good stuff. I particularly love the original extra virgin olive oil,” Annamarie says. “Paired with a flaky sea salt, it’s the perfect housewarming gift. They’ll be ready to break in their kitchen immediately!”
The original flavor is made with 100% Koroneiki olives that get picked before they’re totally ripe, which helps pack even more antioxidants into the formula.
If their new home came with a backyard or a balcony, the gift of a Ferris wheel hummingbird feeder will help them welcome new creatures to their abode. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy watching bitty birds flit around the ruby-red nectar jars?! I ordered this feeder as a gift for someone else and was floored by the quality. The glass jars are heavy and sturdy, yet securely positioned inside the adorable metal frame. Hand-painted flower details are a sweet finishing touch.
If you want to gift the new homeowners with a product they will reach for every day, you can’t go wrong with the Dyson V11 cordless vacuum cleaner. I used this model for over five years and was impressed with its convenience. You vacuum a lot more when there’s no cord—just pick up and go! I love all the attachments for cleaning corners and furniture, and the iconic Dyson suction power is unmatched. It’s a great gift for a new homeowner with pets or littles who tend to make messes.
Other highlights include its lightweight size (it’s around 6.5 pounds), up to 60 minutes of runtime and handy features, like the crevice tool, mini soft dusting brush and fabric and mattress tool.
It can take awhile to remember where you packed the pots and pans after a big move. Gift them a handy pizza steel that they can use to prep veggies, fries, chicken nuggets and, of course, pizza. I’ve been using mine for nearly a year and it has replaced my air fryer. The hybrid non-stick and stainless steel construction is unique and makes for a crispy, crunchy crust. While it’s on the pricier side, it’s oven-safe up to 900 degrees F, and is durably made to last them years upon years of use.
There are two ways to approach this sweet spoon rest: Give the shape of the state they’re moving to or the state they just left. Either way, they’ll feel the love every time they step into the kitchen.
Handmade with love, they can even boast different uses around the house—think jewelry holder, tabletop décor or even a soap dish.
“Lounging in the backyard” can seem like a far-away goal when you have a long list of tasks to complete after closing. Give them something to look forward to with this Yellow Leaf hammock chair (or one of our other best hammocks). While pricey, the quality is unmatched, making it a stylish splurge they’ll be super grateful for. Plus, it’s portable, so they can take it to the beach or park, too.
This is another splurge, but if the new homeowners haven’t found their fave new coffee shop yet, they’ll love being able to whip up cafe-style drinks with the Breville Bambino Plus espresso maker. In her review, Nicole admits she and her partner can’t live without it! It’s a great option for beginners or those looking for a convenient, fast way to make handcrafted espresso drinks at home.
Some of our favorite pros include its beginner-friendly automatic milk steaming function, fast heating (3 seconds!) and built-in PID, which helps maintain a stable temperature.
This nifty gadget is a game-changer for anyone who loves sending snail mail. A self-inking return address stamp makes sending change-of-address announcements, housewarming invitations and holiday cards a breeze. We moved into our house right before our wedding, and this was the best gift I gave myself when it was time to send thank you notes.
Psst: Melissa Lee, a Content Updates Editor at Taste of Home, received this as a housewarming gift and absolutely loves it. “It felt really thoughtful and sweet,” she said. “Plus, I loved getting to try it out when I sent thank you cards! For stationery lovers like me, it’s a great gift.”
I’ll admit: This piece of decor isn’t for everyone. But if you know a homeowner who loves retro trends, a porch goose may just become their new BFF. I’ve had my lawn goose for over a year, and it brings me joy every dang day. Just make sure you pick out a (waterproof) outfit or two!
Buying a house is a marathon, not a sprint. Help them celebrate reaching the finish line with this coffee and chocolate-tasting experience. Three global coffees and three gourmet chocolate bars will add a (caffeinated) pep to their step. Best for the seasoned caffeine drinker who loves to try new flavor combinations, they’ll be thrilled with the informative guide that gives all the deets on their chocolate and coffee options.
Other highlights? It arrives in eco-friendly packaging, and you’re supporting a POC-owned business that prioritizes sourcing high-quality, single-origin coffee and chocolate.
They’ll love expressing their creativity with this customizable tile door mat. A hexagon pattern and interchangeable tiles make it easy to spell out words or shape patterns. From a classic “hello” to retro flower prints, the options are truly endless! We tested a Letterfolk mat and loved how it spiced up any entryway, plus it’s weatherproof, easy to clean and the tiles are dishwasher-safe. Consider us sold!
When it comes to housewarming gifts, there’s a good chance someone brings a bottle of bubbly. Keep it cool with this genius and aesthetic wine chiller. I love that you simply chill it in the fridge and then enjoy glass after glass of ice-cold vino. It’ll maintain your ideal wine temperature and, thanks to the double-wall insulation, is super durable and great for outdoor use. Cheers!
It takes time to break in a new kitchen. And the last thing they’ll want to worry about is running out of outlet space—or GFCI outlets that don’t quite let them reach the center island. I love the KitchenAid cordless hand mixer for whipping up cookie dough or mashing potatoes on any counter. It boasts seven speeds along with a freestanding design and a handy soft-start feature.
Even in the smallest backyard, there’s still room for a fire pit! The Solo Stove Mesa sits on a patio table and provides a smokeless flame for roasting marshmallows, providing warmth and keeping bugs at bay. With a maximum of 35-minute runtime, Shopping Editor Mary Henn said that “it’s great for tailgating, poolside fun, backyard date nights and wherever else you want a little spark.”
Read her full review here.
The name of this bouquet says it all. Send a “Celebration” and prepare for the compliments to roll in. BloomsyBox ranks best overall in our flower delivery testing, so you can send with confidence. Just be sure to add on a vase so they don’t need to dig through nine boxes to find one!
Smart upgrades that work in any style of kitchen, like a universal knife block, make excellent housewarming gifts. “My mother-in-law gifted us this gem, which holds up to 14 knives of different shapes and sizes in an easy-to-use, upright block,” shares former senior shopping editor Cher Checchio. “We keep it on our kitchen counter so we never have to worry about where the knives are or if they’re being stored safely. Plus, the bamboo holder is aesthetically pleasing and matches our decor, so it’ll never see the inside of a cabinet.”
I’ve tested many cookie clubs, but Levain Bakery’s enormous signature cookie assortment is still my go-to for gifting. Nothing says “welcome to the neighborhood” like whopping sweets loaded with mix-ins. The indulgent, cake-like texture may even be better than homemade cookies… Maybe.
As a new homeowner, there are few tools more necessary than a ladder. It’s your go-to for adding a fresh coat of paint, changing lightbulbs or investigating that weird noise coming from the attic. If you want to give practical housewarming gifts that they’ll use forever, this multi-position ladder can’t be beat. It converts to multiple configurations for any task. I bought this a few weeks after closing, and it’s one of my most-used purchases.
Did the previous owners have an affinity for raw fish and stinky cheeses? Banish even the most pungent odors with this cute mushroom-shaped fridge deodorizer. He’s a fun guy to have around! Mine is stocked in the fridge 24/7, and it really does make a difference. That being said, it won’t remove all scents, but it’s safe to be around food-grade materials and can even be popped in the dishwasher for easy cleaning!
If they’re closing around the holidays, housewarming gifts like a personalized Christmas ornament are a special touch. I love this simple key and address tag option, which is available in brass or silver.
While it’s perhaps not the most exciting gift, an air purifier can make a huge difference in the air quality in a new home. This one is especially adept at removing allergens from the surrounding air, filtering out 99.97% of all particles. There’s even a special allergy filter you can use for even more dust-busting power. I’ve been testing this model in our bedroom for over a month, and it does a great job minimizing stuffy noses and other allergy symptoms when we run it before bed.
Another practical gift comes in the form of this tool bag with essentials every homeowner should own. From a hammer to four mini screwdrivers and 10 specialty bits, they’ll undoubtedly be reaching for this gift as they put art up, assemble furniture and start DIY projects.
Whether it’s the keys to the front door, car or otherwise, if they’re constantly misplacing them, this holder will serve as a much-needed solution. Complete with six arms to hold anything they need to grab before heading out the door, they can use the included mounting hardware to place it right in their entryway.
Housewarming gifts celebrate a major life event—moving into a new home—and are meant to help the homeowner settle in. Common gifts include practical items, like tool kits or small appliances, as well as consumables for their pantry or thoughtful personalized items. Try to avoid giving generic or clutter-inducing items like candles or monogrammed cutting boards.
It depends on the situation. If the homeowner has specifically said no gifts, it’s polite to respect that. However, if they are hosting a housewarming party and providing food and drinks, it’s typically expected to bring a small gift. If you’re unsure, asking the host what they prefer is perfectly fine.
Giving a gift card or cash is an acceptable and practical housewarming gift today. It’s no longer considered tacky and can be a great way to let the homeowner pick out something they need. If unsure, you can always check with the host or guests to gauge what’s expected.
