Inexpensive House Warming Gift

I honestly don't think people need anymore discount baskets or candles. I say just bake a nice loaf of banana bread and take that and a bottle of wine or apple cider. That is a more traditional gift and even if you use a mix, it is still homemade and more personal.

House plant. You can get a nice one at Home Depot for very little $. I think that would be a great house warming gift.

An indoor friendly house plant that is good for the indoor environment like a Peace Lily is nice one. Or the MISTO oil spray about $10-$12 and I give it with a nice bottle of Olive Oil all for $20. I cannot tell you how many people tell me the love it. You can find the MISTO at World Market.

J. W

what about a tree to be planted in their yard? it is still ok to get things planted now. I saw where home depot has many of their remaining trees and shrubs at 75%off

a jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou! should be good enough! if it's his first home, a rake or shovel. a great gift i got was a wreath!! i loved it and still use it yearly!

There are some traditional housewarming gifts that go back centuries which are not only unusual, but inexpensive as well. For example, salt is often given as a sign of good luck. It is pinched over the threshold of the new home. Also, bread is a wish that the new homeowner will never go hungry. Honey represents the sweetness of life. And so on. You could easily put together a goodie bag with a few of these items for little money and have a lovely gift that is heartfelt as well.

Here is a link which lists a number of these ideas. Proof you don't need to spend a lot to make a unique impact on your host! Enjoy!
http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/newhome.htm

Some return address labels.

Hi,

The Jewish tradition is to give bread, salt, and candles (so that you will never go hungry and will always have light). You could nicely package a loaf of homemade or bakery bread, get a cute (but inexpensive) salt shaker, and a pair of candles. I guess it's somewhat more creative than just candles and wine.

Another idea would be something they could use to make the new home feel like home. Something to hang on the door or a picture frame/something for the mantle (assuming they have a mantle).

If they've moved to a new neighborhood, a map or other information (tour book, etc.) might be a nice gift.

Best,
R.

For a housewarming party last year, I went to a local boutique and got a cool little plate and a cheese slicer and knife set. Add some nice cheese and crackers, and you have both a housewarming gift and a hostess gift in one.

I ditto Rachel. Buy a fun/inexpensive serving tray and bake some cookies for it and let him/her keep the tray as the gift. Who doesn't love cookies and if your cousin entertains at all, a nice platter or tray is always a good fit.

I agree with the below post about a holiday decoration. If you know they like something like snowmen or santas etc that is good. another good one is a plant that can be planted in the yard.

For my brothers house warming gift I gave just that. They had a wood burning fireplace and I bought some of those chimeny cleaning logs and long match sticks in a decorative container and pine cone fire starters.

I'd bake a batch of cookies and present it on a nice plate or platter that they can use again.

the gift I like to give for a housewarming gift is a "new Home 2009" ornament for their tree.

Do a condiment basket. Ketchup, Mustard, Salt, Pepper, napkins, ect... Anything like that. I've seen that done before and I thought it was really neat.

we got a nice picture, some hand towels and dish towels (our color scheme had totally changed from the old place so this was great) and a house address sign that was really nice.

A tree or bush is a GREAT idea too (just read that from someone else) since they had the house built they will not have any or hardly any plants/trees and this is so needed.

Hi T.,
You should check out World Market, they have alot of great stuff for affordable prices. Maybe curtains, cup holders, favorite food item, hamper and so much more.

All the Best!

I found that a gift that lasts many years and helps maintain their new home that will be used over and over is the best. A welcome sign with the family name is delightful.
There are several personalized gifts that won't be gone in hours. Wouldn't you appreciate something that keeps the giver in mind time and time again?
" Welcome to The _________ Estate"

I know I would love a nice house plant if I were having a house warming party.

Depending on how much you're looking to spend you can get them a nice cheese platter along with the cheese utensils. Another great idea is to start them off by purchasing a LeCruset pot which can be found at TJMaxx and Marshall's for around $100+. A nice but inexpensive coffee pot can run around $50 along with a bag of their favorite coffee to complete your gift. When I'm in a bind for expense vs quality and differnect I always think about starting people off with quality collections. You can also note in your card to them that you are starting them off with a fine set of LeCruset pots (for example).

Hi mom I always take house plants that I replant from my own plants. They are beautiful and makes a nice gift. Good Luck

Make a basket with useful household items like hand soap, hand towels, cleaning supplies, etc. It's always nice to get a basket full of stuff that you know you will need and use!

When it was time to put my grandmother into a home for elderly I found a picture in a beautiful gold frame of the house she was living in. Her father had the house built for them when they came over from Germany. She was raised in the house and so was I and my siblings. Maybe you can take a picture of there new home and get a frame engraved with Home Sweet Home on it. It has a personal touch and would be unique.

i sell homemade breads, and i also give them as gifts for our friends (housewarming and other). it's different/creative.

if you're interested, let me know. :)

I saw a show where the host etched the name of the family into the bottom of a glass casserole dish and then made a treat in the dish that the family got to enjoy and then keep.

I second that, an engraved door knocker,everytime they go in th house, they'll see it :).

An engraved door knocker has the personal touch and is either inexpensive or expensive without really sacrificing quality ... they are mostly all made of brass.

I just bought some monogrammed tea towels at Kirklands in Naperville. They were only 3.99 each and look really nice. They also have a ton of easy host gift stuff.

if its their first house a holiday decoration would be nice

If you know your cousin's taste, you might want to consider doing something like a cute serving bowl or platter. Those were some of my favorite gifts and I really love having some nice serving pieces for family gatherings. I think about the gift giver each time I use them.

I think the idea of a New Home Ornament this time of year is a great idea! I also wanted to mention a product called Scentsy. They are candle alternatives that are free of flame and soot, thus providing a safe, scented environment. You can get a plug-in and a bar of wax for only $20! Check out my website if you're interested, www.scentsy.com/cgreenlee Let me know if you have any questions!

Don't worry about what others bring. You can never have too much wine. Most of it will be drank at the housewarming anyway. They could use a bottle or few left over with the holidays upon us. What about an Italian champagne (Perseco)?

I like Kate's answer. If you have a Marshalls or TJMaxx by you, check out the back area and clearance area. They have very inexpensive baskets and items to go inside - it's my go to place for reasonable gifts that look like they are more because of the thought that goes behind it. Here are a few I have done for around $25 each that are perfect for a new home all put together in a few mins from Marshalls or TJMaxx:

- Basket with a red/white dish towel inside to line it, add pasta, pasta sauce, and a few utensils sticking out the top I did garlic press and spaghetti server you can even add pot holders and then a fresh loaf of bread and a nice ribbon tied to the handle. Also works nice with soup mixes and soup bowls - it's great for a new homeowner who doesn't have time to worry about dinner it's all in the basket!

- Basket with dish towel liner in blue/yellow color of my friend kitchen - pancake mix, maple syrup, glass syrup container, spatula and frying pan

Basket with dish towel, hot chocolate, two mugs, mini marshmellow, pretty pack of cookies, hot apple cider, cinnomon stick, fancy coffee or teas etc. I attached a little note that said it was for "some quite downtime to relax" this was for a teacher gift. I have also done soaps, scrubbers, utensils for kitchen or bath.

Or do the traditional housewarming gift I think it is supposed to include bread for good health and salt was for long life, then maybe candles etc.

Hope that helps! As you can tell I am big on gift giving; especially baskets I make up myself with cool items you can put together to make a theme for under $25 ;-) Oh and I never use that basket wrap - I love the look of the basket with just a dish or handtowel and a pretty ribbon - I think the wrap is for delivered items from businesses.

Definetly a Serving Piece. A ton of people who entertain always say they never have enough serving platters! Get a nice Wilton Ware one, or head to T. Maxx for a cheaper version....or a ceramic white one from Bed Bath and Beyond using 20% off coupons.

The best housewarming gift we received (9 years ago) was from my cousin. Why was it the best? I still remember it to this day! She purchased an empty paint can (I've seen these at Michael's) and used tissue paper to make it look like paint was coming out and inside was a gift card to Home Depot. Even though your cousin's house is newly built, some need at Home Depot is sure to arise! Good luck. Let us know what you decide.

Don't take wine unless you know that the couple drinks wine on a regular basis. Candles are nice but do they burn alot of candles in their daily lives or are they just going to end up sitting around collecting dust.
If they drink coffee or tea you could get them some fancy blend.
If you want to bring scent to their lives, how about a scent defusers.
How about some nice soaps with a set of hand towels for the powder room.
A welcome mat for their front door.
With the holiday's right around the corner, how about a nice front door ornament that they could use again and again. Or how about a Christmas tree ornament that says our new house.
How about a couple throw pillows for their couch.

Good Luck

I sell Uppercase Living, which is a great way to personalize any home, and can be extremely inexpensive, but a great way to decorate at their new house. you could give them a UL gift certificate to order products to personalize their house. Let me know if you are interested!
http://cmartino.uppercaseliving.net