Top Housewarming Gifts

Posted on 06/12/2013

When a friend or loved one moves house there is an expectation on you to produce some sort of gift. Generally this means your hapless friend ends up with a series of potted plants which are supposed to bring the outside inside, but not everyone has a green thumb and more often than not these just end up as dust magnets. Moving house is stressful and tiring but it is starting a new life so be practical with your gifts and give them something they can use and enjoy

1) Wine and Cocktail Glasses. These are always going to be a winner. The odds are they will have had their first use by the time you left the house because whether you are just having a quiet night in with your significant other, hosting a birthday party or sophisticated dinner there will always be a requirement for something for people to put a beverage in. Practical, useful and elegant these will always be a winner.

2) A mirror: Although, like plants these will require a certain amount of cleaning they have an obvious practical use whichever room they end up in. They have the added ability to maximise light in a room and a decent sized one can really make a room feel much larger. Ideal for flats or confined spaces these are a simple way of covering up empty walls in a new flat or house and bringing in light to darker spaces.

3) Decortive box: Ok. On the face of it this doesn’t seem like the most thrilling but stop a second and think. We all have areas in the house where bowls are doing a fairly dull job and adding nothing to the space. Personally, I have one for keys, so why not replace that little dull bowl with something innovative and exciting. It is a chance to show how much you know about their tastes and a thoughtful way of putting a small piece of exciting design into a fairly boring part of their life.

4) Spa Experience: It might seem like an odd suggestion but quite often it doesn’t hurt people to get out of their new place and relax. If you have ever moved yourself you will be aware of just how stressful and draining the whole experience can. Getting out of the house in any format is useful and far healthier than just curling up on the sofa and if it includes something relaxing like a massage or similar sort of treatment then so much the better. They will return to their new house and be able to immediately enjoy it.

5) Gift Card: Like number 3) this probably isn’t something that is going to get your hearts beating out of your chest with excitement, but again if you stop and think about it then it makes perfect sense. Whenever you move house money is always a little bit tight and there are always little touches that you want to be able to add to make a cold, empty space feel a little bit more like home. This gives them license to do just that and start designing their home as a reflection of them. They can use it for whatever quirky details they like, or maybe they will just get some towels but they will get things that that reflect how they want their home to look and feel and there is an argument for saying that there is no great gift than that. Rather than impose your interpretation on them , why not give them free reign to do as they please…it’s far more caring and considerate than it first appears.