The Perfect Housewarming Gifts

What makes a house a home?

Home is breakfast in bed. Home is hanging whatever you want on the wall. Home is snuggling up in a blanket in front of the TV. When someone you care about moves into their new home, whether a temporary rented one or a long-term family homestead, deciding what to get them as a gift can be really tough.

The origin of buying house warming gifts quite literally comes from “warming the house”- a family who had just moved into a new home would invite their guests around, and it was customary for these guests to bring with them a log to burn on the fire. The cosy atmosphere was said to scare away any spirits who favoured occupying empty houses.

Fast forward many centuries, and while housewarming parties are still commonplace, showing up with a log may result in a few furrowed brows. So, we’ve put together a selection of helpful gift ideas to help you out when a bottle of bubbly just won’t cut it…

Cushion Tray

Perfect for those lazy, Sunday breakfasts in bed or for a quick dinner in front of your favourite TV show after a long 9 to 5. This gift also works brilliantly for those who may have moved into a relatively space conscious flat and may not have room for a fully-fledged dining table. A dining tray is also versatile due to the many designs available, with comfy cushions!

Blanket

Snuggling up on the sofa is hands down a pastime universally recognised, particularly when paired with a takeaway and a favourite film. It goes without saying that blankets come in an array of designs, colours and textures, making it simple to choose one most suited to the person you are gifting it to.

Mug

First thing in the morning, everyone loves a fresh cup of coffee or a strongly brewed cup of tea. Mugs make for a low-key yet unique gift that any person, regardless of age or gender will be grateful for. A reminder of your friendship and support for their future before they start their day!

Address Book

In the mess of a move, so many bits and pieces of paperwork can easily go missing- a good, well used address book can fix this issue, and be easy to spot during a tonne of cardboard boxes during the unpacking process! Help your recipient organise their contact details and important information with a beautiful address book, like this one

Picture

A pop of colour can really tie a room together, and a well-chosen print is the perfect vehicle for this. A wide selection of options is available to you; are they an animal lover? Or perhaps a more abstract, colourful assortment that reflects the decor in their living room is a more well thought out idea. Pictures create a focal point for the room, adding texture and colour.

Doorstop

A far cry from the unsightly wooden or rubber doorstops that have become commonplace in many homes, these doorstops in the form of cute, quirky characters add a little subtle personality to a room without drawing too much attention away from the overall décor of the room. The selection available provides a plethora of options so you can find one that really suits the person’s individuality.

Cushion

Accessories are the key to adding individuality to the home, and cushions are a great way of doing this! Everyone loves a huge comfy pillow to crash into after they get home from a long day. Similarly, to blankets, they’re a great way to add some colour and personality to a room without being overbearing. There are few things more comforting than the sight of a comfy, well-loved sofa stacked to the ceiling with colourful and quirky cushions that looks like it’s been plucked straight from Pinterest.

Part of the pressure of gift-giving is finding something that suits the person and says something more, rather than being impersonal. The obvious things to consider when purchasing a housewarming gift are the age of the recipients, whether they’re a young couple, single person or family, and the type of property they are moving into.

Regardless of their profile, the likelihood is that prior to moving to a new house they probably spent a long-time decluttering, which makes any old tat as a housewarming gift not very helpful! Receiving a housewarming gift is great, but receiving a housewarming gift you need or want is even better.